Meatball Cupcakes

A new holiday party finger food.

Meatball Cupcakes (low carb, gluten free), recipe and photo by me, Anna Vocino

I love to post party food, especially around the holidays.

I believe taking control of party food and making stuff you can enjoy at the party will help keep you on track, no matter what food restriction, allergy, or way of eating you prefer.

Be in charge of your life and your food.

But also make yourself yummy food. That’s the key to discipline.

What I mean is: will power will only take you so far when you are changing your beliefs around food, health, diet, etc and all the positive and negative we have tied up in our belief systems around food.

By taking matters into your own hands, you will enjoy what you make and maintain your own boundaries.

Wow, I just got heady…which isn’t the most inviting way into a food that’s supposed to be fun like Meatball Cupcakes.

I don’t care. The holidays are triggering and loaded for bear when you are in the middle of a life change surrounding food.

So let’s make it easy on our selves by making delicious, fun, low carb, gluten free food that everyone else wants to eat at the party.

For some other holiday party food ideas at this newsletter, make sure you check out the following recipes…they’re all gluten free and low carb.

Zen Holiday Eating and Sausage Cheddar Balls

Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops with Chili Basil Mango Dipping Sauce

Mediterranean Feta Bake

Eggnog for the Sugar Free Masses

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REMINDER: We have just a few days left to guarantee Christmas delivery for your holiday orders over at Eat Happy Kitchen, so pickup a gift bundle, a spice variety three pack, or some sauces, stat!!

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OK, let’s get to the main event.

MEATBALL CUPCAKES!!

This recipe uses the Ultimate Low Carb Pizza Crust at its base to make the cups, and a meatball with sauce as the filling.

You can make full-sized cupcakes in a regular muffin pan, or bite-sized in a mini muffin pan by making the dough bites smaller and making mini meatballs to go into them.

You can make your own marinara (recipe here at my video for Chicken Parm), use Eat Happy Kitchen marinara (it’s the best, duh), or buy your own.

As always, here’s a downloadable, printable PDF of this recipe.

Meatball Cupcakes, recipe and photo by me, Anna Vocino

MEATBALL CUPCAKES

(Yields 12 full-sized cupcakes)

CUPCAKE LINERS:

• 3 cups grated mozzarella

• 6 tablespoons cream cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/3 cups almond flour (or you can use crushed plain pork rinds)

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Olive oil for greasing the muffin tin

MEATBALLS:

• 1/2 pound ground beef

• 1/2 pound ground pork

• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard

• 1/4 cup almond flour or crushed plain pork rinds

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 egg

MEATBALL CUPCAKES:

• Cupcake Liners

• Meatballs

• 1/2 jar Eat Happy Kitchen Marinara

• Fresh mozzarella ball, cut into 1/4” slices

• Minced parsley for garnish

• Make Cupcake Liners:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Microwave the grated mozzarella and cream cheese in a large microwave safe mixing bowl until soft and pliable, about 20-30 seconds. Add the eggs, almond flour, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Blend well, then separate dough into 2” balls.

Grease each cup of a muffin pan with olive oil. Press dough balls into each muffin cup and press evenly up the sides so the dough acts as a cupcake liner. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven. Immediately dip a rounded-outside of a measuring tablespoon into olive oil and press an indent into the cupcake liner to reform into a cupcake liner shape.

Make Meatballs:

Lower oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, blend well and form into twelve 2” meatballs. Place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, place meatballs on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Assemble Meatball Cupcakes:

Place meatballs into cooked Cupcake Liners still in the muffin tins. Place a dollop of marinara on top of the meatballs. Using a cookie cutter, cut 1 1/2” disks out of the mozzarella slices. Place mozzarella disks on meatballs. Place back in oven 10-12 minutes until cheese melts. Garnish with additional marinara and minced parsley and serve.