I make these air fryer meatballs with beef, pork, Parmesan, and ground pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs. They brown on the outside while staying juicy inside. The recipe makes 40 meatballs, with 0.3g net carbs each.
A browned outside and a juicy center are what I want from a meatball. For these, I use a mix of beef and pork with Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and finely chopped onion. Heavy cream goes into the mixture too, along with ground pork rinds in place of breadcrumbs.
I mix the pork rinds right into the meat, so there's no separate coating step. Then I roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. I can air fry a basketful for dinner or use the oven instructions when I want to cook more at once.
What I use instead of breadcrumbs
I use 2 cups of ground pork rinds for the 2 pounds of meat in this recipe. I grind them finely in a food processor or use pre-ground pork panko. That way, I can mix them evenly through the meat without large crunchy pieces.
The pork rinds take the place of breadcrumbs, while the heavy cream adds moisture and the Parmesan adds a salty, savory flavor. I also use pork rinds and Parmesan as a breading base for other recipes, but here they go into the meatball mixture rather than around it.
How I choose between the air fryer and oven
For the air fryer, I cook at 400°F for 6-7 minutes per batch, or until cooked through. I leave about 1/2 inch between the meatballs, as shown in the recipe card. Basket capacity varies, so I add only as many as fit without crowding. If a basket holds 10-12 meatballs, the full recipe needs four batches.
For the oven, I use a parchment-lined baking tray at 400°F for 9-12 minutes, or until cooked through. I choose a tray large enough to leave space between the meatballs, or use more than one tray. The oven can be more convenient when I’m cooking the full recipe.
I leave room around food when I make fried pickles too. In either appliance, crowding makes it harder for the surface to brown.
How I store and reheat the meatballs
Uncooked meatballs
I roll the raw mixture into balls and keep them in a single layer in a resealable bag. I refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before cooking, or freeze them for later. For frozen uncooked meatballs, I thaw them in the fridge before following the recipe card’s cooking instructions.
Cooked meatballs
I keep cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze them, I let them cool, spread them on a baking sheet, and freeze until firm before transferring them to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months, and freezing them separately lets me take out just what I need.
Reheating cooked meatballs
From the fridge, I reheat cooked meatballs in the air fryer at 350°F for about 3-4 minutes. From frozen, I use 375°F for about 8 minutes, adding time if needed until heated through. I also use the microwave when I want a quick option. These reheating times are for meatballs that were cooked before storing, not raw frozen meatballs.
How I serve these meatballs
For dinner, I pile them on low carb spaghetti with my sugar free marinara sauce, or serve them with cauliflower rice. The nutrition in the recipe card is for one meatball, without sauce or sides, so I can work out a portion that fits the meal.
I keep the meatballs in one layer in the air fryer basket, with about 1/2 inch between them.
I keep uncooked meatballs in a single layer in the freezer bag so they hold their shape. I thaw them in the fridge before cooking them using the recipe card.
How to Make Air Fryer Meatballs
I combine the beef, pork, ground pork rinds, Parmesan, onion, heavy cream, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. I roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them about 1/2 inch apart in the preheated air fryer. I cook at 400°F for 6-7 minutes per batch, or until cooked through. The recipe card also includes an oven option.
Preheat air fryer to 400 while you are preparing the meatballs.
2
Get a large bowl
To a large bowl, add all ingredients and mix until combined.
3
Make meatballs
Roll meatballs into a golf ball size shape. If freezing or storing in the refrigerator for later use, place balls in a single layer inside a ziploc bag. If cooking right away, place inside the air fryer basket about 1/2 inch apart.
4
Air fryer instructions
Air fry at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until the interior of the meatball is cooked through.
5
Oven instructions
Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray and bake in a 400 degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until cooked through.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 meatball
Calories
85
Fat
6.7g
Protein
6.1g
Total carbs
0.3g
Net carbs
0.3g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef and pork?
I've made these with both ground turkey and chicken. They're leaner than the beef and pork blend, so the meatballs come out slightly drier. I add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream to compensate. Ground turkey gives a milder flavor, which works well if you're planning to toss them in a sauce like buffalo or teriyaki. I'd avoid extra lean (99%) turkey though. You need some fat for the meatballs to hold together.
Can I make these dairy-free without Parmesan?
Not by leaving out the Parmesan alone. I use both Parmesan and heavy whipping cream in this recipe, so a dairy-free version needs replacements for both. Nutritional yeast can add savory flavor in place of cheese, but it doesn't replace the cream. The recipe as written contains dairy.
Can I make these meatballs ahead of time?
Yes. I roll the uncooked meatballs and keep them in a single layer in a resealable bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. I can also freeze them raw, then thaw in the fridge before following the recipe card. If I've already cooked them, I refrigerate them for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The reheating directions above are for cooked meatballs.
Why did my meatballs come out too salty?
The Parmesan and pork rinds both contribute salt, and the amount varies by brand. Italian sausage adds seasoning too if it's used instead of plain ground pork. To check the seasoning, I cook a small test piece before tasting and adjusting the remaining mixture. I don't taste the raw meat.
How do I know when the meatballs are done?
I check the center with an instant-read thermometer: 160°F for the beef-and-pork mixture in this recipe. If I substitute ground turkey or chicken, I cook those meatballs to 165°F. Size and air fryer performance affect the cooking time, so I use the card's timing as a guide rather than relying on color alone.
Sunday gravy was the last thing I let go when I went keto. The meatballs were the real reason. My grandmother always made hers with beef and pork together, and I had years of failed low-carb versions behind me before I quit trying. The pork rind coating does what breadcrumbs used to do but better. The shell crisps up and holds, and the inside has that dense, juicy center I remember from hers. Doesn’t fall apart when you pull one off the fork. Parmesan mixed into the meat is what puts it over, rounds out the flavor in a way nothing else I tried managed. Made these three times in two weeks. Not slowing down.
Jasmine, the beef and pork combination was always going to stay. The Parmesan took me longer to commit to. I tested without it and the flavor just sat there. Put it back and something clicked.
Timing’s the only thing I’d push back on here. More like 6 minutes than 7 in my air fryer, and I’ve made these often enough to be confident it’s not a fluke. The beef-pork mix is what keeps these juicy, enough fat in both that the center doesn’t dry out in the air fryer. Pork rind sets into a real crust, not a coating. The one adjustment I make: onion down to a quarter cup, very fine. Holds together better. Parmesan stays, don’t skip it. Seven or eight batches of this recipe and I haven’t found a reason to change anything else.
0.3 net carbs each and I stopped scrolling. Meatballs were something I’d quietly written off after going keto, figured some things just wouldn’t translate. Pork rind coating in the air fryer, though. Did not see that coming.
Pasta was an easy keto cut. Meatballs were harder. Everything I tried before came out soft and dense, so I’d basically stopped looking. Pork rind coating solved the texture, and I’d give this five stars if mine didn’t need closer to 8 minutes every time.
Eight minutes is right in range. Air fryers vary a lot and meatball size makes a real difference. I pack mine a little bigger and they always need the full 8.
My husband is a meatball purist (his words, not mine), so I figured the pork rind coating would get a comment. He didn’t say anything, just quietly ate through half the batch and then asked when we were making them again. That’s a better review than any I could give.
Rolled mine smaller than golf ball size and the crust-to-meat ratio gets noticeably better. More pork rind in every bite. Takes an extra minute to shape them evenly, but worth it.
I almost skipped this because pork rinds as a coating sounded really weird to me. I had a bag sitting in my pantry and figured worst case I’d just order pizza. Then they came out of the air fryer and I stood there for a second because the outside had this real crunch, not the soft rubbery texture I expected at all. My 9-year-old, who inspects everything before eating, just grabbed one and didn’t say a word except ‘can I have another.’ The 6-7 minute cook time threw me off too, I kept hovering expecting to need more, but they were done and juicy all the way through. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen but it wasn’t this.
The pork rind hesitation is real, I hear it constantly. But that crunch gets everyone. A 9-year-old who inspects everything before eating just asking for another one without a word of complaint. That’s the review.
I grabbed Italian sausage instead of plain ground pork (it was on sale) and oh man, the fennel just adds something. Pork rind coating got so crispy at 6 minutes and the inside stayed crazy juicy. First time I’ve made anything real in my air fryer and I’m kind of amazed it worked this well. Already thinking about a double batch.
I’ve tried probably five different keto meatball recipes in the past year, and the issue with most of them is they either fall apart or come out gummy from almond flour. Using pork rinds as the binder was new to me. Didn’t know if they’d hold, but they do, and you get an actual crust on the outside from the air fryer in six minutes. The heavy cream in the mix surprised me too, didn’t expect that, but they came out way juicier than other recipes I’ve made. The beef and pork combo also makes a difference vs. recipes that just use beef. Knocking off a star because my first batch ran salty, but that was me being loose with the parmesan. Going in the regular rotation.
Yeah the parmesan is already pretty salty so that 2 teaspoons can push it over if you’re generous with either one. I cook a small test piece before tasting and adjusting the rest of the mixture.
Used Italian sausage instead of plain ground pork and didn’t need extra seasoning at all. Skipped the salt and it was perfect. One tip: if your meatballs are smaller than golf ball size, check them at 5 minutes. Mine were done early and went a bit over at the full 6. Probably sticking with the sausage swap permanently.
The early check tip is real. Smaller ones can hit 160 in 5 minutes easy. And yeah, Italian sausage basically seasons itself so the 2 teaspoons of salt is redundant.
