Meatballs vs Lasagna: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Meatballs have 14.4 g of protein, while lasagna has 10.8 g. Meatballs contain 286 calories, compared to lasagna's 185 calories.

Meatballs and lasagna are popular dishes that offer different nutritional profiles. This comparison highlights their calories, protein, and other key nutrients.

What Is the Difference Between Meatballs and Lasagna?

Meatballs are ground meat formed into a ball shape, often mixed with breadcrumbs and spices. They are typically cooked by frying, baking, or simmering in sauce. Lasagna is a layered pasta dish made with sheets of lasagna noodles, cheese, meat, and sauce. It is baked until hot and bubbly.

Meatballs vs Lasagna: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of meatballs and lasagna.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Meatballs	Lasagna with meat
Calories	286 kcal	185 kcal
Protein	14.4 g	10.8 g
Carbs	8.1 g	11.4 g
Sugar	3.5 g	3.1 g
Fat	22.2 g	10.7 g
Fiber	2.3 g	1.5 g
Sodium	666 mg	466 mg

Which Is Better, Meatballs or Lasagna?

For weight loss: Lasagna is lower in calories, with 185 calories compared to meatballs' 286 calories.

For muscle and protein: Meatballs provide more protein at 14.4 g, while lasagna offers 10.8 g.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Meatballs have 8.1 g of carbs and 3.5 g of sugar, while lasagna contains 11.4 g of carbs and 3.1 g of sugar.

How to Track Meatballs and Lasagna Accurately

Portion sizes and macronutrient content can be easy to misjudge, affecting dietary choices. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers presented are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. This comparison is based on per-100g values. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Meatballs have 14.4 g of protein, while lasagna has 10.8 g.

Which has fewer calories?

Lasagna has 185 calories, whereas meatballs have 286 calories.

How much fat is in meatballs?

Meatballs contain 22.2 g of fat per 100 g.

What is the sodium content of lasagna?

Lasagna has 466 mg of sodium per 100 g.

How much fiber is in meatballs?

Meatballs contain 2.3 g of fiber per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in lasagna?

Lasagna has 3.1 g of sugar per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Meatballs have 286 calories per 100 g.
• Lasagna contains 185 calories per 100 g.
• Meatballs provide 14.4 g of protein per 100 g.
• Lasagna offers 10.8 g of protein per 100 g.
• Meatballs have 22.2 g of fat per 100 g.
• Lasagna has 10.7 g of fat per 100 g.