Most people enjoy meatballs with their spaghetti, on a hot sandwich or even alone as a protein-heavy meal. But when you’re on Whole30, there’s no enjoying those precious meatballs with spaghetti or on bread. Instead, you’ll need to eat your Whole30 meatballs according to the diet plan guidelines.
Whole30 Plan Reminder
In case you need a quick reminder, Whole30 is about eating whole foods only for 30 days. It’s meant to be a reset for your body. Once that 30-day period is complete, you can begin to add the eliminated foods back into your diet a little at a time if you choose. But while on the plan, remember that you have to eliminate heavy hitters like:
- Grains and legumes
- Dairy
- Added sugar (real or artificial)
- Junk foods
- Carrageenan, MSG and sulfites
Sounds brutal, right? Once you get over the initial shock, you’ll find yourself settling in well. And we have a few recipes to help you right along.
Whole30 Meatballs
If meatballs are one of your favorite menu items, let’s take a peek at how you can make that happen on Whole30.
“Spaghetti” and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lb. ground beef (you can also do a meat mixture of 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground pork)
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ¾ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 5 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. pepper
- 2 eggs
- 5 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 jar marinara sauce (make sure it is Whole30 compliant)
- Zucchini or spaghetti squash “noodles”
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grab a large baking sheet, line with foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the chicken stock and almond flour well.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook just until softened.
- Then, add this mixture to the almond and chicken stock mixture. Mix well.
- Add eggs, meat and all seasonings. Again, mix well.
- Use mixture to form meatballs into one-inch diameter circles. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until they are a golden brown.
- Serve atop “noodles” with marinara sauce.
Whole30 Meatballs with BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 lb. ground turkey (ground beef or ground pork can also be used)
- 1 cup of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 egg
- ½ cup of almond flour
- ¾ tsp. minced garlic
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- BBQ sauce (ensure it is Whole30 compliant)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grab a large baking sheet, line with foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
- Use a cookie scoop to form balls and place directly on the pan.
- Drizzle a generous amount of BBQ sauce over the meatballs.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Freezing Meatballs
The great thing about meatballs is that they freeze well. That means you can always double your meatball recipe and freeze half for use at a later date. Just make sure to let them cool completely once you initially prepare them. Then, store the meatballs in an airtight container. This proves to be a super convenient meal for the future when you’re short on time or just don’t feel like cooking!
Final Bite
Overall, Whole30 meatballs are pretty simple to make. Since you can’t add a bunch of junk to them, there aren’t even many ingredients required! Now, hop in the kitchen and enjoy whipping up one of these tasty meals.
If you’re eager for other Whole30 recipes, try this chicken salad. Or maybe you’re wondering if you can have popcorn on Whole30? Well, we have that answer, too!
