Hibachi Steakhouse Meatballs – Low Carb and Gluten Free
A delicious low carb meatball recipe inspired by the flavors of a Hibachi steakhouse! Keto, LCHF, Paleo, and Atkins diet friendly recipe!
A delicious low carb meatball recipe inspired by the flavors of a Hibachi steakhouse! Keto, LCHF, Paleo, and Atkins diet friendly recipe!
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1/4 cup scallions chopped
- 1 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce see example
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar substitute see example
- 1/2 small red onion
- 6 medium baby bella (crimini) mushrooms
- Carbohydrate 4.16103395917841 g
- Cholesterol 10.1677083376937 mg
- Fat 6.9682600016668 g
- Fiber 1.08355415362209 g
- Protein 1.67449000022763 g
- Saturated Fat 2.74488439687879 g
- Serving Size 1 1 skewer (139g)
- Sodium 162.506187513521 mg
- Sugar 3.07747980555632 g
- Trans Fat 0.461492291788373 g
- Calories 82 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and stir will. Form into 18 meatballs. Sear the meatballs in a hot nonstick pan for a minute or two per side until firm enough to skewer.
- Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.
- Cut the zucchini into 1 inch chunks. Cut the onions into1 inch pieces (it's ok if the pieces fall apart). Cut the mushrooms in half.
- Thread the meatballs and vegetables onto six long skewers - 3 meatballs, 2 mushroom halves, a few onion sections, and 2 chunks of zucchini per skewer. When all the skewers are assembled, brush liberally with the sauce on all sides. Grill on high heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until the veggies are cooked to your liking and the meatballs are cooked through.
Replacing traditional wheat-based binders with finely milled almond flour alters moisture absorption significantly, requiring a gentle hand when mixing to prevent a dense, compact texture in ground beef. Restaurant flat tops achieve intense heat through thick cast iron or chrome steel, but home cooks can replicate that charred exterior by using a heavy nonstick skillet preheated over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers slightly. Achieving a reliable bind without gluten relies entirely on the coagulation of egg proteins combined with the fats rendered from an 80/20 ground beef grind. Because almond flour lacks gluten's elastic network, overworking the meat mixture during the initial combination phase will expel moisture prematurely, leaving the protein dry before it ever hits the cooking surface.
Adapting traditional teppanyaki flavor profiles for restricted diets requires balancing umami-rich tamari or gluten-free soy sauce with aromatic ginger and toasted sesame oil to build depth without relying on high-carbohydrate sweeteners. Fresh ginger provides a sharp, enzymatic brightness that dried ginger powder simply cannot match, as dehydration destroys the volatile compounds responsible for that characteristic punchy warmth. When threading skewers for grilling, maintain uniform one-inch thicknesses on zucchini chunks and cremini mushrooms so they finish cooking in the exact window required for the meatballs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
