Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe

You will love these Keto Swedish Meatballs, even if you aren’t counting carbs. They are tender, flavorful, and covered in a rich and savory cream sauce. My family can’t even tell they are eating keto meatballs!

I like serving them with cauliflower mash because it’s perfect for soaking  up all that scrumptious sauce. But they are also great over zoodles. And of course you can serve them over mashed potatoes if carbs aren’t an issue.

WHY WE LOVE THIS LOW CARB SWEDISH MEATBALLS RECIPE

• Pan browning them gives them a nice and crisp exterior, but thanks to a little bit of cream, they are tender and juicy on the inside.
• They call for simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.
• The creamy sauce is so good you’ll be tempted to lick your plate.
• Even though they only have 3 carbs, they taste absolutely decadent. 
• Not only are they low carb, they happen to be gluten free swedish meatballs, so they are perfect for people who can’t have flour.
• They are made in one pan and ready in about 30 minutes.
• You can make them ahead, so they are perfect for meal prep, and they freeze really well.

Are meatballs keto friendly?

Traditional meatballs call for breadcrumbs, crackers, or oats, so they have a higher carb count and won’t work with a keto diet. Add a sauce thickened with flour, and you end up with even more carbs.

These low carb meatballs rely on a bit of almond flour, which significantly lowers the carb count. And the sauce is thickened with cream instead of flour and milk. So they come in at under 3 carbs per serving. The perfect keto ground beef recipe!

HOW TO MAKE KETO MEATBALLS

1.  Combine ground beef, minced onion, cream, almond flour, the egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and worcestershire sauce in a large bowl.  Mix all ingredients together till thoroughly combined. I just use my hands, but you can use a large spoon or even a stand mixer.
   
2. Roll mixture into 20 meatballs. I recommend scooping them so that they are the same size.
   
3. Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add olive oil and cook the meatballs until browned on the outside and no longer pink. It takes about 6-8 minutes. Remove meatballs from the pan.
   
4. FOR SAUCE: Turn heat down to medium low, and add the water, beef bouillon cube, cream, worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Cook and whisk till bouillon cube dissolves and sauce thickens slightly.
5. Return meatballs to the skillet. Cook and stir until heated through.
6. Serve alone, or over cauliflower mash or zoodles.

PRO TIPS:

• Just combine the meat mixture together until it is just mixed. If you overmix it, you can end up with tough meatballs.
• Make sure to roll the meatballs together firmly enough so that they don’t fall apart while cooking, but don’t pack them too tightly or they won’t be as tender.
• You will get the best browning on the meatballs if you use a cast iron skillet. 
• Make sure that as you whisk the sauce, you get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan; they add a lot of flavor!
• If you want a thicker sauce, you can add a bit of xanthum gum to the cream mixture. Don’t use more than 1/8 teaspoon, and make sure you whisk it in very quickly so it doesn’t clump together.

Can I bake the meatballs instead of using a skillet?

Yes, you can bake the meatballs instead of sauteing them. Bake them at 400° for about 12-14 minutes.

Just be aware that they will not get the same crispy “seared” exterior. And you won’t get the flavor from the browned bits in the skillet. But it is easier and a little less messy, so it might be worth the trade off to you. 

MORE TASTY KETO DINNER RECIPES:

• Keto Cheeseburger Soup
• Cheeseburger Salad
• Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken
• Keto Chicken Salad
• Pesto Chicken Mozzarella

KETO SWEDISH MEATBALLS RECIPE

These keto meat balls make a perfect keto dinner any night of the week. Of course you can also serve them as a tasty appetizer. Everyone loves them!