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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes » Slow Cooked Meatballs With Cauliflower Rice (AKA Porcupine Meatballs)

    Slow Cooked Meatballs With Cauliflower Rice (AKA Porcupine Meatballs)

    Published: Jun 4, 2021 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Image collage of Slow Cooked Beef Meatballs With Cauliflower Rice from Trader Joe's and text overlay of low carb meatballs.

    Try these irresistible beef meatballs with cauliflower rice. They’re my version of keto low carb porcupine meatballs. Prep them in just 20 minutes.

    Closeup shot of keto friendly beef meatballs with fresh parsley in a bowl.

    Looking to lighten up dinner with a low carb option, I started making meatballs with cauliflower instead of breadcrumbs. Now that I’ve perfected the ratio of ingredients to ground beef, I’m thrilled to have you try them, too.

    Table of Contents

    • Ingredients for these meatballs
    • How to make meatballs with cauliflower rice
    • FAQs for making low carb meatballs
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • Slow Cooked Beef Meatballs With Cauliflower Rice (AKA Keto Low Carb Porcupine Meatballs) Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Ingredients for these meatballs

    Here’s what goes in these slow cooked low carb meatballs. And in case my husband is reading this, why yes, Love, I did manage to add some kale to this recipe. You’re welcome!

    Image with text overlay of ingredients list for meatballs made with cauliflower and ground beef and pork.

    To make the meatballs with cauliflower rice

    • Meat: ground beef and ground pork (substitute all ground beef if desired).
    • Eggs to bind the ingredients.
    • Vegetables: frozen Trader Joe’s cauliflower rice, kale, onion.
    • Seasonings: fresh minced garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, olive oil.

    SWAP out the cauliflower rice in this dish for broccoli and carrots and make this recipe for meatballs with veggies…

    Top down shot of hands holding cauliflower rice from Trader Joe's.

    For cooking meatballs in the crock pot

    • Pasta sauce
    • Water
    • Cheese (Asiago or Parmesan)
    • fresh chopped parsley
    Side shot of beef meatballs with cauliflower rice and cheese on a counter with a slow cooker.

    How to make meatballs with cauliflower rice

    Now let’s walk through how to make them.

    Top down shot of ingredients including ground beef, ground pork, cauliflower, kale and eggs in a large bowl.

    Step 1. In a small bowl, mix together ground beef, ground pork, cauliflower rice, chopped kale, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper and salt.

    Top down shot of hands forming meatballs from ground beef and cauliflower and vegetables.

    Step 2. Use a ¼ cup (or a large spoon or an ice cream scoop) to form about two dozen 3” meatballs from the ground beef and pork mixture.

    Top down shot of raw shaped meatballs on a plate.

    Step 3. Heat a large skillet on the stove to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs, turning with a pair of tongs as they brown around the outside. Once all sides are browned, after about 5-10 minutes, turn off the heat.

    Side shot of homemade keto meatballs searing in a pan.

    Step 4. Set up a large crock pot with a mixture of pasta sauce and water. Add seared cauliflower rice meatballs to the slow cooker for the desired time (I usually set the crock pot to 6 or 8 hours, depending on when we’re eating).

    Stir occasionally (hourly is ideal).

    Top down shot of keto meatballs cooking in a crock pot slow cooker.

    Step 5. Once done slow cooking, serve meatballs with a sprinkle of Asiago cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

    Side shot of meatballs with cauliflower rice from Trader Joe's and a crock pot and cheese.

    FAQs for making low carb meatballs

    What are porcupine meatballs?

    These meatballs are referred to as porcupine meatballs – they were made to stretch rations during the great depression. Adding breadcrumbs or cauliflower to meatballs is a great way to stretch a package of ground beef.

    Why reduce carbs in meatballs?

    Using cauliflower rice makes this version of low carb porcupine meatballs a little lighter. Traditional recipes use breadcrumbs for making meatballs, but cauliflower is a great substitution. The overall result is fluffy, tender meatballs that almost fall apart under a fork.

    Can you air fry meatballs or finish them another way?

    Yes, you can finish these keto beef meatballs anyway you’d like, including in the crock pot, baked in the oven, or make meatballs in the air fryer. Sous vide meatballs are delicious, too.

    What is the cauliflower rice used in meatballs in the demonstration?

    The rice used in this recipe demonstration is Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower. It comes frozen and is a great low carb replacement for rice in meatballs, stuffed Italian peppers, and cauliflower rice stir frys.

    How can you meal prep meatballs?

    After forming the meatballs with raw ingredients, freeze half the meatballs on a sheet tray for a few hours, then transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze keto meatballs for up to a few months.

    When you slow cook only half the batch at a time, cut the pasta sauce ingredients in half when slow cooking them.

    Top down shot of Trader Joe's cauliflower rice, a cheese grater, and low carb meatballs with cheese and a crock pot.

    It’s not keto, but you can turn these into Hawaiian pineapple bbq meatballs with just a couple of other ingredients. Another substitution idea: try this homemade tomato sauce recipe instead of jarred tomato sauce.

    Have a smoker? Try this smoked meatballs recipe.

    Top shot of meatball with riced cauliflower on a plate with cheese and parsley.

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    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey foodie friends – leave a comment here or find me on Instagram @sipbitego to let me know what you think about this recipe. Want to make restaurant-style food at home? I’ll teach you how, with in-depth video guides on the Sip Bite Go channel.

    Closeup shot of keto friendly beef meatballs with fresh parsley in a bowl.

    Slow Cooked Beef Meatballs With Cauliflower Rice (AKA Keto Low Carb Porcupine Meatballs) Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Try these irresistible beef meatballs with cauliflower rice. They’re my version of keto low carb porcupine meatballs. Prep them in just 20 minutes.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours
    Finish Time: 2 minutes
    Total Time: 6 hours 27 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 375kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    To make the meatballs with cauliflower rice

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 lb ground pork
    • 2 cups cauliflower rice frozen
    • 2 large eggs whisked
    • 1 cup kale chopped
    • ½ cup onion diced
    • 1 tbsp garlic minced
    • 1 tsp Italian seasoning dried
    • ½ tsp pepper
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp olive oil

    For cooking meatballs in the crock pot

    • 2 cups pasta sauce
    • 1 cup water
    • ¼ cup cheese Asiago or parmesan
    • 1 tbsp parsley fresh chopped

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, mix together ground beef, ground pork, cauliflower rice, chopped kale, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper and salt.
    • Use a ¼ cup (or a large spoon or an ice cream scoop) to form about two dozen 3” meatballs from the ground beef and pork mixture. Usually at this step, I’ll do a little keto meal prep and freeze half the meatballs. (If you slow cook only half the batch at this point, only use half the ingredients of pasta sauce and water in the following steps.)
    • Heat a large skillet on the stove to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs, turning with a pair of tongs as they brown around the outside. Once all sides are browned, after about 5-10 minutes, turn off the heat.
    • Set up a large crockpot with a mixture of pasta sauce and water. Add seared cauliflower rice meatballs to the slow cooker for the desired time (I usually set the crock pot to 6 or 8 hours, depending on when we’re eating). Stir occasionally (hourly is ideal).
    • Once done slow cooking, serve meatballs with a sprinkle of Asiago cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

    Video

    Notes

    • Other ways to cook these meatballs. You can finish these keto beef meatballs anyway you’d like, including in the crock pot, baked in the oven, or in the airfryer. Sous vide meatballs are delicious, too.
    • Ground meat options can be substituted. Try making this recipe with ground chicken, or entirely ground beef.
    • Use a keto friendly store bought pasta sauce or make an easy 30 minute tomato sauce from canned tomatoes.
    • Cauliflower rice. The rice used in this recipe demonstration is Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower. It comes frozen and is a great low carb replacement for rice in meatballs, stuffed Italian peppers, and cauliflower rice stir frys.
    • Portion / batch note. In the recipe video and photos, I demonstrate making half of the meatballs. The full batch of using 2 lbs ground beef makes 24 3” meatballs. I like to meal prep these keto meatballs and usually freeze half a batch to thaw and cook later.
    • Asiago cheese. For this recipe, I used a special blend: Trader Joe’s Asiago Cheese With Rosemary and Olive Oil. It was delicious. Parmesan cheese is a great choice, too.
    See the recipe video for keto beef meatballs with cauliflower rice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 638mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1256IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CheriAnn says

      May 09, 2022 at 11:30 am

      Your recipe doesn’t list ingredient amounts for the meatballs; only the sauce. Am I just supposed to go from your photo of the ingredients?

      Reply
      • Jenna Passaro says

        May 12, 2022 at 2:42 pm

        Thank you for saying something! At some point the ingredients for making meatballs with cauliflower rice fell off of the recipe card. They are available now. Cheers, Jenna

        Reply

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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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