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A savory, hearty, keto meatball minestrone made with pancetta and vegetables. Low in carbohydrates, grain-free, and gluten-free, this meaty soup can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
This Instant Pot or stovetop soup is a warm, comforting, and satisfying meal with the flavorful meatballs, vegetables, and minestrone broth that's pancetta accents give it a mild smokey flavor (or can use chopped bacon).
You can omit the pancetta or bacon, but I love the smokey flavor it imparts to the broth.
Mixing the ground beef to make the meatballs. I like to use golden flax meal in place of bread crumbs.
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Chopping the vegetables, mincing the garlic and making the keto, gluten-free meatballs. This is just as easy as making spaghetti and meatballs but without the pasta and the extra carbs!
Pre-baking the meatballs in the oven for a short time helps to keep the meatballs from falling apart in the broth when cooked in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
A delicious, Italian style soup with meatballs and topped with Parmesan cheese that will make your tummy very content!
I have made this soup in the Instant Pot and on the Stovetop many times and it is just as simple using either option.
The time is also about the same if you include the "coming to pressure time" and the "pressure release time" on the Instant Pot.
So if you are making this on the stovetop, then you are not missing out on a much faster time.
Keto Meatball Minestrone Soup-
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Keto Meatball Minestrone
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 ½ tablespoon golden flax meal
- 1 LG egg
- ¼ cup no sugar added tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1½ tablespoon Italian seasonings divided
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium-sized onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup pancetta diced
- 1 cup sliced zucchini
- 1 cup sliced yellow squash
- ½ cup sliced carrot optional
- 4 cups beef broth
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes.
- 3 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
Stovetop Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, flaxseed meal, tomato sauce, egg, shredded mozzarella, ½ tablespoon Italian seasonings, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of the sea salt. Knead with your hands to mix.
- Form meatballs with your hands using one heaping tablespoon of meat mixture per meatball.
- Place meatballs on the lined baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 15 minutes. Remove meatballs from oven and set aside (prebaking the meatball helps them stay together while cooking in the broth).
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat the olive oil. Once hot add onion, minced garlic, and pancetta. Stir and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic and onions have softened.
- Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and the black pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and optional carrots. Stir to combine.
- Bring stockpot to a boil. Add pre-baked meatballs to the pot, cover, and lower heat to low/simmer.
- Simmer covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Open lid, stir, spoon into serving bowls. Garnish each serving with ½ tablespoon Parmesan cheese & Serve.
Instant Pot® Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, flaxseed meal, tomato sauce, egg, shredded mozzarella, ½ tablespoon Italian seasonings, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of the sea salt. Knead with your hands to mix.
- Form meatballs with your hands using one heaping tablespoon of meat mixture per meatball.
- Place meatballs on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400 F for 15 minutes (pre-baking the meatballs helps them not fall apart while cooking the soup). Remove meatballs from the oven and set aside.
- Select Saute on the Instant Pot and once hot add the olive oil, onion, minced garlic, and pancetta. Stir and saute for 2 minutes or until garlic and onions have softened.
- Add zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and the black pepper. Stir to combine and add the pre-baked meatballs to the pot.
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure release handle to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once cooking time is complete, use the Natural Release method for 10 minutes, then carefully Quick Release all the remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and gently stir, spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle each with ½ tablespoon parmesan cheese.
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Notes
Nutrition
Recipes you may also enjoy:
Broccoli Chicken Cheese Soup 
Instant Pot Chicken Salsa Queso Soup 
Beef & Cabbage Stew
This keto garlic bread would compliment this soup nicely.
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Lynne
I have a family member who is allergic to beef. I was thinking of substituting a turkey/pork combination for the ground beef. Would you use chicken broth instead of the beef broth?
Stacey
Yes, Lynne, you could use chicken broth instead of beef broth.
Hélène Lacroix
Je viens d'acheter votre livre chez Costco à Sherbrooke. Les recettes sont très appétissantes. Combien de pintes pour l'Instant Pot?
Merci!
Stacey
C'est un pot de 6 pintes (12 pintes) que j'ai utilisé. It is a 6-quart ( 12 pints) pot I used.
Alan
This was really good. It was my first Instant Pot recipe, and I'll definitely make it again. One comment, though - the prep time of '10 minutes' is pretty misleading. It's more like 10 minutes to make the meatballs alone, let alone the cutting of the other vegetables and such.
Stacey
Thanks, Alan for letting me know, I will fix the recipe card. It automatically calculates it I must have missed that error.
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday!
I love minestrone in the winter months, but I've never had it with meatballs before, sounds even better!
Zuzana
i love meat and this looks like the real meatballs
jennifer
This looks amazing and I'm all about those big meatballs . . .. nothing worse than having soup for your main dish and trying to find the tiny shreds of protein in the broth, haha! These look like you might even need a knife to eat soup 🙂
Hope Pearce
Loved the flavours in this! So hearty and comforting! My husband went back for seconds!
ChihYu
So delicious and hearty! Love that there is an Instant Pot option!
Stacey
Thank you, ChihYu 🙂
Heather H
This is a family favorite for sure!
Raia Todd
Mmm! Delicious! It's been so long since I had a good minestrone. Thanks for the recipe!
Stacey
Thank you, Raia 🙂
Jessica
Love that this makes 6 sevings! I'll add it to my meal prep routine this week for sure!
Stacey
Thank you, Jessica 🙂
Erin
Such a hearty, warming meal! Can't wait to make this- especially with leftover meatballs on the side 🙂
Joni Gomes
Loved making and eating this recipe! I skipped out of the pancetta and it was still super delicious!
Jean Choi
So comforting and delicious! The cheesy flavor is the best part.
Irena M
Awesome recipe! This soup was really hearty with lots of flavour. We used lots of veggies as we are not strictly keto. Will make again 🙂
Stacey
Thank you, Irena, for trying the recipe and your kind words 🙂