High-Protein Meatballs
Per serving (5 meatballs with sauce)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
10g of protein per 100 calories, more than 16 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I bake these instead of pan-frying, which means no standing over a skillet flipping meatballs in batches. A hot oven browns all sides at once, and finishing them in warmed marinara for a few minutes ties the sauce and meatballs together instead of just ladling sauce over plain baked meatballs at the end. I check for 160°F with a thermometer before calling them done, not by cutting one open and guessing.
Why you'll love this
- 39g of protein per serving, no standing over a skillet
- Gluten-free and low-carb with almond flour in place of breadcrumbs
- One pan, baked and finished in sauce
Recipe
High-Protein Meatballs
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, almond flour, parmesan, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently, just until combined.
- Roll into 20 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each, and arrange on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs reach 160°F internally.
- Warm the marinara sauce in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the baked meatballs and toss gently to coat, simmering for 2 to 3 minutes.
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Large oven-safe skillet or saucepan
Notes
- I mix the meatball base just until combined and stop. Overworking ground beef pushes out moisture and makes for a denser, tougher meatball.
- Finishing the meatballs in warmed sauce for a couple of minutes, rather than just spooning sauce on at the table, is what actually ties the dish together.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 405 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 39g |
| Carbs | 9g |
| Fat | 23g |
| Fiber | 2g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Ground beef (90/10): FDC #171793 (Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled), 25.2g protein / 204 kcal / 10.7g fat per 100g. 1.5 lb raw (680g) scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Egg: FDC #171287 (Egg, whole, raw, fresh), 12.6g protein / 143 kcal / 9.51g fat / 0.72g carb per 100g; 1 large egg = 50g.
- Almond flour: FDC #2261420 (Flour, almond), 26.2g protein / 622 kcal / 50.2g fat / 16.2g carb / 9.3g fiber per 100g.
- Parmesan: FDC #2259795 (Cheese, parmesan, grated, refrigerated), 30.1g protein / 403 kcal / 29.5g fat / 4.33g carb per 100g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 6.36g protein / 149 kcal / 33.1g carb / 2.1g fiber per 100g; 1 clove = 3g.
- Onion: FDC #170000 (Onions, raw), 1.1g protein / 40 kcal / 9.34g carb / 1.7g fiber per 100g.
- Marinara sauce: FDC #332282 (Sauce, pasta, spaghetti/marinara, ready-to-serve), 1.41g protein / 51 kcal / 1.48g fat / 8.05g carb / 1.8g fiber per 100g.
- Quantities: almond flour 1/3 cup = 40g (label: 2 tbsp = 15g); parmesan 1/4 cup = 25g; onion 1/4 cup = 40g (FDC #170000); dried basil 1 tsp = 0.7g (FDC #171317); dried oregano 1 tsp = 1g (FDC #171328); marinara 1 cup = 250g.
- Re-verified 2026-09-28: batch totals 157.4g protein, 1,618 kcal, 90.6g fat, 34.8g carb, 9.7g fiber; divided by 4.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of extra sauce so they don’t dry out.
FAQ
Can I use a different ground meat?
Yes. Ground turkey or ground chicken both work, just check for 165°F instead of 160°F since poultry needs a higher safe temperature than beef.
Do I need to brown the meatballs in a pan first?
No. Baking at 400°F browns them well enough on all sides without the extra step of pan-searing before the oven.
What can I serve these with to keep it low-carb?
Zucchini noodles or a simple green salad both work well. Regular or gluten-free pasta is the move if you’re not keeping this low-carb.
Looking for more beef dinners: the garlic butter steak bites are a faster, skillet-only option for a weeknight.
High-Protein Meats compares lean ground beef with ground turkey and ground chicken.
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