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    A Full Living » Blog » Main Courses

    Published: Mar 15, 2022 by Briana · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe

    These Keto Swedish Meatballs are a spinoff of recipes from Scandinavian family members and friends, made keto, gluten free, and with a few extra touches. Think of the IKEA favorite, but with fewer carbs, and homemade!

    hand pouring brown gravy over top of swedish meatballs with cucumber salad and lingonberry sauce

    Note: This recipe was originally published in May 2020, but we have updated the instructions for clarity, as well as taken new photos. We hope you enjoy!

    These Swedish meatballs are an authentic family recipe and a whole family favorite. Incredibly flavorful and spiced, made with both pork and beef, and served in a hearty, luscious, and creamy sauce.

    Pair with creamy mashed turnips, sugar free lingonberry sauce, and some pickled cucumbers for a decadent Nordic-inspired dinner.

    Looking for more meatball recipes? Be sure to try these Italian-style cast iron meatballs baked with cheese, these buffalo turkey meatballs, or these lamb meatballs with lemon and feta!

    Jump to:
    • ❤️Why we love this recipe
    • 🇸🇪Ingredients​
    • ✏️Ingredient notes
    • 📖Instructions
    • ✨Substitutions & Variations
    • 💭Frequently asked questions
    • 🛒Shop this recipe
    • 🥣Storage
    • 🌟Leave a review!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Community

    ❤️Why we love this recipe

    • Nostalgic flavor - Many of us ate Swedish meatballs growing up, or, maybe you just have fond memories of trying them at IKEA. These are the real deal! They taste just as good as traditional Swedish meatballs, or everyone's favorite IKEA meatballs.
    • Gluten free & low carb - These ingredients are straight forward, and they work, for a meal that is incredibly delicious, without extra sugar, carbs, or any gluten!
    • Perfect for meal prep - Make a big batch of these and reheat them throughout the week for easy, tasty meals.
    • Made with pantry staples - These flavorful meatballs are made with ingredients that are nearly always in the pantry or fridge. You can also pick up anything you don't have at nearly any grocery store.

    🇸🇪Ingredients​

    You can find the full quantities and nutritional information in the recipe card.

    keto swedish meatballs ingredients laid out in ceramic bowls with text to denote different ingredients.

    ✏️Ingredient notes

    Meatball ingredients

    • Ground pork & beef- Ground beef and pork is a combination that makes these meatballs more authentically Swedish.
    • Ground allspice & nutmeg- The essential "warming" spices necessary for these meatballs. They truly aren't Swedish meatballs without these two spices!
    • Ground cloves- Not a traditional ingredient, but the flavor is so perfect and pairs nicely with the allspice and nutmeg, and is common in Scandinavian cooking and baking. Optional, but we recommend it!
    • Kosher salt & black pepper
    • Eggs - Room temperature for best results.
    • Almond flour - To help bind the meatballs together and keep them moist.
    • Heavy whipping cream- We add heavy whipping cream to the meatballs in place of milk, adding even more richness. It helps keep these meatballs moist.
    • Fresh onion & garlic- To add lots of flavor to the meatballs. Garlic actually isn't a traditional ingredient in Swedish meatballs, but it's one of those additions we think really take these to the next level.
    • Unsalted butter or any frying oil- To brown the meatballs. We prefer unsalted butter to create a very creamy and rich sauce. You can also use avocado oil or olive oil.

    Savory gravy ingredients

    • Pan drippings- We will use all of the pan drippings from browning the meatballs to create the base of this luscious sauce. The fatty, salty bits will create a great brown sauce base with lots of flavor.
    • Unsalted butter- We add a bit more butter to the sauce to add more richness. You could use slated butter if you want, but we like the ability to control the salt level by using unsalted butter.
    • Heavy whipping cream- To make a creamy and rich sauce, you will need heavy whipping cream.
    • Beef broth - For that classic beefy flavor! You could use beef stock or even beef bone broth for even more added nutrients, as well as to add a lot of protein to the sauce.
    • Dijon mustard- Add to taste, but this will give you a truly great flavor to your sauce.
    • Worcestershire sauce- Technically this ingredient is optional, but we recommend using it.
    • Sweetener of choice- Sweetener is optional and to taste, we recommend Swerve granular to round out all of the flavors in the sauce.
    • Xanthan gum- We add xanthan gum to the sauce gradually to thicken it as needed.
    • Salt & pepper to taste
    • Parsley for garnish, optional
    • Serve with: Creamy mashed turnips, and traditionally, lingonberry sauce or keto cranberry sauce, since lingonberries are so hard to find in the US! You can also serve with a side of cucumber salad.

    📖Instructions

    🔪Prep work

    • Bring meat, eggs, and heavy cream out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before beginning. This will help the mixture to bind together better.
    • Mince garlic, and onions.
    • Measure out all spices, liquids, almond flour, and xanthan gum.

    Form the meatballs

    First, make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, add ground meat, onion, garlic, eggs, almond flour, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, plus some of the salt, pepper, and heavy whipping cream. Wearing gloves, combine very well until all ingredients are incorporated.

    eggs, onion, garlic, heavy whipping cream, seasonings, ground pork, and ground beef in a large mixing bowl
    ground meat mixture for keto swedish meatballs in a large bowl.

    Using a small to medium-sized cookie scoop, roll the meatballs into 36 - 48 small meatballs. We ended up making 36 meatballs. We placed them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet so we could chill the meatballs in the fridge while waiting to cook them. This helps them hold their shape.

    *Please note, the size of the meatballs may impact the total cooking time. The larger the meatballs are, the longer they will take to cook. Ideally you want small meatballs.

    rolled raw keto swedish meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Brown the meatballs

    Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add some butter, then place meatballs in the skillet in a single layer. Brown on all sides and cook through. This should take roughly 6-8 minutes.

    You will likely need to work in batches as to not overcrowd the pan. Add more butter for frying the meatballs as needed. Between batches, place cooked meatballs on a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

    browning swedish meatballs in an enameled cast iron skillet

    Make the Swedish meatball sauce

    With the meatballs removed from the skillet, add the remaining butter to the pan, followed by beef broth and cream, whisking constantly and scraping the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.

    *Do not drain the skillet after cooking the meatballs, as the brown bits are what create such a flavorful sauce.

    hand pouring cream into a skillet with broth and whisking simultaneously.
    whisking a skillet with cream inside to make swedish meatballs gravy

    Add in the Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and sweetener to taste.

    pouring Worcestershire sauce into a skillet of keto Swedish meatball brown gravy while whisking simultaneously.

    Now, sprinkle in the xanthan gum extremely slowly, and whisk constantly to incorporate. Allow the sauce to simmer and watch the sauce thicken, stirring often. You will know the sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. This should take 10-15 minutes.

    *Be very careful not to add too much xanthan gum, as it can turn your sauce slimy.

    adding xanthan gum to keto swedish meatball sauce and whisking to combine.
    keto swedish meatball gravy in a skillet with a whisk inside.
    keto swedish meatball gravy coating the back of a spoon.

    Add the meatballs and any of their drippings back to the sauce for a few minutes to warm through (about 3-5 minutes) and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

    Now, serve and enjoy!

    keto swedish meatballs on a plate with mashed turnips, lingonberry jam, cucumber salad, and parsley.

    ✨Substitutions & Variations

    • No almond flour? Try crushing up some pork rinds using a spice grinder or blender until they're super fine. You will need 40 grams of crushed pork rinds.
    • Dairy free - Swap butter for vegan butter, and heavy cream for your favorite substitute, like coconut or cashew cream.
    • Pork free - If you don't eat pork, you can use all beef in this recipe.
    • Use garlic or onion powder - If you don't have any fresh on hand, you can use garlic and onion powder instead.
    • Worcestershire sauce - is the ingredient used in our family recipes, but it is optional. You could also substitute soy sauce, coconut aminos or tamari.

    💭Frequently asked questions

    Where did the inspiration of this recipe come from? Is it authentic?


    Yes, this recipe is authentic! Bri's heritage is mostly Swedish and Finnish, and she spent some time in Norway as an exchange student in high school. You could say her love of Scandinavian food runs deep, and she takes great pride in reviving old family recipes, and reinventing her favorite Scandinavian dishes with a low carb or gluten free twist.

    This particular recipe is based off of recipes from Bri's grandmothers and family members, that have been passed thru the family for years. This version has some added special touches, and has a few substitutions that make these meatballs gluten free and keto friendly. This recipe is a gluten free version of an authentic family recipe!

    hand pouring brown gravy over top of keto swedish meatballs, with lingonberry sauce and pickled cucumbers nearby.
    What are the necessary seasonings for this recipe?

    Allspice and nutmeg are the essential spices in these meatballs, aside from salt and pepper of course. Allspice and nutmeg add that traditional "warmth" of spice that you will find in many Scandinavian dishes.

    Scandinavian food is certainly not spicy, but relies on simple, subtle, and often warm spices like nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. The cloves are optional in the recipe, and they are something that Bri added. She loves the extra layer it brings to the dish.

    🛒Shop this recipe

    Need supplies for this low carb Swedish meatballs recipe? We've linked our favorites above and right here in our Amazon Store! You don't pay anything extra if you shop using our link, but we get a small percentage of the sale. 

    A Full Living is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate program, an affiliate advertising program designed to promote a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking products to amazon.com. We only share products we use and love. It doesn't cost you anything extra to shop using our links, but we earn a small commission that helps us keep this site going! 

    close up shot of keto swedish meatballs with lingonberries and cucumbers

    🥣Storage

    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

    We do not recommend freezing this recipe.

    🌟Leave a review!

    Make sure to leave a 5-star review below! This helps other readers find our recipes via Google, and encourages them to try them. Also be sure to leave a comment with your experience!

    Take a photo and share with us by tagging us on Instagram or follow along on Pinterest for more ideas!

    📖 Recipe

    keto swedish meatballs

    Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe

    These Keto Swedish Meatballs are a spinoff of recipes from my Scandinavian family members, made keto, gluten free and with a few extra touches. Think of the IKEA favorite, but with less carbs, and homemade! These Swedish meatballs are a family favorite. Incredibly flavorful and spiced, made with both pork and beef, and served in a flavorful, creamy sauce.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Author: Briana

    Ingredients

    For the Meatballs:

    • 1.5 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves optional
    • 2 whole eggs, room temperature
    • 40 grams almond flour
    • 2 ounces heavy whipping cream
    • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
    • 1 medium sweet onion, minced
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (for browning the meatballs)

    For the cream sauce:

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (in addition to pan drippings)
    • 2 ounces heavy whipping cream
    • 4 cups beef broth
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard (optional)
    • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
    • 2 teaspoon granular erythritol (optional and to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional and added slowly to thicken)
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
    • parsley for garnish

    Instructions

    For the meatballs:

    • In a large bowl, add ground meat, onion, garlic, eggs, almond flour, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, plus some of the salt, pepper, and heavy whipping cream. Wearing gloves, combine very well until all ingredients are incorporated.
    • Using a small to medium-sized cookie scoop, roll the meatballs into 36 - 48 small meatballs. We ended up making 36 meatballs. We placed them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet so we could chill the meatballs in the fridge while waiting to cook them. This helps them hold their shape.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add some butter, then place meatballs in the skillet in a single layer. Brown on all sides and cook through. This should take roughly 6-8 minutes. You will likely need to work in batches as to not overcrowd the pan. Add more butter for frying the meatballs as needed. Between batches, place cooked meatballs on a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

    For the cream sauce:

    • With the meatballs removed from the skillet, add the remaining butter to the pan, followed by beef broth and cream, whisking constantly and scraping the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
      *Do not drain the skillet after cooking the meatballs, as the brown bits are what create such a flavorful sauce.
    • Add in the Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and sweetener to taste. Now, sprinkle in the xanthan gum extremely slowly, and whisk constantly to incorporate. Allow the sauce to simmer and watch the sauce thicken, stirring often. You will know the sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. This should take 10-15 minutes.
    • Add the meatballs and any of their drippings back to the sauce for a few minutes to warm through (about 3-5 minutes) and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve and enjoy! We love eating them with creamy mashed turnips, homemade lingonberry sauce, and pickled cucumbers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Notes

    • The size of the meatballs may impact the total cooking time. The larger the meatballs are, the longer they will take to cook. Ideally, you want small meatballs.
    • Add salt to the gravy slowly and to taste after you add the meatballs back into the sauce to avoid over-salting. 
    • Pork rind crumbs can be substituted 1:1 for almond flour. 
    • Garlic and onion powder can be substituted for fresh onion and garlic.
    • Add xanthan gum slowly and whisk constantly until the texture of the sauce has thickened. A little bit goes a long way, and be careful as it can make the sauce slimy if you use too much! 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 719kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 2287mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 761IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 4mg

    These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.

    Did you love it?If you made this recipe, make sure to show us on Instagram at @AFullLiving or tag #AFullLiving! We love to see what you guys are making!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Scandinavian, Swedish, Swedish American

    « Lingonberry Sauce Recipe
    Agurksalat - Norwegian Cucumber Salad »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MissyBouwman says

      December 10, 2021 at 6:53 am

      Can these be made ahead fit a Christmas dinner and warmed back up later?

      Reply
      • Briana says

        December 10, 2021 at 11:23 am

        We don't see why not! Just simmer very gently on the stove, covered until warmed through.

        Reply
    2. Joy D colon says

      April 04, 2021 at 11:42 pm

      Very good!

      Reply
      • Briana says

        April 05, 2021 at 7:12 am

        That's awesome Joy, thank you! Really glad you enjoyed!

        Reply

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