Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs

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Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs combine homemade low carb Italian meatballs with a marinara sauce and flavored with Parmesan cheese, dried parsley and basil. The meatballs are then stuffed into cooked bell peppers with a slice of melted provolone cheese for a great low carb alternative to the more regular bread sub roll.

Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs

My guys LOVE homemade meatballs, meatball sliders, and my Weight Watchers Stuffed Peppers, so I created a combination of the three. This delicious Keto friendly recipe is easy to prepare and my Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs recipe has become a family favorite!

This is one of my favorite Stuffed Sweet Peppers recipes. They are Stuffed Pepper with a twist as I use the bell peppers in place of a bread roll to make this a delicious keto meatball sub alternative.

When making low carb Italian meatballs, I swap regular flour for almond flour to bind the meatballs together, you could also use another nut flour like coconut flour.

As I’ve used a nut flour, this also makes this Keto meatball sub sandwich suitable for celiacs or anyone following a gluten free diet too.

How to make Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, add meatball ingredients and combine using clean hands.

• Form the mixture into 16 meatballs.
• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat.
• After the pan is heated through and oil is hot, add all of the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes – turning them every few minutes to ensure equal browning.

• Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour the jar of marinara sauce over the meatballs.
• Cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

• Place bell peppers (cut side facing up) on a baking sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.

• Place a piece of provolone on four of the pepper halves and place in the oven for 7 or so minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

• Remove the peppers from the oven, and add 4 meatballs on top of the cheesy pepper halves.
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
• Top with another bell pepper half to finish the sub sandwich.
• Enjoy warm.

Recipe ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• BEEF: I use 1 lb ground beef and this will be enough to serve 8.
• FLOUR: I use almond flour to bind the meatballs, you could also use coconut flour which is another great nut based flour suitable on a keto diet.
• CHEESE: Salty Parmesan cheese is finely shredded into the meatball mixture which adds great flavor.
• EGG: 1 egg is used in the meatball mix to help bind it together.
• DRIED HERBS: I use a combination of dried parsley and basil to flavor the meatball.
• SEASONING: Black pepper, Himalayan pink salt, garlic powder and onion powder flavor the meatballs.
• SAUCE: I use a jar of marinara sauce, but you can use any tomato based sauce, eg an arrabiata if you like your food a little spicier.

For the subs:

• BELL PEPPERS: I use bell peppers with the stems removed and sliced vertically in half.
• CHEESE: I use 4 slices of provolone cheese as it not only tastes great but melts really well too.

Flavor variations

• Swap the ground beef, for ground lamb, pork, turkey or chicken. Or use a combination of meats, eg combine ground beef and ground pork.
• You can use any color of bell pepper, whatever you have in the refrigerator.
• Dried oregano or Italian mixed herbs are great dried herb options too.
• Add some chili heat by with some red pepper flakes, some chili powder or a finely diced red chili.
• A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds great savory flavor to the meatball mixture.
• I’ve used provolone cheese as it melts well, but you could also use slices of mozzarella or even Gruyere.

Serving suggestion:

This recipe serves 8 and makes a great tasting lunch of dinner main. There is so much flavor in these keto meatball subs that I keep any side dishes simple, a green salad or tomato salad would be ideal.

Recipe hints & tips:

• Don’t be heavy handed when shaping the meatballs, overworking the meatball mixture will only result in tough meatballs.
• Take time to properly brown the meatballs first, this will make all the difference to the flavor of the finished dish.
• Ensure your meatballs are evenly sized, this will ensure they all take the same time to cook.
• If pushed for time, a convenient swap is to use a good quality store bought meatball instead.

FAQs

Can I make ahead the Italian Meatballs?

The Italian meatballs in this recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you are ready to serve.

I don’t recommend making ahead the bell pepper subs as the peppers will go soft if left to sit, they are best made fresh.

Can I freeze Italian Meatballs?

Yes, once cooked and cooled the Italian marinara meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, before heating up to piping hot.

Try these other great Keto recipes here at When is Dinner:

• Keto Taco Cups & Jalapeno Cilantro Sauce
• Keto Skillet Pizza
• Instant Pot Keto BBQ Chicken Wings 
• Easy Keto Chinese Chicken Salad
• Keto Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

These are a few items I find helpful in my own kitchen when preparing this Keto Bell Pepper Meatball Subs Recipe:

OXO Good Grips Mixing Bowl Set with Black Handles, 3-PieceT-fal B3629064 Specialty Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Jumbo Cooker Saute Pan with Glass Lid Cookware, 5-Quart, BlackRecipes for Stuffed Bell Peppers: Stuffed Green, Yellow, Red or Orange Bell Peppers CookbookThe Complete Keto Diet Cookbook For Beginners: 600 Easy and Delicious Recipes – 21- Day Meal Plan – Lose Up to 20 Pounds in 3 WeeksKeto Diet Cookbook For Beginners: 550 Recipes For Busy People on Keto Diet (Keto Diet for Beginners)The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet