Low-Carb Jalapeno Popper Meatballs with Low-Carb Cheese Sauce
Jalapeno Popper Meatballs are everything you love about jalapeno poppers combined in one easy to make meatballs with a keto-friendly cheese sauce. Meatballs are the ultimate food. They are perfect for appetizer or dinners. Do you know what else is awesome? Jalapeno Poppers. This is why these low-carb jalapeno popper meatballs are the ultimate low-carb recipe. Add some cheese dipping sauce and you have the low-carb appetizer heaven.
Low-Carb Jalapeno Popper Meatballs combine hamburger with chopped jalapenos, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and lots of seasoning for the perfect game day appetizer or quick dinner recipe. You are going to love these meatballs.
Low-Carb Jalapeno Popper Meatball Ingredients
These meatballs got some inspiration from the low-carb sausage balls I have made previously. The ingredient base is very similar. When going for low-carb meatballs, the binding together of the meatballs can sometimes be a problem. My solution is to add more cheese!
Just like the sausage balls, these jalapeno popper meatballs are made with:
- ground beef or pork – both ground beef and ground pork can be used in this recipe. Or just one or the other.
- cream cheese – regular cream cheese works best in this keto recipe.
- shredded cheese – you can have some flexibility with your cheese choice – Colby Jack, cheddar, Monterey Jack, even queso quesadilla cheese will work.
- grated parmesan cheese – the green bottle of Parmesan cheese will work perfectly. Shredded Parmesan cheese is fine too.
- jalapeños – fresh jalapeños are the best, but canned but not pickled will be fine too.
- bacon – the pre-made crumble bacon is great for this but you can fry up your own bacon and crumble too. I like to go the easy route.
- garlic – fresh minced garlic brings so much flavor. Substitute granulated garlic or garlic powder.
- egg – bind all of this meatball together with a whole egg.
How to Make Keto Jalapeno Popper Meatballs
Now, these meatballs can be made with ground beef or ground pork or a combination of them both. I use both. But I am a fan of both. You do you with the meat you choose for the meatballs. If you have ground beef on hand use it. Then combine the ground meat, chopped jalapenos, fried bacon pieces, cheeses, egg, and garlic in a bowl.
Take your rings off and mix together. When the meat is partially combined, seasoning with pork seasoning. with your hands and roll the meatballs out. When I make the meatballs for dinner, I make larger meatballs but smaller ones for appetizers. From two pounds of meat, you can get 18 larger meatballs and 24 smaller ones. Again, you do you with the meatballs. Make them square if you want!
If you are using an 80/20 ground beef, you will not need any oil in the bottom of the pan. Brown the meatballs on both sides over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Then put a lid on your braiser
and let them continue to cook over low heat for another 10 ten minutes. Don’t over stir or flip them. They will fall apart.
Serve with toothpicks in them or just on a bed of spaghetti or rice. Obviously, with a toothpick is best for an appetizer. Finger food is the best.
Now, the really great thing about meatballs is the sauce. I struggled with what sauce to make. When all else fails, low-carb cheese sauce works. A quick melting of cream cheese, cheddar, and heavy whipping cream make a quick and easy low-carb cheese sauce.
Low-Carb Cheese Sauce Recipe
This sauce was perfect for the Jalapeno Popper Meatballs. It was also loved by my kids as a chip dip. Win, win! To make the low-carb cheese sauce to dip the meatballs into you will need to simply combine cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and cheddar cheese in a small saucepan on the stove. Stir continuously until the cheese is all melted.
Tips for Making Gluten-Free, Keto Jalapeno Popper Meatballs
- Binders – the cream cheese and parmesan with one egg worked perfectly for me. Pork rinds or almond flour could also be added to have even more stick togetherness.
- Cheese – Cheddar cheese is the cheese I used for the meatballs and cheese sauce. Colby-Jack would work just fine too. I find a block of cheese shredded at home works better for melting than store-bought shredded cheese.
- I have never cooked with ground turkey or ground chicken so I have no clue how they work in this recipe.
- If you want more heat, add another pepper. If you want less heat, use only one pepper.
Meatball Recipes
Meatballs are an easy keto meal or snack. It is so easy to make low-carb meatball recipes. Even if you don’t eat low-carb these meatball recipes are the best!
Low-Carb Sausage Balls – Keto Meatballs
Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs on the Grill
Low-Carb Jalapeno Popper Meatballs
Ingredients
Jalapeno Popper Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef or pork
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pork seasoning
Low-Carb Cheese Sauce
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Using a mix and chop or your hands, completely incorporate all the ingredients together.
- Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs. Place in a large skillet or braiser. Brown on each side for 5-7 minutes and then place the lid on the skillet and turn to low heat for 10 minutes.
- To make the cheese sauce, mix the three ingredients together over medium-low heat until melted.
- Serve meatballs with toothpicks for dipping into the sauce.
Nutrition
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I have a question about these meatballs. The recipe makes 18 meatballs but what is considered a “serving” size? Thanks
Yes, for nutritional information, the serving size is one meatball.