Instant Pot meatballs are so easy to make, you won’t want to make them any other way. Perfect for meal prep, this is a freezer-friendly recipe, too!
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How to make perfect Instant Pot meatballs
My method for making meatballs is very simple, but here are a few tips to help.
- Don’t make the meatballs too big. If they are too big, they can become dry on the outside before they are fully cooked inside. A cookie scoop is the perfect tool to use.
- Choose a variety of ground meat. I like to use a blend of meat, with one that has a higher fat content.
- Add moisture. The egg I use in this recipe is necessary to bind the ingredients together. Don’t skip it!
- Be gentle with the meatballs! Don’t make them super compact or they will end up rubbery.
- Oil your hands when rolling meatballs. This may seem unnecessary, but it prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands. If you prefer, you can also use food prep kitchen gloves.
Do you have to put breadcrumbs in meatballs?
Do you cringe at the idea of putting breadcrumbs in your meatballs because of the carbs? I use a secret ingredient that will make your Instant Pot meatballs low carb and also taste amazing - pork rinds!
Pork rinds have zero carbs so they make a great keto snack. But this snack food can also replace the breadcrumbs in a recipe like this one!
The breadcrumbs are a necessary binding ingredient in the meatballs, but luckily pork rinds will do the same. Place them in a bag to crush them before adding them to your meatballs. A third of a cup is plenty to give the meat a chance to hold its shape.
Can you cook raw meatballs in sauce?
There are several methods for cooking meatballs. Of course, once you make these Instant Pot meatballs, you may never look at another lengthy method again!
- Brown the meatballs in the oven for about 25 minutes before adding them to a dish.
- Broil them in the oven for a few minutes
- Cook the meatballs in a skillet on the stove top.
- Skip any pre-cooking altogether and simply add raw meatballs directly into the sauce to boil for about 30 minutes.
- OR, make Instant Pot meatballs. As a result, there are no extra pans to wash and your kitchen won’t get hot.
Cooking meatballs in the Instant Pot
When you cook meatballs or low carb sausage balls in the oven or on the stop top, you need little to no water or oil in the pan. However, Instant Pots work a bit differently.
There must be at least a cup of water in the Instant Pot for it to work. The liquid that boils creates steam, which builds pressure. The pressure is what cooks the meat.
I use beef broth for the liquid in this recipe. As a result, the Instant Pot meatballs have more flavor.
Just using a cup of stock gives you the opportunity to turn these meatballs into countless meals. You can eat them immediately, freeze them, or add them to other dishes.
Can you cook raw meatballs from frozen?
You can also cook frozen raw meatballs. There is no need to defrost them. It’s a matter of preference if you choose to do so.
If you like this meatball recipe, make a huge batch and stick some in the freezer raw. That way you can take out what you need and cook them in the Instant Pot. In about ten minutes, you can have a homemade meal ready to eat!
Uncooked meatballs will last in the freezer for three to four months.
Also, frozen meatballs hold their shape better as they are cooked. If you are cooking meatballs from frozen, add about 25% more cooking time to ensure that they are completely cooked.
You can also freeze cooked meatballs. Then, just reheat them when you are ready to eat. Cooked meatballs will keep well in the freezer for two to three months.
What can I make with Instant Pot meatballs?
Now that you have the easiest and most delicious meatballs ever, you can have a stash ready in your freezer or refrigerator to use for meals. This quick protein will complete a meal and leave you feeling satisfied.
Spaghetti and meatballs is always a classic, but think beyond that and try a few of these uses for your Instant Pot meatballs:
- Meatball sandwiches
- Wedding soup
- Swedish meatballs
- Add them to low carb soup, like this cauliflower cheddar soup
- Toss them with cooked Instant Pot spaghetti squash for a delicious twist on pasta.
- Top a keto fat head dough pizza with Instant Pot meatballs!
- Meatball Parmesan casserole
You can even use this recipe for easy keto Swedish meatballs!
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Recipe
Instant Pot Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef I used 90/10
- ⅓ cup pork rinds crushed
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup beef broth or water
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together ground beef, pork rinds, egg, parsley, garlic salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out meatballs and place on tray.
- Roll meatballs in your hand and place back on the tray, place in freezer.
- Allow the meatball to chill for 5-10 minutes.
- In the Instant Pot, place 1 cup of beef broth.
- Add in the trivet and place meatballs, stacking if needed.
- Turn Instant Pot to HIGH PRESSURE for 7 minutes, ensuring the SEAL valve is set to SEALED.
- Let pressure release naturally for a few minutes and then release pressure manually.
Notes
- Don’t make the meatballs too big. If they are too big, they can become dry on the outside before they are fully cooked inside. A cookie scoop is the perfect tool to use.
- Choose a variety of ground meat. I like to use a blend of meat, with one that has a higher fat content.
- Add moisture. The egg I use in this recipe is necessary to bind the ingredients together. Don’t skip it!
- Be gentle with the meatballs! Don’t make them super compact or they will end up rubbery.
- Oil your hands when rolling meatballs. This may seem unnecessary, but it prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands. If you prefer, you can also use food prep kitchen gloves.
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
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Heathter
I love how easy they come together. The Instant Pot has been a lifesaver for me!
Jenni LeBaron
These are so easy in the Instant Pot! Brilliant weekday dinner!
Jean Choi
The spices sound fantastic in these meatballs! Love that you can make them in the IP too.
Megan Stevens
This is such a good idea!! I haven't made IP meatballs before. Thanks for this. I love serving meatballs and will definitely do this!
ChihYu
My goodness, these are wonderful! I love that they're easy to make and cook in the Instant Pot!
Don Baiocchi
I make meatballs all the time and never thought to use my Instant Pot. This is so helpful for my weekly meal prep!
Hope Pearce
Love how easy these are! Using pork rinds to keep them low carb is a great idea!
Raia Todd
The IP seriously makes delicious meatballs! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica.com
This looks delicious!!! I love using my IP for all kinds of dinners but have yet to make meatballs!
Can I ask you if there is anything that you can recommend if one cannot find pork rinds?
I would love to make this recipe but would need to find a substitution.
Hoping you have an idea for me -- as I have all the other ingredients!
TIA!
Lisa MarcAurele
You can always toast and crumb low carb bread. A blend of almond flour and coconut flour should work as well. I've also used a smaller amount of coconut flour, but you may need to add more egg and liquid.
Tessa Simpson
I loved the hands off nature of cooking these in the Instant POt! So yummy, thanks!
Joyce Wade
Could I cook these Instant Pot meatballs in the air fryer?
Lisa MarcAurele
Air frying is an option, but you'd need to experiment to get the right time and temperature.
Ronna
Just curious, have you ever considered using chia seeds for a binder, to replace bread crumbs? I've done so with meatloaf, and it works quite well.
Lisa MarcAurele
I haven't tried chia, but I'll put that on my list of things to try.
Tara
Can't wait to try these. Do you think it is possible to double (or triple) this recipe and cook all at once or would they not cook evenly? Would stacking them squish the bottom ones? I'd love to make tons and freeze them already cooked so my kids have easy keto meals.
Lisa MarcAurele
There are stacking racks for an Instant Pot that should work. I wouldn't cook the meatballs stacked on each other.
Sevananda Jose Padilla
Thank you for the meatballs recipe. I have a question.
I don’t eat pork. What can I substitute the pork rinds with?
Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele
A mix of almond and coconut flour should work. I typically use 3 parts almond and 1 part coconut.