Name: Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 2 tsp monk fruit / erythritol granular sweetener ( or your sweetener of choice); ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder; ½ tsp sea salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 2 tsp soy sauce (or coconut aminos for strict keto); ½ tsp sesame oil; 1 egg; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tsp minced or grated ginger; 4 small white mushrooms; 2 tbsp green onion; 1 tbsp cilantro; ½ cup almond flour; ¼ tsp xanthan gum; 1 tsp sesame oil; ½ cup apple cider vinegar; ½ cup no sugar added ketchup; ½ cup water; ⅓ cup sukrin gold sweetener; ⅓ cup monk fruit / erythritol granular sweetener (or your sweetener of choice); 2 tbsp soy sauce ( or coconut aminos for strict keto); 1 tbsp minced or grated ginger; 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil; 1 red pepper; 1 small onion

Skip the take out with this flavour packed Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs dish!

Two wooden bowls of keto sweet and sour meatballs with cauliflower rice.

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Flavour packed meatballs drenched in an epic keto sweet and sour sauce?

Yes please!

I absolutely love sweet and sour sauce; have since I was a little squirt who had no idea how bad sugar was for you, nor would have cared even if I had known. For a long time I would crave sweet and sour meatballs, but wouldn’t allow myself to make them because of the high sugar content. Finally, I decided it would be my mission in life to make a healthy version…

Guys. Nick and I both agree that this version of sweet and sour meatballs is better than the original. Paired with cauliflower rice, these Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs are ridiculously delicious! I can’t wait for you to try them; Let me know in the comment section below what you think!

Why it works

We use healthier ingredients like erythritol for the ‘sweet’ and apple cider vinegar for the ‘sour’.
It’s easy! Nothing better than some meatballs and sauce for dinner, right?
A crowd favourite – This is one of those golden ticket recipes that everybody loves!

Ingredients

There are two parts to this delicious Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe: the meatballs and the sweet & sour sauce.

Meatballs

ground beef
granular sweetener
sea salt
Chinese 5 spice powder
ground black pepper
soy sauce – can sub coconut aminos for strict keto
sesame oil
an egg
minced garlic
minced ginger
green onion
cilantro
mushrooms
almond flour

Sweet & Sour Sauce

apple cider vinegar
no sugar added ketchup
water
sukrin gold sweetener
granular sweetener
soy sauce
minced ginger
sesame oil
xanthan gum
veggies

Special ingredients

Granular sweetener – My favourite type of sweeteners are any of the monk fruit / erythritol blends. They are just as sweet as sugar and have very little aftertaste. Lakanto makes a great sweetener but my favourite is the one by So Nourished. They make granular or powdered versions but I only buy the granular. The granular will break down when heated but you will need a powdered sweetener when used in baking or anything cold. To turn granular into powdered, all you’ll need to do it blitz it in a coffee grinder for a few moments! Cool hey?

Chinese 5 spice powder – Chinese 5 spice powder is essential in this recipe and is made by a variety of spice brands like clubhouse, McCormick or my favourite Asian Family. Of course you can always make your own like this recipe from China Sichuan Food.

No sugar added ketchup – It’s actually disgusting how much sugar is in your average bottle of ketchup. But, rest assured, this delicious sauce can still be enjoyed – guilt free. There are several brands you can buy that have a sugar free or no sugar added ketchup like Heinz or Primal Kitchen. Of course you can always just make your own! Give this one from Sugar Free Londoner a try!

Sukrin Gold sweetener– Sukrin Gold is a erythritol based sweetener that mimics brown sugar! I use it in all sorts of recipes in place of brown sugar like my Low Carb BBQ Sauce, Low Carb Teriyaki Sauce, Instant Pot Low Carb Ribs and more!

Veggies – I like to add an onion and red pepper to mine but you could add any vegetable you like. Bok choy and broccoli are excellent choices and snow peas or carrots are yummy if you have room in your macros.

Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe

The balls

Begin with heating the oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with a non stick baking mat. Alternately the baking sheet can be sprayed with avocado or olive oil.

Take the mushrooms and clean them thoroughly, then dice up into fairly small pieces. Chop the green onion and mince the cilantro. Peel the garlic and ginger then grate them with a zester or finely mince them both.

Grab a medium mixing bowl and add the ground beef, granular sweetener, sea salt, Chinese 5 spice powder, ground black pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, an egg, minced garlic, minced ginger, chopped green onion, minced cilantro and the diced mushrooms.

Mix well until fully combined then knead in the almond flour until fully absorbed. Scoop out TBSP sized portions and spread out evenly on the baking sheet. You should get around 30 meatballs.

Meatballs on a baking sheet, all ready for the oven.

Bake in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the balls reach 165°.

The sauce

While the balls are baking let’s get that sauce ready. Using a deep dish skillet heat 1 TBSP olive or avocado oil. Once hot, add the onion or red pepper and fry until the onion is translucent.

Skillet with fried onions and red peppers.

In the meantime, whisk xanthan gum and sesame oil in a medium sized bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar, no sugar added ketchup, water, sukrin gold sweetener, granular sweetener, soy sauce and minced ginger. Whisk until smooth, then pour into the skillet once the red pepper and onion are cooked.

Skillet with fried onions, red pepper and sweet and sour sauce coming to a simmer.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thick, about a minute or two. Once the meatballs are done, plop them into the sauce and toss to coat. Serve hot over Cauliflower Rice or Zoodles!

Skillet with sweet and sour sauce, red peppers, onions and meatballs, all ready to be scooped out over zoodles or cauliflower rice.

Watch it all go down!

Expert Tips

Dice the mushrooms into very small pieces. This will make it easier to form the meatballs.
I like to use a TBSP measuring spoon to form the balls, that way each ball will be the same size, which is how they are baked evenly.
Be sure to whisk the xanthan gum with the sesame oil first. This will keep the xanthan gum from clumping.

What to pair with Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Bowl of cauliflower rice with chopsticks, next to a skillet of freshly cooked cauliflower rice. — Cauliflower Rice

My favourite side kicks for this Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs would either be Zoodles (zucchini noodles) or, my favourite, Cauliflower Rice!

I think Zoodles are great but Cauliflower Rice is the perfect partner for this ultra yummy dish. You could also try a Cauliflower Fried Rice or Teriyaki Stir Fry.

How to store any leftovers

Got leftovers? These delicious balls will store just fine in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

If you have a lot leftover and don’t like to eat the same meal twice within a week, no matter how delicious that meal may be, these Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs store excellent in the freezer! Toss them into a freezer safe plastic container and they should last about 4-6 months in the freezer!

Here are some other recipes you may love:

Keto Teriyaki Chicken

Instant Pot Low Carb Ribs

Keto Butter Chicken

Prosciutto Bocconcini Stuffed Low Carb Burgers

Keto Calzones

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Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Skip the take out with these healthy and delicious Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs. Low carb and sugar free, this dish is always a hit, for good reason!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine Canadian, Low Carb

Servings servings

Calories 391 kcal