This recipe for Keto Swedish Meatballs makes the most delicious, juicy meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy. It’s a family-favorite recipe for keto meatballs that are easy to make, and naturally gluten-free and low-carb. These Swedish meatballs are made in one-pan, and quick enough to make for a 30 minute, weeknight keto dinner recipe.
Easy Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe
I can’t wait to share this recipe for my family’s favorite keto Swedish meatballs. They’re juicy and delicious, and completely low-carb.
My family loves how flavorful these meatballs are, and the creamy gravy pan sauce. And I love how fast this recipe is to make — in just one pan and under 30 minutes. Talk about a quick keto dinner recipe!
We love this recipe over creamy garlic mashed cauliflower. But it would also be delicious served with zucchini noodles!
Or, if you’re looking for an Italian style keto meatball recipe, you’ll love our classic Keto Meatball Recipe.
Ingredients in Keto Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are beef (or beef and pork) meatballs that are simmered in a rich, creamy gravy made with beef stock (or chicken stock) and heavy cream. These Swedish meatballs are easy to make at home – and will definitely beat the ones you can find at Ikea!
Traditional, non-keto Swedish meatball recipes use breadcrumbs and milk to bind the meatballs together. To keep this recipe low carb, I’ve replaced the breadcrumbs with grated onion and a little almond flour. These ingredient substitutions will keep the meatballs nice and moist, without adding too many extra carbs.
Here is some more information about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.
Ground Meat: Most traditional meatball recipes combine a mix of ground meat — usually ground beef and ground pork for Swedish meatballs. But, you can definitely make these meatballs using only ground beef if you prefer! Sometimes it’s just easier that way.
Almond Flour: Most meatball recipes include a “panade”, which is a mixture of bread crumbs and liquid that adds moisture to the ground meat. To make this meatball recipe keto, we swap out the bread crumbs for a low-carb alternative: almond flour.
Heavy Cream: A little heavy cream adds a bit of extra fat and moisture to these meatballs, helping to keep them tender and juicy.
Grated Onion: For flavor and moisture, I like to add grated veggies to these meatballs. Onion is a great choice, as is grated zucchini if you prefer.
How to Make Keto Swedish Meatballs
To make this recipe, all you need is a large mixing bowl to assemble your meat mixture, and a large oven-safe skillet to cook the meatballs and make the pan gravy.
Pan-fried vs. Baked Meatballs
I have other recipes on this site where I talk about baking meatballs in the oven. But for this specific recipe, I prefer to cook the meatballs in the pan because
- This recipe benefits from the extra caramelization that occurs on the outside of the meatballs when you pan-fry them.
- All the brown bits leftover in the pan are one of the main flavor components of the pan gravy that you’ll make after cooking the meatballs.
To make keto Swedish meatballs, start out by adding all of the meatball ingredients — ground meat, grated onion, almond flour, heavy cream, egg, and spices — to a large mixing bowl. Using either your hands or a spatula, thoroughly mix the ingredients together until they are well-combined.
Then, use a large spoon or a cookie scoop to help you portion the mixture into about 20 meatballs. Use a gentle hand, and be careful not to over-compact the meat mixture when you are mixing and forming the meatballs. Don’t pack the mixture too tightly, and you’ll be rewarded with more tender meatballs.
Next, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for a few minutes on all sides, until browned and cooked through. You may want to cook them in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding your pan. After they are cooked, remove them to a plate and set aside while you make the sauce.
To make the pan gravy, add the stock, cream, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce (if using) to the pan. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to stir everything together. And don’t forget to scrape up any brown bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Let the gravy thicken slightly, and add the meatballs back into the pan to warm through.
How to Store and Freeze Swedish Meatballs
These keto meatballs store in the fridge or the freezer really well — so they’re perfect for keto meal prepping or making ahead of time. I like to make a big batch and save them for later meals or packed lunches.
If you have leftover meatballs and gravy, you can store them in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave as needed.
You can also freeze the meatballs. To freeze these meatballs, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined plate or baking sheet, and freeze them until solid. After that, you can transfer them to a freezer bag. You can reheat them in the microwave or in the oven. (You want to freeze the meatballs individually so they don’t stick together.)
Unfortunately, I don’t recommend freezing the sauce — as I haven’t had good luck freezing cream-based sauces.
Other Keto Beef Recipes
Here are some more recipes that you may like:
- The Best Keto Meatballs (Gluten-free without Breadcrumbs)
- Easy Keto Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
- Easy Keto Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
- Keto Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Keto Swedish Meatballs
Keto Swedish Meatballs recipe makes delicious low-carb meatballs smothered in a creamy gluten-free gravy. It's a family-favorite recipe made in one-pan in about 30 minutes, perfect for a quick weeknight keto dinner recipe.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup grated onion
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Cream Sauce
- 1 cup chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, optional
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, almond flour, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and allspice. Mix well until combined. Roll into 20 small meatballs.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning every few minutes, until browned on each side and cooked through. You may need to cook in two batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate while you make the sauce.
- Add stock and cream to the skillet and whisk over medium-low heat. Add Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thickened. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 404Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 628mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Carb count will vary with different ingredients and brands. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Have made these multiple times now, always a huge hit, thank you!!
I really enjoyed these meatballs and the flavour of the sauce. The entire family liked it. But, the sauce was so thin, how can this be thickened?
Xantham gum. Add a couple pitches at a time. A little goes a long way