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Published April 1, 2019 | Last Updated December 29, 2024 By Barbara Bianchi Leave a Comment

Low-Carb Meatballs In Smoked Paprika Sauce Recipe

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You’ll love these delicious low-carb meatballs in a tasty smoked paprika sauce. They’ll be on your table in just 30 minutes.

low-carb meatballs in smoked paprika sauce

Low-carb meatballs are a family favorite dinner here at my house. Usually, I serve them as Poached Meatballs In A Tomato Sauce and more recently I cover the juiciest Italian meatballs in mozzarella cheese. Yum. But…even a family favorite can get a little old.

Does that ever happen to you? You keep serving up the same meal week after week and suddenly it’s not as big a family favorite as it used to be?

That’s why this week I wanted to try something completely new: pairing those low-carb meatballs with a completely different sauce. And that’s how this delicious, smoked paprika sauce was born.

The smoked paprika gives this sauce a deep, warm flavor with a subtle spicy hint. (It quickly became a new family favorite).

If you’re looking to add a fun, new, tasty spin to your meatball dinner, you’re going to love this recipe. It’s one of our easy 22 low carb ground beef recipes you will want to bookmark for later.

Ingredients 

You probably have all the ingredients right there in your kitchen.

For the meatball mix, you’ll need ground beef. (I had picked up grass-fed beef on sale!) And for flavor and spiciness: cauliflower rice, milk, eggs, onion, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley. *See my Pro Tips And Recipe Notes for my recent variation to swap out cauliflower.

And for the smoked paprika sauce: beef broth, tomato paste, garlic, parsley, sage, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.

Step by step instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

First, cauliflower! This is the secret ingredient that will keep our low-carb meatballs juicy.

cauliflower

First, pulse your cauliflower florets in your food processor until the cauliflower pieces are the size of rice. You’ll need one and a half cups.

minced cauliflower for low carb meatballs

Add your cauliflower rice in a bowl with ground beef, milk, eggs, onion, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley. Mix until combined.

ground beef mixture for meatballs

Now you’re ready to roll each meatball. Not too tight. You want to lightly roll them between your hands to form a small ball that feels like it will hold together, but lightly so they will absorb the sauce.

low carb meatballs in a skillet

Fry your meatballs in oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully about 10 minutes.

low carb meatballs in a skillet

Hmm. I know they’re not each perfectly round. No. Meatballs are kind of like snowflakes. No two meatballs are the same. 🙂

When you’re meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a bowl, cover, and set aside.

Now for the sauce.

smoked paprika sauce

Drain the oil from the pan. Add broth, garlic, and tomato paste. Stir over a medium heat scraping up the bits of beef off the bottom as you stir. Season with parsley, sage, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Simmer as the sauce thickens.

low carb meatballs in smoked paprika sauce

Return your meatballs back into the pan along with any juices from the bowl. Then cover and simmer in the delicious sauce.

Pro tips and recipe notes

  • More recently, I’ve been replacing the cauliflower with ground pork rinds, a trick I love in my Pork Tenderloin Crispy Bites. You only need 3/4 cup of ground pork rinds, and the flavor is incredible!
  • Cook your meatballs in batches. You don’t want to crowd the pan. As your meatballs cook, they will start to give off moisture. If there is not enough room in the pan, they’ll steam instead of browning and getting a nice flavorful sear.
  • You want to lightly roll your meatballs between your hands to form a small ball that feels like it will hold together, but lightly so they will absorb the sauce.
  • Since I’m following a low-carb way of eating, I use the tomato paste to thicken the sauce. If you would like your sauce a little thicker, just whisk a tablespoon of gluten free flour in some cold water first (this is called slurry). Then whisk the slurry into your pan sauce. Stir until thickened, and you’re good to go.
  • Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

low carb meatballs in smoked paprika sauce

Are these pictures making you hungry?

low carb meatballs in smoked paprika sauce close up

You’re going to love these beefy bites.

low carb meatballs in smoked paprika sauce with a fork

These meatballs are delicious for dinner with a salad and veggies. But I also can picture serving them as cocktail meatballs as an hors d’oeuvre at a party.

I can’t wait for you to try them. And if you have any questions, please reach out to me in the comments or shoot me an email and I’ll respond ASAP!

You might also like

Low carb recipes – This is my complete low carb recipe collection.

How To Cut And Cook Spaghetti Squash: Your Ultimate Guide – If you close your eyes, you’ll think you’re eating angel hair pasta. That’s why you’re going to love this satisfying, healthy, low carb alternative to pasta.

Gluten Free Cauliflower Flatbreads – Serve warm from the skillet and piled with your favorite toppings.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus – Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones. The ones that require only a handful of fresh ingredients to make a dish that is elegant and tasty and, yet, so effortless to prepare.

P.S. If you make this, share your snap on Instagram and tag #glutenfreehomestead. I always love seeing your photos.

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5 from 1 vote

Low-Carb Meatballs In Smoked Paprika Sauce

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You’ll love these delicious low-carb meatballs in a tasty smoked paprika sauce. They’ll be on your table in just 30 minutes.
Course Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 233kcal
Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups minced cauliflower or 3/4 cup of ground pork rinds
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 2 tablespoons onion
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano

For Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Pulse your cauliflower florets in your food processor until the cauliflower pieces are the size of rice. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of minced cauliflower.
    1 1/2 cups minced cauliflower
  • Add your cauliflower rice in a bowl with ground beef, milk, eggs, onion, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley. Mix until combined.
    2 pounds ground beef, 1/2 cup milk, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon parsley
  • Now you’re ready to roll each meatball. Not too tight. You want to lightly roll them between your hands to form a small ball that feels like it will hold together, but lightly so they will absorb the sauce.
  • Fry your meatballs in oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully about 10 minutes.
  • When you're meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a bowl, cover and set aside. Drain the oil from the pan.

For Sauce:

  • Add broth, garlic, and tomato paste. Stir over a medium heat scraping up the bits of beef off the bottom as you stir. Season with parsley, sage, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Simmer as the sauce thickens.
    1 1/2 cups beef broth, 6 ounces tomato paste, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon sage, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 5 cloves of garlic
  • Return your meatballs back into the pan along with any juice from the bowl. Then cover and simmer. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • More recently, I’ve been replacing the cauliflower with ground pork rinds. You only need 3/4 cup of ground pork rinds, and the flavor is incredible!
  • Cook your meatballs in batches. You don't want to crowd the pan. As your meatballs cook they will start to give off moisture. If there is not enough room in the pan they'll steam instead of browning and getting a nice flavory sear.
  • You want to lightly roll your meatballs between your hands to form a small ball that feels like it will hold together, but lightly so they will absorb the sauce.
  • Since I'm following a low-carb way of eating, I use the tomato paste to thicken the sauce. If you would like your sauce a little thicker, just whisk a tablespoon of gluten free flour in some cold water first (this is called slurry). Then whisk the slurry into your pan sauce. Stir until thickened, and you’re good to go.
  • Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.7g | Protein: 20.4g
did you make this recipe? We want to see! Take a pic, and tag @glutenfreehomestead on Instagram.

  • About the Author
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About Barbara Bianchi

Barbara loves to bring fun into the kitchen and wholesome food to the table. She also enjoys drinking robust coffee, eating a little chocolate, reading a good novel, going for walks and spending time with her family and friends.
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Filed Under: Beef, Dinner, Keto, LOW CARB, Nut free, Paleo, Recipe

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