Thursday, June 18, 2026

Swedish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce – Wholesome Yum


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These Swedish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Infuse all the creamy, comforting flavors of a classic recipe into a grain-free entree in just 15 minutes of hands-on time!similar to mine Ground Beef with Salad Dressing and Chicken Meatballs, this recipe combines ground beef and spices with a mouthwatering creamy sauce. My visit to IKEA was a little inspired.

This recipe is just one of 100 comforting dishes in my second cookbook: Easy Keto Carboholics Recipe! The book’s version includes instructions for this dish with spaghetti squash, but here you’ll just find the basic meatballs and then choose what to go with. In recipes, you’ll find ketogenic-friendly versions of all the high-carb foods you might miss in this lifestyle…including pasta, bread, desserts, and more.

Next to the Swedish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce is the Easy Keto Carboholics recipe.

Are Swedish Meatballs Keto?

Most Swedish meatballs are not ketchup, as they usually contain breadcrumbs or soaked bread along with a flour-thickened gravy. This keto Swedish meatballs recipe makes some simple swaps of those ingredients to create the same delicious texture without the added carbs.

Why You’ll Love This Tomato Swedish Meatballs Recipe

  • Meat, Salty & Classic
  • Rich Cream Sauce
  • Use simple ingredients
  • 15 minutes of hands-on prep time
  • 2.2 grams net carbs per serving
Plate of Swedish meatballs in tomato sauce with a saucepan in the background.

ingredients you need

This section explains how to choose the best toppings for tomato Swedish meatballs, what each ingredient does in the recipe, and substitution options. See recipe card below for measurements.

For the meatballs:

  • Shredded pork rind – A delicious low-carb and gluten-free alternative to breadcrumbs.Get the tasteless variety, or learn How to Make Pig Skin yourself.you can also use Almond powder instead.
  • spices – Sea salt, black pepper, allspice and nutmeg (optional). I didn’t add garlic powder (one of the few delicious recipes I don’t have it, ha!), but it was a great addition too.
  • heavy cream – Keep the meatballs moist!You can also use different Keto Milk Alternativesbut the taste may be different and the meatballs may be drier.
  • Egg – Use a whole large egg.A sort of flax eggs can be substituted.
  • onion – Optional, but adds a traditional flavor. Grate it so that it blends seamlessly with the ground meat.
  • Ground beef – I prefer mine to be grass fed, but can use any ground beef you like. You can also use ground pork, ground turkey, or a combination of any of these.
  • olive oil – Brown the meatballs. You can also use avocado oil or any other neutral oil.

For the ketchup Swedish meatball sauce:

  • butter – I use grass-fed butter, but any unsalted variety will do.
  • beef bone soup – Add beef flavor to the sauce.Store-bought bone broth is good, but I do have a shortcut Homemade Bone Broth This is better. Regular beef broth can be used, but it may take longer to reduce and the flavor will be reduced.
  • heavy cream – Makes the sauce creamy. Full-fat coconut milk can be substituted. I don’t recommend choosing a thinner milk like almond milk unless you add extra cream cheese or thicken it with something else like sour cream.
  • cream cheese – Naturally thickens the sauce without the roux while making it creamier.This is one of my favorites cornstarch substitute Creamy sauces like this one.
Recipe ingredients for Keto Swedish Meatballs in a bowl.

How to Make Swedish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

This section describes how to make low-carb Swedish meatballs, with step-by-step photos and details on the technique. See the recipe card below for full instructions.

  1. Make the meatball base. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the meatballs, then add the heavy cream, eggs, and onions (if using).
  2. Add beef. Gently stir in the ground beef.
Tip: Don't overuse the meatball mixture!

Tip: Don’t overuse the meatball mixture!

If you process too much, the meatballs will be tough. Mix ingredients until just combined.

Swedish meatball ingredients (except beef) in a bowl.
Meatball mixture in glass bowl.
  1. form. Form meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
  2. chef. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs until browned and fully cooked. Set the cooked meatballs aside and work in batches until all meatballs are browned.
Form meatballs on a baking sheet.
Meatballs cooked in a saucepan.
  1. Make the sauce. Wipe the pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Add beef broth and heavy cream and simmer until reduced in volume by half.
  2. Make it creamy. Reduce heat and stir in cream cheese until melted.
Swedish Meatball Sauce with Cream and Broth in a Pan.
picture
Tip: Thin out the sauce if needed.

Tip: Thin out the sauce if needed.

If the sauce is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with more cream, broth, or both to get the consistency you like.

  1. Finish. Return the meatballs to the pan and coat with the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Finish the tomato sauce Swedish meatballs in a pan.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover tomato Swedish meatballs in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also make the raw meatballs 2 days in advance and prepare the rest of the recipe as directed.

Can Swedish meatballs be frozen?

Swedish meatballs can be safely stored in the refrigerator without sauce. Avoid frozen sauces, as the dairy in them can crack and create an unpleasant texture after thawing.

Reheat Instructions:

If possible, reheat leftovers with the sauce on the oven or stovetop for gentle heating, but the microwave is fine too. For frozen meatballs, thaw overnight, keep the sauce fresh on the stove, then add the meatballs to the sauce to reheat.

Recipe for Low Carb Swedish Meatballs with Easy Keto Carboholics.

What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

For the most authentic demonstration, pair these meatballs with Cauliflower puree instead of mashed potatoes and Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce…or try these other side dish ideas!

More Keto Meatballs Recipes

Love meatballs? There are so many ways to enjoy them and stay keto!

Readers’ Favorite Recipes

The recipe card is below! Readers who made this also checked out these recipes:

Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics Recipe

This reader-favorite recipe is contained in Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics Recipe! In this beautiful crusty keto recipe book, you’ll find 100 delicious, easy keto recipes to replace all your favorite carbs: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, and more… every One with 10 ingredients or less! Plus, photos, macros, and tips for each recipe.

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raw material

Click on the underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn off Safari reader mode to view ingredients.

instruct

Tap the time in the instructions below to start the kitchen timer while cooking.

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together pork rind, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg, if using.

  2. Add 1/4 cup (59 ml) heavy cream, eggs and grated onion (if using).

  3. Mix ground beef until combined. Do not overmix or the meatballs may become tough.

  4. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls.put in a bakeware.

  5. Heat olive oil in a pan cauldron Medium to high temperature.Working in batches, avoiding crowds, fried meatballs 3 to 4 minutes each side, until browned and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and cover to keep warm.

  6. Wipe the wok with a paper towel. Add butter and melt over medium heat.

  7. Add beef bone broth and 1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream.Raise the heat to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer 10 to 12 minutesuntil the volume is reduced by half.

  8. Turn the heat down so the sauce is no longer boiling. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with more cream and/or broth as needed.

  9. Return the meatballs to the pan and coat with the sauce.

nutrient content

Amount per serving. Serving Sizes in Recipe Instructions Above.

Calories 516

fat 44.5 grams

protein 26.8 grams

total carbohydrates 2.5 grams

net carbs 2.2 grams

fiber 0.3g

sugar 1.9G

Nutrition Facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about the calculation or why you get different results?see our nutrition policy.

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please do not screenshot or copy/paste recipes to social media or websites. We want you to share the link with the photo. 🙂

Keto Swedish Meatballs recipe pin.





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