Swedish Meatballs (Keto, No Flour, 2.9g Net Carbs)
- Total time
- 50 minutes
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Net carbs
- 2.9g
- Calories
- 449
Swedish meatballs are the small, tender kind: soft beef meatballs scented with allspice and nutmeg, swimming in a pale, savory cream gravy. They are pure comfort food, and they are on the table in under an hour.
The usual recipe is not low-carb. Bread or breadcrumbs go into the meat, and flour thickens the gravy. This version changes only those two things. Almond flour binds the meatballs, and the gravy is thickened by simmering it down and melting in cream cheese. The result is 2.9g net carbs a serving, and it still tastes like the dish you know.
My first low-carb batch was a letdown. I mixed the meat far too long, so the meatballs came out tight and bouncy, and I stirred the cream cheese into a gravy that was still boiling hard. It turned grainy. Now I mix the beef only until it comes together and take the pan down to low heat before the cream cheese goes in. Those two habits fix almost everything.
Why These Keto Swedish Meatballs Work
Cream in the meat keeps it tender. A quarter cup of heavy cream and an egg soak into the almond flour, the same job milk-soaked bread does in the classic. The meatballs stay soft instead of dense.
Grated onion, not chopped. Grated onion melts into the meat and adds moisture. Chopped pieces leave gaps, and small meatballs break apart around them.
Allspice and nutmeg are the signature. A quarter teaspoon of each is what separates Swedish meatballs from Italian ones. It is a warm, gentle flavor, not a sweet one.
The gravy thickens without flour. Butter, beef bone broth and cream are simmered until reduced by half, and cream cheese makes the sauce smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Serves: 6 (about 4 meatballs each, with gravy)
- Net Carbs: 2.9g per serving
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Ground beef | 1 lb | 85% lean |
| Blanched almond flour | ¼ cup | |
| Sea salt | ½ tsp | |
| Black pepper | ¼ tsp | |
| Ground allspice | ¼ tsp | |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ tsp | |
| Heavy cream | ¼ cup | |
| Large egg | 1 | |
| Onion | 3 tbsp | Finely grated |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | For frying |
For the Cream Gravy
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Unsalted butter | 2 tbsp | |
| Beef bone broth | 1 cup | |
| Heavy cream | ½ cup | |
| Cream cheese | 4 oz | Cut into small chunks |
| Fresh parsley | 1 tbsp | Chopped, to finish |
Beef bone broth makes a bolder gravy. It has more body than regular beef broth, so it reduces to a richer sauce. Regular broth works, but it takes longer to cook down and tastes a little lighter.
Use full-fat block cream cheese, cut into small chunks so it melts quickly and evenly. Let it sit on the counter while you roll the meatballs.
Recipe Timing
| Stage | Time |
| Mix the meat and roll the meatballs | 20 minutes |
| Brown the meatballs in two batches | 14 to 16 minutes |
| Simmer the gravy until reduced by half | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Melt in the cream cheese, warm the meatballs | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Total | About 50 minutes |
How to Make Swedish Meatballs, Step by Step
1. Mix the meatball base
In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg. Whisk in ¼ cup of heavy cream, the egg and the grated onion until smooth. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients first means the beef needs far less handling later.
2. Add the beef
Add the ground beef and mix with your hands just until it is combined. Stop as soon as you cannot see streaks of the cream mixture. Overmixed meat makes tough meatballs.
3. Roll the meatballs
Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture for each meatball and roll it between your palms. You should get about 24 small meatballs. Set them on a plate or a baking sheet. If the mixture sticks, wet your hands lightly.
4. Brown in two batches
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs, leaving space between them. Fry for 7 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until they are browned all over and cooked through (160°F in the center). Move them to a plate, cover to keep warm, and brown the second batch the same way.
5. Reduce the gravy
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the beef bone broth and ½ cup of heavy cream. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil, then lower it and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half. This step is the thickener, so do not rush it.
6. Melt in the cream cheese
Turn the heat to low so the sauce is no longer simmering. Add the cream cheese chunks and stir until the gravy is completely smooth. If it is thicker than you like, loosen it with a splash of broth or cream.
7. Bring it together
Return the meatballs and any juices on the plate to the skillet. Turn them in the gravy for a couple of minutes until they are hot and coated. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Tips and Variations
- Keep them the same size. A measuring tablespoon or a small cookie scoop gives even meatballs that finish cooking at the same time.
- Do not crowd the pan. Crowded meatballs steam and turn gray instead of browning. Two batches is worth the extra minutes.
- Gravy too thin? Simmer it gently a few minutes longer, or stir in a little more cream cheese.
- Gravy too thick? Whisk in broth or cream a tablespoon at a time.
- Make it tangy. Swap the heavy cream in the gravy for sour cream if you like a sharper sauce. Stir it in off the heat.
- Other meats. Ground turkey or ground chicken can replace the beef. The meatballs will be leaner and a little softer.
- Roll ahead. Shape the meatballs the day before, cover them and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
What to Serve With Swedish Meatballs
Mashed potatoes are the classic partner. Cauliflower mash does the same job for a fraction of the carbs: something soft to catch the gravy. Zucchini noodles, steamed green beans or roasted turnips work well too.
For a full comfort-food plate, add a spoonful of our keto creamed spinach, which is ready in 25 minutes. For a holiday table, the keto green bean casserole with its crispy onion topping sits happily next to these meatballs.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: store the meatballs in their gravy in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The gravy keeps them soft.
Reheat: warm them in a pan over low heat, and add a splash of broth or cream if the gravy has thickened too much. The microwave works when you are in a hurry.
Freezer: the cooked meatballs freeze well without the sauce for up to 3 months. The cream gravy does not freeze as well, so make it fresh. It takes about 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Swedish meatballs keto?
Not the usual way, because of the breadcrumbs in the meat and the flour in the gravy. This recipe uses almond flour in the meatballs and thickens the gravy with reduction and cream cheese, which brings a serving of about four meatballs with gravy to 2.9g net carbs.
What makes meatballs Swedish?
Three things: they are small, they are seasoned with warm spices such as allspice and nutmeg, and they are served in a creamy brown gravy instead of a tomato sauce.
Why did my cream gravy turn out thin?
It was not reduced enough. The broth and cream need to simmer until there is about half as much liquid in the pan. Only then does the cream cheese turn it into a gravy that coats a spoon. Regular beef broth takes longer to get there than bone broth.
Can I use regular beef broth?
Yes. The gravy will be a little lighter in flavor, and it needs a few more minutes of simmering to reduce by half.
More Low-Carb Beef Dinners
- Salisbury Steak — beef patties bound with almond flour in an onion and mushroom gravy, 6g net carbs.
- Keto Meatballs — the Italian cousin: beef and turkey meatballs simmered in marinara sauce.
- Keto Beef Stroganoff — sirloin and mushrooms in a cream sauce, ready in 35 minutes.
- Keto Pot Roast — chuck roast braised low and slow with turnips in place of potatoes.
- Keto Cheeseburger Casserole — ground beef and sharp cheddar baked in 30 minutes.
Recipe Card
The full ingredient list and the method in short are in the card below.
Keto Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
- Large skillet 12-inch
- Mixing Bowl
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
- 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp onion finely grated
- 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
For the Cream Gravy
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese cut into small chunks
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, to finish
Instructions
- Mix: In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, sea salt, black pepper, allspice and nutmeg. Whisk in 1/4 cup heavy cream, the egg and the grated onion. Add the ground beef and mix just until combined.
- Roll: Shape heaped tablespoons of the mixture into about 24 small meatballs.
- Brown: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in two batches, 7 to 8 minutes each, turning often, until browned all over and 160°F in the center. Move to a plate and cover.
- Reduce: Wipe out the skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the beef bone broth and 1/2 cup heavy cream, bring to a boil, then simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until reduced by half.
- Thicken: Turn the heat to low so the sauce is no longer simmering. Stir in the cream cheese until smooth. Thin with a splash of broth or cream if needed.
- Finish: Return the meatballs and their juices to the skillet and turn them in the gravy for a couple of minutes until hot. Top with the parsley.
Notes
Keep cooking
