So I made these oozy orbs of deliciousness last Monday, and it was KILLING ME to have to wait an entire week to share them with you today!
In my ongoing quest to create delicious low carb meatball recipes, I decided to tackle the flavors and textures of the ever popular spinach and artichoke dip for this week’s Meatball Monday installment.
A couple of years ago I made a keto friendly soup from spinach and artichoke dip that was amazing – so why not a meatball?
I didn’t want to just slap a plain ole’ meatball into a vat of spinach and artichoke dip though – where’s the fun in that? So I put the spinach and artichokes (along with cheese of course) into the actual meatball, and then bathed it in a luscious, creamy (and also cheesy) sauce. If Queso and Alfredo had a love child, this sauce would be it – SO GOOD.
The end result was a black out good bowl of yum. I don’t know how else to describe it so that you’ll understand how delicious it was. It’s beyond description – total bliss. I almost cried when it was all gone. In fact, I’m tearing up right now.
This one will definitely be going into our regular rotation – I can’t wait for you guys to try it and report back!!! Maybe you’ll be able to describe how good it was better than I did…
Serve this alone, or with a cauliflower mash or over some cooked spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles to soak up all that cheesy sauce!!!
PrintSpinach & Artichoke Dip Meatballs – Low Carb & Gluten Free
A delicious low carb and gluten free meatball recipe based on the popular spinach and artichoke dip.
- Yield: 15 meatballs (5 servings) 1x
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1lb ground chuck (80/20)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
- 1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen is fine)
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (for the top)
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients (except olive oil) in a medium bowl and mix well. Form into 15 meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown and cooked through (about 3 – 4 minutes per side.) Remove and set aside while you make the sauce.
For the sauce:
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients (except the shredded Mozzarella) in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, then stir until fully combined. (Alternatively you could heat in a small saucepan for 5 minutes) Place your meatballs in a greased,oven-safe, casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, then sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 10 minutes, or microwave for 2 – 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.
Notes
Approximate nutrition info per serving: 474 calories, 37g fat, 3g net carbs, 29g protein
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs with approximately 2 Tbsp sauce
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Have you entered the June Kitchenaid Stand Mixer Giveaway yet??? You’re kidding me!? Well get over there and do it, Silly! How else are you going to win???
Soooo yummy! This is one of my go to recipes. I serve with broccoli and drizzle some of the sauce over the broccoli. I also use marinated artichokes for more flavor and chop up the rest of the jar and sprinkle over the meatballs before pouring the sauce on top.
★★★★★
I made this tonight and my family loved it so much. My husband asked me to keep this recipe handy and make it often. It also was so easy to make. The sauce is incredible. The only change I had to make to the recipe was that I was out of almond flour, so I used oat fiber (not oat flour) and it worked very well. Thank you for such a tasty recipe full of so much flavor!
★★★★★
I made these and the whole family loved them (a rarity). I’m going to try the meatloaf version tonight, as I’m never able to get my meatballs to stay in one piece. How long do you recommend baking, Wonder what temp?
Thanks!
It’s hard to say depending on your oven and what pan you use – probably about 40 minutes. To be sure you can test the center with a meat thermometer (about 160 degrees) to be sure it’s done!
Prepped this last night and just baked it for lunch. It was wonderful! Thank you for sharing this great recipe!!
Can you bake these instead of pan frying?
I made these last night and they were delicious!
★★★★★
This is SO good!
This was really yummy! Thanks
These were so yummy – the sauce was divine – I could eat a bowl of just the sauce!! I made half the recipe as meatballs and the other half as a meatloaf and cooked the both in the oven. The meatloaf was juicier as I think I over cooked the meatballs but they were delicious anyway.
I made this recipe and it was absolutely decadent. I had to restrain myself to only eat 1 serving at a time. So delish
OMG. I made these last night and they were absolutely delicious. VERY rich but with a salad on the side…just perfect. I did take lazy way out and bake instead of frying the meatballs but they were still crispy brown and so good. Thanks so much for this creative idea…I will definitely make again!
Hi Melissa,
I made this recipe tonight and it was absolutely amazing!!! The sauce is rich and it tastes like it’s from a restaurant. I’m curious to know what your other top 3 recipes are as you mentioned above. I can’t imagine another recipe as amazing as this one. You are so gifted. Keep’em coming!
HI Melissa, I made the recipe on Sunday and the meatballs are absolutely scrumptious! I have to admit I’m not that great at making meatballs because they kind of fell apart when I was frying them–maybe I didn’t compact them enough–but they were still delicious! I think I will try making a meatloaf (as was suggested above) next time.
Love your recipes! You have got me cooking again after a long hiatus and I know it will be much healthier for me.
Warmly,
Resa
Thanks so much Resa, glad you liked them! For these especially it’s important to pack them tight (I should have said that in the recipe) because the chunks of artichoke heart can be problematic and lead to them falling apart otherwise. I think the meatloaf will be just as good and a lot less work! Let me know if you try that and how it comes out!
These look like a delicious addition to the appetizer menu for an upcoming party I’m hosting! I’d really like to plan ahead and make a large batch to freeze until the day of. Is there anyway that would work with this recipe? Maybe baking instead of pan frying the meatballs would be a better option for me. What do you suggest?
Baking instead of frying them will work, but you won’t get that tasty crunchy exterior Nikki! To make them for a large crowd in advance, I’d make the meatballs and freeze them, then thaw them, make the sauce and bake them for at least 30 minutes at 375 degrees (F) to make sure they are heated through! Hope they are a hit!
I just made this for supper tonight served over zucchini noodles. I don’t even have the words for how delicious it was! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Allison, so glad you liked it as much as I did! I already can’t wait to make this again SOON! :)
Wowza. These are really, really good. Thank you so very much a new great recipe I shall add to the rotation! Ummm—once a week.
I would totally eat these once a week (or more) too Tricia! I’ve made tons of meatball recipes, but this one is by far in the top 3 of my all time faves!!! Glad you liked them, thanks for taking the time to let me know! :)
I’d love to see what your other 2 favorites are in your “Top 3”
Made these tonight…delish!!
Glad you liked these too Diane, thanks for taking the time to let me know!!!
yum, this sounds criminally delicious!! I am a meatball lover……… or even make this in to a meatloaf!! Yes, thanks for the recipe.
This would totally work as a meatloaf Norma, and would be a lot easier if you’re feeding a crowd! I’d make it in a 13 x 9 pan though so that you get lots of crispy baked exterior in each slice! Then just serve it with the sauce on the side – yum!
I made these last night….. soooooooo good. Hubby really like them too!! How did you think of putting nutmeg in meatballs? It adds such a nice warmness!! Definitely a keeper in our home.
What about half the sauce as a glaze on the meatloaf?
These look incredible – can’t wait to try! I have a question about portion size. It’s something I constantly struggle with. :( In this recipe, one pound of meat serves 5 people – is that for an appetizer portion or main course? Would you eat 1.5 – 2 servings? I eat low carb, but still eat too much! Thank you!!
They are bulked up by the almond flour and veggies, and are also very filling due to the rich sauce! If you want to eat more you can though – just depends on your calorie budget for the day! Low calorie veggies like salad and spaghetti squash make a great filler as a side as well!