With a creamy dairy-free Swedish meatballs sauce, these paleo Swedish meatballs are incredibly cozy and delightful.
They’re delicious with mashed potatoes and lingonberry or raspberry jam on the side! They’re also Whole30-friendly, gluten-free, and low-carb.
Why do we like these meatballs so much?
- They’re based on a traditional Swedish meatballs recipe, but with the addition of a creamy Swedish meatballs sauce (details below!).
- This recipe is delicious and filling, and it’s comforting and oh so gratifying. It’s also good for you.
- For that delectable lingonberry jam, these paleo Swedish meatballs have a Whole30-friendly twist!
Did you realize that the sauce used in this recipe isn’t truly Swedish?
Food: Swedish Meatballs (Source: Shugary Sweets)Yes, it is correct! The creamy Swedish meatballs sauce that we all love is not normally served with Swedish meatballs.
Even the Swedes seem to enjoy it, and when can I say no to a creamy gravy? So go ahead and live your best life while making the sauce. No one will pass judgment on you, and if they do, I’ll hunt them down.
What about that lingonberry preserves?
The proper condiment to offer with these paleo Swedish meatballs and sauce is lingonberry jam.
If you’re on a Whole30, however, that’s not an option! When doing a Whole30, you can’t have any added sugars, which means you can’t consume just about any lingonberry jam.
St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Conserves, I’ve discovered, have the same flavor and balance as lingonberry jam on traditional Swedish meatballs, but without the extra sugars.
Of course, raspberry jam isn’t really authentic, but it gets the job done! Remember that sweet food like fruit spread (such as stirring it into unsweetened coconut yogurt) isn’t Whole30 compliant, but they’re fine in savory dishes.
It’s even better than IKEA!
It’s difficult for me to say, but I prefer these paleo Swedish meatballs over the ones from IKEA.
And, while I’m waiting down the days until my preschooler is large enough to hang out in Samland while my husband and I eat meatballs, I actually like these gluten- and dairy-free paleo Swedish meatballs.
The ingredients in IKEA’s Köttbullar “Swedish meatballs” aren’t horrible, but if you’re gluten-free or lactose-intolerant, these paleo Swedish meatballs are the way to go! And this Swedish meatballs sauce is guilt-free: it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30-compliant, low-carb, and keto-friendly, but it’s not vegan!
And, hey, you could make the whole sauce vegan by using vegan “not-beef” broth and coconut oil in the sauce!
Is Dijon mustard a Whole30 approved condiment?
White wine and/or sugar are both ingredients that aren’t Whole30 compliant in most Dijon mustards. Annie’s Dijon mustard, on the other hand, contains neither of these ingredients and is Whole30 compliant.
It’s something I can get at my local grocery shop, so it’s a must-have for any Whole30! You can just leave this ingredient out if you can’t find it or don’t have it on hand.
Various variations to try
- If you like, you can use all ground pig or all ground beef. These paleo Swedish meatballs are best made with a combination of the two, but they’ll work with just one or the other. You can even substitute ground chicken for both!
- Instead of arrowroot, try cassava flour. Cassava flour is my favorite paleo flour, but it’s difficult to come by, so I use arrowroot starch instead. Cassava flour, on the other hand, will produce the most traditional-tasting outcomes!
- Serve these paleo Swedish meatballs with a side of cranberry sauce throughout the winter months to make the most of that beautiful side dish. Like lingonberries, they’re sweet and tangy!
Paleo Swedish meatballs in a creamy Swedish meatballs sauce in a cast-iron skillet in the background.
Tips
- In this recipe, I prefer to use pure coconut cream. This only refers to the solid white portion of full-fat coconut milk or cream can. I buy unsweetened coconut cream in cans and keep them cool in the refrigerator; this allows the incredibly rich “cream” to solidify, making it easy to use in place of heavy cream or half-and-half. Chill your coconut milk for a few hours if it sounds liquid when you shake it.
- If you’re making pure coconut cream from full-fat coconut milk rather than a can of “coconut cream,” you could need two cans.
- Make sure the meatball ingredients are well combined but not overmixed. Mix with your hands until everything is combined, then move on to the next stage!
- To deepen the sauce somewhat, add a dash of coconut aminos. This is completely optional, and I wouldn’t go out and purchase a container of coconut aminos just for it! It does, however, offer a great depth of color and taste to the dish.
How to prepare Swedish Meatballs?
- First, get all of your meatball ingredients ready. Make sure your onion is extremely finely diced and your garlic is very finely minced. In a large mixing basin, combine all of the ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand.
- Then, using the meatball mixture, make equal-sized meatballs. I accomplish the work with a small scooper, scooping all of the ingredients into rough spheres onto a baking sheet first, then rolling each ball between my palms to smooth. This is the most efficient workflow I’ve discovered! You can skip this step if you don’t have a scooper; simply create equal-sized balls and smooth them between your palms. Repeat the process until the entire mixture has been rolled.
- In a big skillet, heat a layer of oil over medium to medium-high heat. I like to use unrefined coconut oil because it has a high smoke point. I also use a cast-iron skillet since the sides won’t burn as a stainless steel skillet would, and I adore the crust that a cast-iron skillet develops on the paleo Swedish meatballs’ surfaces.
- Working in batches, fry the meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through. Please don’t overcrowd!
What is the best way to prepare a creamy sauce?
Pour off the oil after removing all of the cooked meatballs from the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove and add the ghee or coconut oil for the sauce over medium-low heat.
Sprinkle the arrowroot over the top and stir thoroughly, then gently pour in the beef broth, whisking constantly. The mixture will thicken and seize up when you add the rest of the broth, but it will thin out as you do so.
Increase the heat to medium and stir constantly until the broth has thickened, about 2 minutes.
Dijon mustard, coconut cream, a touch of coconut aminos, salt, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper are added to the mix. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency.
Serve meatballs with lots of Swedish meatballs sauce and a spoonful of lingonberry jam or St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Conserves on the side!
Swedish Meatballs
| 15-minute prep time Cooking time: 20 minutes 35 minutes in total |
Swedish meatballs with a creamy, dairy-free sauce. Perfect with lingonberry or raspberry jam over mashed potatoes. Whole30.
Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 large cloves of garlic minced fine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- Pinch allspice
- 1/2 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- Refined coconut oil for frying
Swedish Meatballs Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ghee or refined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup coconut cream just the solid white part of a can of coconut milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard see note if on Whole30
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more
- Freshly cracked pepper lots!
- Dash coconut aminos optional, for color
- Lingonberry jam to serve
- St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Conserves if on Whole30,
Instructions For Swedish Meatballs
To make paleo Swedish meatballs, follow these steps:
Food: Swedish Meatballs (Source: Shugary Sweets)- Combine all of the ingredients for Swedish meatballs, except the coconut oil, in a large mixing basin. Mix thoroughly with your hands to incorporate, then roll into meatballs of equal size. To make this process easier, use a tiny disher. Rep until all of the meatball mixtures has been rolled and placed on a baking pan.
- In a large skillet, melt a thin layer of coconut oil over medium heat. Fry meatballs in batches, taking care not to overcrowd them and allowing one side to brown before turning. Fry until all sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through but not overdone. Continue until all of the meatballs are cooked. After that, drain off the coconut oil.
To make the sauce for Swedish meatballs, follow these steps:
- Place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Heat the ghee or coconut oil in the skillet, then toss in the arrowroot. Whisk vigorously until everything is well incorporated, then pour in the beef broth gently.
- Whisk vigorously; the mixture will gel at first, but when the remaining broth is whisked in, it will thin out.
Increase the heat to medium and whisk until the broth is smooth and integrated. Add the coconut cream, Dijon mustard, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and, if preferred, a splash of coconut aminos for color. Cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency. Return the meatballs to the skillet and toss them in the sauce. Serve with plenty of gravy and lingonberry or raspberry jam (see note) over mashed potatoes.
Notes
If you’re doing a Whole30, keep the following in mind:
- Make sure to select a Dijon mustard that doesn’t contain any sugar or white wine. Annie’s provides an excellent, easy-to-find compliant Dijon.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 660kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 1188mg, Potassium: 625mg, Fiber: 1g, Vitamin A: 150IU, Vitamin C: 4.5mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 3.6mg, Net Carbs: 8g