Keto Swedish Meatballs {Grain-Free & Low Carb}

by Amanda C. Hughes

Not a single family party goes by without a crock of keto Swedish meatballs in my family. But it’s not always one person who makes them. You have my cousin G who took the generational torch in making Swedish meatballs at gatherings, but this last Christmas my cousin A made them (she also warned everyone against eating them.)

Meanwhile, I’ve been hanging on to this ketogenic-friendly Swedish meatball recipe, which I just loooooove. Well, everything except for waiting 20 minutes for the sauce to reduce, which incidentally takes even longer if you’re too lazy to wash a normal skillet and use a small one instead (if you follow me on Instagram, you saw my instastory and know I’m guilty.)

These keto Swedish meatballs are perfect over zoodles, and the sauce alone can be used over just about everything!

This recipe is one of my favorites, and I know you and your whole family will love it!  And by the way, this recipe comes from my cookbook, The Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook.

Keto Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Servings: 4 servings (6 meatballs each)

Prep Time: 15 minutes| Cooking Time: 2 hours 40 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes

Nutritional Facts: 3g Net Carbs| 773 Calories | 50g Fat | 3g Carbs | 74g Protein | 0g Fiber

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground meatloaf blend
  • 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup diced onions
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 4 tbsp salted butter
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups heavy (whipping) cream
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and preheat a slow cooker to low.
  2. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, cheddar cheese, egg, onion, water, nutmeg, and allspice.
  4. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs and arrange them on the lined baking pan (may require two depending on how large your pan is — makes about 24 meatballs)
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 140 degrees F.
  6. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the butter, chicken broth, and heavy cream over medium heat.
  7. Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and let continue simmering for about 20 minutes until it reduces in half (stir frequently, especially toward the end).
  8. Stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
  9. Pour the sauce into a slow cooker and add the meatballs when they’re ready.
  10. Cook on low for about 2 hours so the meatballs can marinate.
  11. Stir every half hour or so, covering all the meatballs, and don’t cook in the slow cooker longer than two hours, or the sauce may start to separate.
  12. That last instruction is key. If you don’t mix and cook too long, the cream in the sauce will begin to separate (yep, I cooked it for 4 hours once and it still tasted fine but was much less pleasant to look at after 4 hours! Live and learn!)
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Keto Swedish Meatballs {Grain-Free & Low Carb}

These keto Swedish meatballs are perfect over zoodles, and the sauce alone can be used over just about everything!

  • Author: Amanda C. Hughes
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings (6 meatballs each) 1x
  • Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs ground meatloaf blend
  • 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup diced onions
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 4 tbsp salted butter
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups heavy (whipping) cream
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and preheat a slow cooker to low.
  2. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, cheddar cheese, egg, onion, water, nutmeg, and allspice.
  4. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs and arrange them on the lined baking pan (may require two depending on how large your pan is — makes about 24 meatballs)
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 140 degrees F.
  6. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the butter, chicken broth, and heavy cream over medium heat.
  7. Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and let continue simmering for about 20 minutes until it reduces in half (stir frequently, especially toward the end).
  8. Stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
  9. Pour the sauce into a slow cooker and add the meatballs when they’re ready.
  10. Cook on low for about 2 hours so the meatballs can marinate.
  11. Stir every half hour or so, covering all the meatballs, and don’t cook in the slow cooker longer than two hours, or the sauce may start to separate.
  12. That last instruction is key. If you don’t mix and cook too long, the cream in the sauce will begin to separate (yep, I cooked it for 4 hours once and it still tasted fine but was much less pleasant to look at after 4 hours! Live and learn!)

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 servings (6 meatballs each)
  • Calories: 773
  • Fat: 50g
  • Carbohydrates: 3g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 74g

For another great meatball recipe that is perfect for parties, try my Low Carb Party Meatball Ricotta Bites.

MORE KETO RECIPES

27 comments

nebraska1 January 17, 2017 - 8:26 am

Are the macros per serving or for the whole dish..??? Seems very high to me.

wickedstuffed January 18, 2017 - 12:21 pm

nebraska1 They are per serving, 3 net carbs for 6 meatballs (they’re pretty big). Carbs come from the onions, dijon mustard and worcestershire. I just re-checked and it’s accurate. If you have poor cheddar cheese it could be higher so I’d seek one that is low or has none. To reduce the count, I would reduce the onions and worcestershire before reducing the dijon but I think 3 is pretty good, it’s very filling!

Mike April 14, 2017 - 7:11 pm

Nutrition appears off a bit. 773 would be the calories for 6 servings not 4. At 4 servings, its well over 1,000 calories!

1.5 cup of heavy cream is the culprit. Cut that down to 1/4 cup, double the broth, add a tablespoon of cornstarch in a tablespoon of cold water (adds 1g carb to each serving). Same taste, 25% less calories. 586 to be exact…and 6 servings

And the cheese is very optional…without it meatballs will be a bit more dense but brings the recipe down to 512 calories and more traditional flavor 🙂

Thanks for sharing!

WickedStuffed April 15, 2017 - 11:31 am

Hi Mike,

On keto our goal is to be high fat, low carb which means high calories are fine but corn starch is not. So I would stick with the recipe as is, for my keto pals reading 🙂

Mike April 18, 2017 - 6:12 pm

3 grams of carb is low and 4 is high??

High calorie isn’t good for anyone…even keto. I love keto but it doesn’t mean you get to eat as much as you want. Sorry, didn’t mean to start a debate. Your recipe is great as written!

Elyse June 16, 2017 - 2:49 pm

It’s just the corn starch that is not keto 🙂

Nik May 24, 2017 - 9:51 pm

Hi I bought your cookbook and I love the recipes but I don’t see serving sizes on anything…I’m assuming I don’t eat the entire thing myself 😉

WickedStuffed June 29, 2017 - 2:02 pm

Hi Nik, all the serving sizes are at the top below the recipe titles. 🙂

Pati June 29, 2017 - 12:07 pm

Can you on not to pan cook the mearballs? My oven is broken.

WickedStuffed June 29, 2017 - 2:02 pm

Sure, you can cook them however you prefer! 🙂

Cheryl July 21, 2017 - 7:11 pm

HI. Love your recipes and just ordered you cookbook.can’t wait til it gets here.

I’m loving cooking in my cast iron skillet. How long / what temp would I cook the dish in my ci skillet? I have a gas stove if that matters.

Guess you can tell cooking has never been my thing but I hope to change that!

Tammy Lally August 1, 2017 - 2:52 pm

Have you tried freezing these? I’m thinking about making a big batch (minus the sauce) and freezing them to use later for this recipe and others like meatballs and spaghetti squash/zoodles. Thanks!

Susan Warren September 30, 2017 - 3:20 pm

Just made these. Best Swedish meatballs I have ever tasted. Absolutely Ketolishis. Thank you

molly November 4, 2017 - 11:08 am

love your blog, funny and so true about using the smaller pan, lol.
I’m new to Keto, but my son turned me on to it…i’ve been feeling like i’m missing toast with my keto omelet this morning, but found your blog and am reencouraged (if that’s a word)…I made swedish meatballs yesterday, put them in a crock that wasn’t going to be served for more than 2 hrs, but just added the cream at the end so it didn’t curdle and it was fine. Just a tip in case anyone needs to keep them on low and eat much later, thanks

Audrey Boyd December 20, 2017 - 5:06 pm

How long would i cook them in the oven if i dont want to use the crockpot?

Christina Upchurch October 24, 2018 - 1:39 pm

These are my go to keto swedish meatballs. I literally make them once a week in my meal prep. They are insanely delicious. I use meatloaf mix and prepare them with a zucchini and squash sautee on the side that has tomato,corn, and onion as well. Make them!!

Jenny November 12, 2018 - 1:40 pm

What is meatloaf blend? Ty!!!

Amanda C. Hughes November 13, 2018 - 1:42 pm

Sometimes grocery stores and butchers will grind up a mix of different ground meats and call it “meatloaf” blend but you can use ground beef, or a mix of ground meats if they don’t have it.

Beth January 4, 2019 - 1:41 pm

I’ve made this twice and my family loves it!! Thank for a great keto friendly recipe.

Susan August 2, 2019 - 4:04 pm

To cut our simmer time (i hate it too) use a good quality chicken base and half the water. Little simmer and soon you are done.

Amanda August 11, 2019 - 5:59 pm

Is the broth/whipping cream/butter supposed to thicken while simmering?? Mine never did. It’s in the crock pot now. I’m nervous people LOL

Amanda Hughes August 12, 2019 - 10:36 am

Yes it takes the full 20 minutes, a simmer/lightboil should be all it needs for the moisture to escape and the sauce to thicken. It won’t thicken in the slow cooker because the moisture is trapped, but may absorb and still taste the same, curious how it turned out.

Josh January 11, 2020 - 9:56 am

I am very interested in this recipe, but what do you mean by meatloaf blend? Do you just mean ground meat?

Josh January 11, 2020 - 9:57 am

Nvm, saw previous comment

Jacqueline L Mosqueda May 2, 2020 - 10:03 am

The recipe is good, flavor-wise and carbohydrate low, but the cleanup is too much! Even with parchment paper etc. I just use one pan, cast iron or you could use a dutch oven. Sautee the meatballs and drain into an old coffee can, put meatballs on a plate temporarily. Make the sauce in the same pan and when it’s ready, return the meatballs to it. Simple, without cleaning the oven pan, the stove pan, and the crockpot.

Michele October 28, 2020 - 3:43 pm

Love this recipe. How can I make the ‘gravy’ thicker?

Amanda October 28, 2020 - 6:55 pm

Reducing it over a simmer is key but If you don’t mind xanthan gum or arrowroot flour, you can use that like you would cornstarch to thicken it, I’d start with a teaspoon mixed with a few tablespoons of the sauce, then add it in.

Comments are closed.