Cheesy Meatballs Casserole – Looking for a great low-carb dinner option? This low-carb meatball casserole recipe is fabulous. It’s a clear winner with the whole family! Meatballs, marinara sauce, and cheese combined equal heaven here on earth. You’ll want to make it over and over again! Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a complete low-carb meal – You really can’t mess up this meatball recipe in any way. It’s incredible how excited one gets over a low-carb or keto-friendly recipe. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Low Carb Meatball Casserole
- 2 lbs (900g) ground turkey
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup Marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice for topping (Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterrey Jack, Cheddar…)
- Fresh basil or parsley, for topping
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To prepare the meatballs casserole recipe: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine ground turkey, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, onion powder, garlic, Italian seasoning, Cayenne, crushed chili pepper flakes in a large salad bowl – except for the Marinara sauce, 1 cup cheese, and fresh basil that are set aside for the casserole. Use a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs all the same size and arrange the meatballs in the casserole dish.
3. Bake your meatballs casserole for 15 to 20 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove the meatballs casserole from the oven and drain the grease.
4. Top with the low carb Marinara sauce and shredded cheese and put the meatballs casserole back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.
5. Serve the low carb meatballs casserole with a side salad or over zucchini noodles as pictured. Enjoy!
What readers planned alongside this recipe
Popular combinations from real meal plans.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Quick dinners for busy nights
Simple, fast and family-friendly meals you'll make again and again.
Tips for the meatball casserole recipe
This cheesy meatball casserole is a fast and easy dinner option that’s 100% sure to please the whole family! Here are a few tips for tweaking it to your taste.
- You can also mix 1 lb (450g) ground beef and 1 lb (450g) spicy pork sausage instead of using ground turkey.
- We use a high-quality store-bought marinara sauce for this meatball casserole recipe, feel free to use whatever variety of sauce you prefer.
- This meatball casserole recipe is adaptable to a Crockpot. Follow the recipe instructions but instead of layering them into a baking dish, simply layer the meatballs into a slow cooker instead. Cook on low for 6 hours.
How and how long to keep the meatball casserole leftovers?
Store any meatball leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you wish to freeze the cooked meatballs, keep them in a freezer-safe storage bag or container and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Allow thawing in your refrigerator overnight before reheating the meatballs in the oven.
What other readers say about this meatball casserole recipe
“Delicious I did half pork and half beef and added seasoned salt and did 1/8 tsp on the spice seasonings. Will make again” – Ana
“Made this over zucchini noodles SO Good! My fiance is a picky eater, but he was in LOVE with this!” – Katlyn
“This meatball casserole is a keeper! I sometimes find keto recipes lacking, but this one is in my rotation for certain.” – Rebecca
“This was so delicious! I used equal amounts of ground beef and Italian ground sausage. I’ve made it twice now. The second time I made it, I didn’t have an egg, but it still came out great! This is definitely getting added to our meal rotation. Even my kiddos loved it! Thanks for sharing!” – Dawn
More meatballs recipes you might like
- The 17 Best Meatballs Recipes You’ll Ever Need
- Garlic Butter Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Zucchini Noodles
- Meal Prep Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Cauliflower Rice
- Baked Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Meatballs in Tomato Parmesan Sauce
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
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Reviews
See what readers thought — or share how it turned out for you.
How did it turn out?
They’re fine, I messed up along the way and made two separate dishes. I AM BEGGING, please use a casserole dish as instructed! I used 2 glass pyrex pans and the top of the meatball ended up cooked soggy while the bottom was firmer.
If you are making two batches with glass pans, do one at a time, and not near the sides of the oven or they’ll be unevenly cooked.Haven't made these, was thinking of taking out the shredded mozz cheese and stuffing them with a cube of mozz cheese instead...
So good ! I used ground chicken , left out the red pepper and cayenne. My family doesn’t like spicy . I also used the whole jar of marinara sauce.
Hands down,WOW! Even my 10yr old loved them,and he doesn't like ANYTHING these days 😆
These turned out great! 2# of ground turkey is a lot. I was in a pinch for dinner and I only had a 12oz package and it made 15 meatballs. Definitely will make this again! Great flavor and super easy. Thank you!
