Keto Persian Lubia Polo Meatballs

Lubia Polo (Loobia Polo) is a Persian mixed rice dish made with rice, ground meat (lamb or beef) and green beans. It's one of the many mixed rice dishes common in Persian cuisine. What I love the most about Lubia Polo is that each bite is packed with flavor that is simply out of this world.

For the keto version you simply need to omit the rice and replace it with cauliflower rice (one of the many food swaps you can make when you go keto). This low-carb dish is easy to make with common ingredients and spices.

You can either cook the meatballs with the green beans and then add cooked cauliflower rice to it, or you can add raw cauli-rice before the meatballs and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Step-by-step

1. Cut the green beans cut into 2.5 cm/ 1" pieces. Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and use the S blade or grating blade to process until it resembles rice.

2. For the meatballs, in a bowl add the ground beef, some turmeric powder, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

   

3. Using your hands, make 20 to 25 small meatballs. Fry the meatballs in a large frying pan greased with avocado oil on medium heat. Cook for two minutes and then turn until they are cooked all around. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4. Place the saffron in a small bowl and add the boiling water to soak. Set aside.

   

5. Grease the same pan where you cooked the meatballs with butter. Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until golden brown.

6. Add more the cinnamon and curry powder, tomato paste and lemon juice. Mix well until everything is combined and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Stir in the green beans, saffron water and bring it to a low simmer. Add a dash of water if needed. Cover and cook until the green beans are crisp tender, for 7 to 10 minutes. Add back the meatballs.

   

8. While the green beans are cooking, cook the cauliflower rice. To do that, microwave fresh cauliflower rice in a heatproof bowl, covered with cling film, for three minutes on high. If using cauli-rice from the freezer, microwave for four minutes on high, mixing the cauli-rice half way through cooking.

9. Add the cooked cauliflower rice and vinegar. Season more to taste if needed.

   

10. Serve immediately or let it cool down and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    

Recipe

Keto Persian Lubia Polo Meatballs

★★★★★4.5 (28 ratings)

These Persian style meatballs are a tasty keto comfort food recipe. A healthy low-carb dinner made with beef ...

Hands on

30m

Overall

45m

Servings

4

8.4 g

Net carbs

24.9 g

Protein

35.4 g

Fat

466

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings16 servings

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Ingredients makes 4 servings

• Meatballs:
• 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¹/₂ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tbsp virgin avocado oil or olive oil (30 ml)
• Cauliflower rice and green beans:
• ¹/₂ tsp saffron
• ¹/₄ cup boiling water (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (70 g/ 2.5 oz)
• 2 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp butter or ghee (15 ml)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
• 3 cups green beans (300 g/ 10.6 oz)
• ¹/₂ cauliflower, riced (300 g/ 10.6 oz)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (15 ml)
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the green beans cut into 2.5 cm/ 1" pieces. Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and use the S blade or grating blade to process until it resembles rice.

2. For the meatballs, in a bowl add the ground beef, some turmeric powder, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

3. Using your hands, make 20 to 25 small meatballs. Fry the meatballs in a large frying pan greased with avocado oil on medium heat. Cook for two minutes and then turn until they are cooked all around. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4. Place the saffron in a small bowl and add the boiling water to soak. Set aside.

5. Grease the same pan where you cooked the meatballs with butter. Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until golden brown.

6. Add more the cinnamon and curry powder, tomato paste and lemon juice. Mix well until everything is combined and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Stir in the green beans, saffron water and bring it to a low simmer. Add a dash of water if needed. Cover and cook until the green beans are crisp tender, for 7 to 10 minutes. Add back the meatballs.

8. While the green beans are cooking, cook the cauliflower rice. To do that, microwave fresh cauliflower rice in a heatproof bowl, covered with cling film, for three minutes on high. If using cauli-rice from the freezer, microwave for four minutes on high, mixing the cauli-rice half way through cooking.

9. Add the cooked cauliflower rice and vinegar. Season more to taste if needed.

10. Serve immediately or let it cool down and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition per serving, about 225 g/ 8 oz

Carbs 7%Protein 22%Fat 71% of calories

Net carbs

8.4 g

Total carbs

13.3 g

Fiber

4.9 g

Sugars

5.5 g

Protein

24.9 g

Fat

35.4 g

Saturated fat

12.3 g

Calories

466 kcal

Sodium

696 mg · 30.3% RDA

Magnesium

59 mg · 14.9% RDA

Potassium

822 mg · 41.1% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per about 225 g/ 8 oz	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Beef, minced (ground), raw, grass-fed	0 g	21.5 g	25 g	318
Turmeric, spices (dried, ground)	0.3 g	0.1 g	0 g	2
Salt, sea salt	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Pepper, cayenne, spices	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1
Avocado oil, extra virgin	0 g	0 g	7 g	62
Saffron, dried, spices	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	0
Water, still	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Onion, brown (yellow), raw	1.1 g	0.2 g	0 g	6
Garlic, fresh	0.5 g	0.1 g	0 g	2
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed	0 g	0 g	2.9 g	25
Curry powder, spices	0 g	0.1 g	0.1 g	2
Cinnamon, spices	0.2 g	0 g	0 g	2
Tomato purée (paste, unsweetened)	0.5 g	0.1 g	0 g	3
Lemon juice, fresh	0.2 g	0 g	0 g	1
Green beans, fresh	3.2 g	1.4 g	0.2 g	23
Cauliflower, fresh	2.2 g	1.4 g	0.2 g	19
Wine vinegar	0 g	0 g	0 g	1
Total	8.4 g	24.9 g	35.4 g	466

Serving size about 225 g/ 8 oz

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Nut free
• Pork free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free