When temperatures drop outside, this Keto Meatball Soup is the perfect way to warm up! The meatballs are made with ground beef, parmesan, and plenty of seasoning, then oven-baked to perfection. Meanwhile, the tomato and beef-broth base is thickened with heavy cream for a rich, satisfying bite with every spoonful.
Soup is the ultimate winter comfort food. A rich, creamy base with hearty bites of protein is always my go-to when I want a bowl of something cozy and nutritious.
One of my favorite cold-weather recipes is this low-carb and gluten-free Keto Meatball Soup! The hearty, flavor-packed meatballs in the creamy tomato and beef-broth soup is so satisfying.
It will warm you up on even the chilliest day.
This recipe is full of rich flavor, and everything comes together in less than an hour.
You can make the soup base in one pot on the stove while the meatballs are baking, then combine everything and simmer to delicious perfection.
Soup also makes great leftovers. Throw this dinner together on a weeknight, then enjoy the rest for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
Once you try a bite, I think you're going to fall in love with this cozy gluten-free Meatball Soup Recipe!
Ingredients for Making Keto Italian Meatball Soup
- Ground beef - I recommend 85% lean. Ground pork or ground turkey may also be used.
- Almond Flour - Finely grated works best to help bind the meatballs.
- Parmesan - If you can, skip the shelf-stable parmesan cheese brands and opt for freshly grated.
- Italian seasoning - This blend of dried herbs will add flavor to both the meatballs and the soup broth.
- Salt and pepper - Adjust to your liking.
- Eggs - I use large eggs, but any kind works. These will help bind the meatballs.
- Gelatin - This helps the structure and texture of the meatballs.
- Avocado oil - You can use your favorite keto-friendly oil. Just be conscious of the smoke point. I don't recommend extra-virgin olive oil here.
- Onion, celery, and garlic - These vegetables add flavor to your soup base. A teaspoon of garlic is approximately one cloves garlic. Garlic powder may be substituted if you like.
- Crushed tomatoes - The kind you get from a can works great here. If you prefer, you can use canned diced tomatoes.
- Beef broth - I always recommend homemade whenever possible! This will give you a richer flavor, but you can also buy broth if you don't have time to make it. If you don't have beef broth, chicken broth may be substituted.
- Heavy cream - If you're low carb rather than keto, you could use half and half instead. If you are avoiding dairy, canned coconut milk could be used.
- Xanthan gum - Optional if you want a thicker soup.
- Palmini Noodles or Zucchini Noodles - It is entirely optional, but if you are craving meatballs and pasta, use either of these as a keto-friendly alternative.
Make sure you check out my Keto Meatball Soup Web Story.
Tips To Perfect Creamy Soup
- Heavy whipping cream is the easiest way to get rich, thick, creamy soup. Of course, when you use a lot, the calories can add up quickly.
- To thicken the soup without adding too much cream, I always recommend using xanthan gum. This binding agent works wonders for achieving that perfect, satisfying texture! When you add it to the saucepan, I recommend sprinkling it in while stirring continuously to avoid any clumping.
What to Pair With Meatball Soup
- For a truly indulgent meal, enjoy some melty Keto Cheese Breadsticks on the side!
- This Keto Loaded Cauliflower has all the flavors of a loaded potato in one delicious low-carb recipe.
- Who can say no to Keto Garlic Knots when they're so light, fluffy, and wickedly good?
Frequently Asked Questions
This all depends on the kind of soup and the ingredients used. Any soups that contain potatoes, rice, or other high-carb ingredients aren't considered keto-friendly.
Dishes like this Italian Meatballs Soup, on the other hand, are great to eat on keto! All of the ingredients are low in carbs so that you can indulge without worry.
As the name suggests, it's a soup that contains meatballs simmered with other ingredients. Some recipes include additions like pasta or rice, but for this Keto Italian Meatball Soup, we use low-carb fresh veggies instead.
For meatballs, all you need is ground meat and something to bind it. From there, you can add all your favorite seasonings.
For this meatball soup recipe, we'll use almond flour, eggs, and gelatin as our binders. These hold the ground beef together, while the Italian seasoning, parmesan, and salt and pepper add flavor.
Tools Needed to Make Meatball Soup
- Small and large bowls
- Whisk
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Dutch oven, saucepan with lid or large soup pot
Storage
Soup is one of my favorite dishes for leftovers. The flavors can get even deeper overnight, and it always reheats beautifully.
This Meatball Soup is a great dish to make for dinner one night, then use any extra as meal prep for later in the week.
Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to four days.
Can I Freeze Meatball Soup
Absolutely! And you'll be so happy you did when you're looking for a quick meal on a chilly evening. If you have a large batch, I recommend freezing in individual servings so you only have to defrost as much as you need.
How to Make Keto Meatball Soup
Preheat your oven to 375° F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, grated parmesan, almond flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl, sprinkle with the gelatin, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk and then stir into the meat mixture.
Form into small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, bake for 7 minutes, then flip and bake for another 7 minutes.
While the meatballs cook, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
Add the tomatoes, broth, and Italian seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream and xanthan gum, then cook for 5 minutes.
Add the meatballs and cook for another 10 minutes.
More Soup Recipes
- If you're craving hearty, simple soups to warm you up, you'll love quick and easy Keto Chicken Soup!
- This Keto French Onion Soup delivers on classic flavors and is topped with Gruyere cheese for a hearty soup that's impossible not to love.
- For anyone that misses potato soup, this Keto Cauliflower Soup is creamy, cheesy, and never fails to delight.
- Low Carb Keto Chicken Pot Pie Soup is everything you love about this classic dish in the confines of one ridiculously comforting bowl!
Keto Meatball Soup
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons gelatin
Soup
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum optional (for a thicker soup)
- Optional: Palmini Noodles and fresh parsley; for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375° F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated parmesan, almond flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk and then mix into the meat mixture.
- Form into small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 7 minutes.
- While the meatballs cook, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, heavy cream, and Italian seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add heavy cream and xanthan gum and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the meatballs and cook for another 10 minutes.
- If desired, stir in palmini noodles and cook until warmed through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Linda Fryman says
I just fixed this soup and it's delicious! The preparation was easy and not time consuming. I recommend this recipe to anyone on a low carb or keto diet!
Wendy Polisi says
I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Cynthia says
The soup is delicious!
(You might want to change your directions though, you have adding the cream in steps number seven and eight.)
Sun says
Could you tell me what you determined the serving size as? I see serves 12; but it doesn't specify if the serving is 1/2 cup, 1 cup...etc. My husband loves soup & can easily have a 12-16 serving depending on the soup & needs to track his carbs. Thanks
Wendy Polisi says
I would weight the recipe and divide it by the number of servings.
Sun says
That was 12-16 ounce serving. Thanks
Vickie Worthington says
I've never used those noodles before. Do you boil them first? Do they come dried, and you just plop them in? Thank you.
Kate says
Do I add heavy cream in step 7 or 8?isted for both.