Pasta and Italian food are two things I have loved since I was a little girl. Pasta is not part of my low carb diet, but I can still get fantastic Italian flavors from lots of other delicious low carb foods! These Italian Meatball Mozzarella and Basil Canapes are a perfect hearty canape for any party. They are a medley of Italian meatballs lightly coated in robust marinara sauce with a dash of basil and mozzarella. They are super easy to put together!
Meat, Mozzarella and Basil – Oh My!
The meatballs are a simple combination of equal parts ground beef (I use 85/15), Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage. I used hot sausage for this recipe, but regular will work just as well.
For the sauce, I use Rao’s brand Mariana or Arrabbiata sauce. It’s a little pricey, but it’s delicious and has 2 or 3 net carbs for a half cup serving depending on the type. I am able to find the brand at my local H-E-B and Kroger.
Mozzarella pearls work great for this dish. I love the Bel Gioioso brand which you can find at Wal-Mart here. There are a ton of other brands that sell the little pearls at local grocers. Just be sure to watch the carb count. If the pearls are not available, cubed fresh mozzarella will work as a replacement.
The Execution
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the meats and Italian seasoning until well combined. Form small 1″ to 1.5″ balls from the mixture. I use a cookie scoop to get them consistently sized.
Next, pop the meatballs into the oven to bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature for 155 degrees. Once cooked, give them a quick sear in a pan with a very thin layer of oil, turning once to brown.
Add the sauce and let it heat up on the stove over medium heat.
Now it’s time to grab the mozzarella, basil and toothpicks for assembly.
Tear some basil into small pieces slightly smaller than the meatball circumference. Place a mozzarella ball on the skewer, followed by a piece of basil and finally a meatball. Give the meatball a gentle shake above the pan to get excessive sauce off. Repeat this until you have a full plate of canapes. Serve and enjoy!
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Italian Meatball Mozzarella and Basil Canapes
These simple meatball, mozzarella and basil canapes have great Italian flavors and are easy to put together.
Italian Meatball Mozzarella and Basil CanapesThese simple meatball, mozzarella and basil canapes have great Italian flavors and are easy to put together. |
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Print Recipe
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Servings:
30 Canapes
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Prep Time
15 Minutes
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Cook Time
25 Minutes
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Passive Time
0 Minutes
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Ingredients
- 16 oz Ground Beef
- 16 oz Breakfast Sausage Like Jimmy Dean
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil For searing
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce Rao's brand recommended
- 8 oz Mozzarella Pearls
- 1 pack Basil Fresh
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Servings:
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Canapes
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Units:
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Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees
- Combine ground beef, sausage and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Using a cookie scoop or hands, form 1" to 1.5" balls. Place on a grate on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temp is 150 to 155 degrees. (The meatballs will continue to cook a little once you pull them out of the oven - plus they are going in a skillet for searing).
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs and give a quick sear until slightly browned. Turn once. Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the marinara sauce to the skillet. Gently stir the meatballs and sauce until the meatballs are coated and the sauce is heated. Remove from heat.
- Gather toothpicks, basil and mozzarella pearls for assembly. Tear the basil into pieces slightly smaller than the size of the meatballs.
- On the toothpicks going top to bottom, arrange one mozzarella pearl, one piece of torn basil and one meatball as the base. Place assembled meatball canapes on a plate and serve.
Notes:
Nutrition Information per Canape:
Calories: 114 | Total Fat: 9g. Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 45mg | Total Carbohydrates: 1g, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g, NET CARBS: 1g | Protein: 7g
*Recipe is available on MyFitnessPal under "KetoCanape Italian Meatball Mozzarella and Basil Canapes".* Depending on the mozzarella brand and if using pearls or fresh cubed mozzarella, this will alter the calories per canape. Changing the ground beef fat content will also change the calories. The MyFitnessPal recipe is based on the exact recipe above. Please build your own recipe if your recipe is different.
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