This is exactly the kind of dish that earns a permanent spot in a meal-prep rotation. Keto Swedish meatballs freeze beautifully with their sauce, so a weekend batch turns into several easy dinners later in the week.
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I serve mine with egg noodles for the non-keto side of my family, and eat mine plain with my favorite vegetables. Either way, the same pot of meatballs and sauce works for everyone.
These are more fragile than traditional bread-bound meatballs, so handle them gently while browning and turning.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Swedish Meatballs
I usually recommend baking meatballs in the oven, they hold shape better and need less babysitting. This one is the exception, since browning in a skillet builds up fond, those browned bits stuck to the pan, which becomes the base of the sauce once deglazed with beef broth.
Blend the almond flour with a portion of the heavy cream into a thick paste before mixing it into the meat. That paste keeps the meatballs tender and moist in a way dry almond flour alone would not. Grate the onion rather than chopping it, so you get the flavor without biting into actual pieces.
Handle these gently while forming and browning, they are more fragile than traditional bread-bound meatballs. A blend of pork and beef gives the best flavor, though straight beef or ground turkey and chicken work too, chicken runs moister, so use one egg instead of two if you go that route.
Traditional Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jam, which is not a keto ingredient, so treat that as an occasional splurge.
What You’ll Love About Swedish Meatballs
- Rich and creamy enough to double as a party appetizer too.
- Freezes beautifully with the sauce, ideal for a weekend meal-prep session.
- Works for a mixed household, egg noodles for some, plain for others.
Ingredients
- Ground beef and ground pork – A blend gives the best flavor. Straight beef, or ground turkey or chicken, work too. Use one egg instead of two if using chicken.
- Onion – Grated, not chopped, for flavor without big pieces.
- Garlic powder – Fresh minced garlic works too, in a smaller amount.
- Allspice and nutmeg – Fresh grated nutmeg is worth it if you have it.
- Almond flour – Blended with a portion of the cream into a paste before mixing into the meat.
- Heavy whipping cream – Full fat, divided between the meatball mixture and the sauce.
- Beef broth – Low sodium.
- Xanthan gum – Optional, for a thicker sauce.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Blend the ground meats with the allspice, nutmeg, garlic powder, grated onion, salt, and pepper.
Mix a portion of the heavy cream with the almond flour until it forms a thick paste. Whisk the eggs, then combine the eggs and almond flour paste with the meat mixture, blending well.
Form the mixture into meatballs, about the size of ping-pong balls, handling gently.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. Set aside.
Add the beef broth to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor.
Add the remaining heavy cream, then return the meatballs and any juices to the sauce. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to heat through.
Remove from the heat and thicken with xanthan gum if desired, then serve.
Make It A Meal
Keep the sides simple, Garlicky Swiss Chard works well without competing with the sauce. For a change of pace, Greek Meatballs or Keto Sloppy Joes are worth adding to your meatball rotation too.
Storage
These freeze beautifully with their sauce. Chill fully, then package in freezer-friendly containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat at half power in the microwave, or in a covered, foil-wrapped dish in the oven.
Frequently ASked Questions
This recipe runs about 4 net carbs per serving of 4 meatballs and 1/4 cup sauce. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Yes, straight ground beef, or ground turkey or chicken, all work. Chicken runs moister than beef or pork, so use one egg instead of two if you go that route.
Yes, mushrooms stirred in at the end are a nice addition if you want them.
No, traditional lingonberry jam is a sugar-based product and isn’t part of the keto recipe. Treat it as an occasional, non-keto splurge if you want the classic pairing.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 eggs lightly whisked
- 2 tablespoons onion grated
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream divided
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt season to your preference
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Blend the ground meats with the allspice, nutmeg, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
- Mix 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream with 1/4 cup almond flour until it is thick and creamy.
- Whisk the eggs lightly until well-blended.
- Combine the eggs and almond/cream mixture with the meat and blend well.
- Form meatballs into ping-pong ball size, or whatever size you like. I made 24 meatballs from the meat.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, working in batches, until they are brown on all sides. Set browned meatballs aside.
- To make the sauce, add the beef broth to the skillet scraping up any browned bits. Simmer the broth for about five minutes to reduce it and concentrate the flavors.
- Add the remaining heavy whipping cream, and put the meatballs – and any juices from the plate – into the sauce. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to heat the meatballs through.
- Remove from the heat, thicken if desired with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum or a slurry made with 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water (bring back to a boil if you’re thickening with cornstarch).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Blend the almond flour and cream into a paste before mixing it into the meat. It keeps the meatballs noticeably more tender.
- Grate the onion instead of chopping it, for flavor without biting into actual pieces.
- Handle the meatballs gently while forming and browning. They’re more delicate than traditional bread-bound meatballs.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
I love these meatballs, and made without any all-purpose flour. Thanks for this gluten-free version of Swedish meatballs.
My family loved it! So good and delicious!
No need to go to Ikea just to get the meatballs anymore!! These are so delicious and are way better than theirs!
Homemade is always better. These meatballs tasted much better than the Swedish meatballs they sell at IKEA. Thanks for the recipe!