I built this recipe around four meal prep containers: beef meatballs over steamed cauliflower rice with a buttery pan sauce that has a little heat. The meatballs are ground beef mixed with mozzarella, parsley, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then browned in butter in a large skillet. The sauce starts with the drippings left in that same skillet, plus chicken stock, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes, and it simmers for just a few minutes. Start to finish, the whole batch takes about 30 minutes.
The mozzarella goes right into the meat mixture instead of on top, which keeps the meatballs tender even after a few days in the fridge. The cauliflower rice steams in the microwave while you mix and shape the meatballs, so it is ready to spoon into the containers as soon as the sauce is done.
Each container gets three meatballs, about 105 grams of cauliflower rice, some of the pan sauce, and a little fresh parsley. They keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and a minute or two in the microwave warms one through.
Every recipe on Real Balanced is tested before it’s published — read about how we develop and test our recipes.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes. From mixing bowl to meal prep containers in half an hour — no oven required.
- A sauce that pulls everything together. The drippings and browned bits the meatballs leave behind become a buttery, spicy sauce made in the same skillet.
- Mozzarella in the meatball mix. Shredded mozzarella mixed right into the ground beef keeps these meatballs tender and adds a subtle cheesy richness throughout.
- Four meals, one cook session. This recipe makes four portions, so four lunches or dinners are packed and waiting in the fridge.
- Simple ingredients, big flavor. Coconut aminos, Italian seasoning, garlic, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes do a lot of work with very little effort.
- Totally customizable heat level. The hot sauce and red pepper flakes are easy to dial up or back depending on who you’re feeding.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Ground beef → ground turkey or ground pork work well here; just watch the cook time since leaner meats cook faster.
- Shredded mozzarella → any shredded melting cheese like provolone or Monterey Jack can stand in.
- Frozen cauliflower rice → fresh cauliflower rice steamed on the stovetop works the same way.
- Coconut aminos → a small splash of Worcestershire sauce is a reasonable swap if that’s what you have on hand; the recipe notes it’s optional.
- Chicken stock → beef stock or vegetable stock will work in the pan sauce.
- Hot sauce → adjust the amount freely, or leave it out entirely if you prefer a milder sauce.
✨ Variations
- Make it Italian-style: swap the hot sauce and red pepper flakes for marinara stirred into the pan sauce and top with extra mozzarella.
- Add vegetables: stir sautéed diced zucchini or spinach into the cauliflower rice before packing the containers.
- Go with a different base: swap the cauliflower rice for steamed broccoli or a simple green salad if you want to change things up.
- Double the batch: the meatball mixture scales easily — just use a larger pan and cook in batches so everything browns properly.
〰️ How to serve
- These bowls are designed to be stored and reheated — pack them into glass meal prep containers, refrigerate, and microwave when ready to eat.
- Add a simple side like Baked Sliced Zucchini or a green salad if you want to round out the meal.
- Finish each container with a little extra fresh parsley and a pinch of salt right before eating to freshen everything back up.
- If you’re eating these fresh instead of packing them, serve them straight from the skillet with the extra sauce spooned over the cauliflower rice.
💬 FAQs
Can I freeze these meatballs?
The recipe is written as a refrigerator meal prep, so it’s designed to be stored in the fridge and reheated within the week. If you’d like to freeze just the meatballs, cook them fully, let them cool completely, and freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag or container. Reheat gently and make the pan sauce fresh when you’re ready to serve.
Why add cheese inside the meatball mixture?
Mixing shredded mozzarella directly into the ground beef adds moisture and a subtle richness to the meatballs as they cook. It helps keep them tender rather than dense or dry.
Do I have to use coconut aminos?
Nope — the recipe marks it as optional but suggested. It adds a mild savory-sweet depth to the meatball mixture. If you don’t have it, you can skip it or use a small splash of Worcestershire sauce instead.
How do I know when the meatballs are cooked through?
Cook them 5–6 minutes per side over medium to medium-high heat until they’re browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer should read 160°F for ground beef.
📚 More recipes to try
🍽 Recipe
Email Recipe
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe!
Meal Prep Low-Carb Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 15 oz 1 ½ bags frozen steamable cauliflower rice (I use Green Giant)
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup 56g shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup ~7g chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon 15g minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons 10mL coconut aminos, optional but suggested
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more when serving, based on taste preferences
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup 2 oz unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup 180mL unsalted chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons 10g hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Materials:
- 4 glass storage containers
Instructions
- Microwave steamable cauliflower rice according to bag instructions.
- While cauliflower rice cooks, to a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, shredded mozzarella, fresh parsley, egg, minced garlic, coconut aminos, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Using hands, mix together until all ingredients are well-combined. Form mixture into 12 equal-sized balls and place each on parchment paper-lined plate.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp (1 oz) butter. Add meatballs and cook 5-6 minutes on first side, then flip, and reduce stovetop heat to medium to cook for 5-6 minutes on other side. Cook until meatballs are browned and inside is cooked through (160°F on an instant-read thermometer). Turn stovetop heat off, transfer meatballs to clean plate, and set aside. Do not discard juices from pan.
- Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Then, in same pan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tbsp (1 oz) butter. Add chicken stock, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes. Simmer sauce until thickened, about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove steamed cauliflower rice from microwave and spoon into meal prep containers. Add 3 meatballs to each container, then drizzle sauce atop meatballs, and garnish with fresh parsley. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat, then microwave to reheat. Season with additional salt based on taste preferences.
Leave a Reply