Easy One-Pot Swedish Meatballs is a delicious recipe your entire family will love! This quick weeknight dinner can be made ahead in the Crock Pot for the healthy comfort food your family craves!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Creamy gravy sauce and delicious meatballs!
- Healthy comfort food is a kid-friendly recipe!
- Simple ingredients.
- Easy and quick to throw together.
- No need to sear the meatballs!
- Dairy-free and can easily be made gluten-free or keto.
- No breadcrumbs - just like these slow cooker turkey meatballs!
- The whole family will enjoy this hearty meal, even picky eaters!
- A fun spin on the classic recipe.
- One-pot Swedish meatballs are perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
Meatball Ingredients
Ground beef provides the structure and meat base of homemade meatballs. Lean meat like ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken may be used.
You could also use a combination of meats to make meatballs.
For convenience, you can use frozen meatballs served with the sauce.
Sauce Ingredients
Beef broth is a main ingredient in the sauce providing flavor and richness. Use chicken broth as a substitution.
Full-fat coconut milk replaces milk to make the creamy sauce.
All-purpose flour will thicken the sauce. Consider adding dairy-free butter to create a roux and to make the sauce more rich.
Coconut aminos or soy sauce are not traditionally found in Swedish meatballs. However, adding it provides umami flavor, saltiness, and flavor depth.
Salt and pepper provide additional seasoning and flavor enhancement.
Dried rosemary provides additional herb flavor. Consider using more traditional seasonings such as parsley or dill.
Ingredient Substitutions
This recipe is dairy-free, however, you can use dairy products like low-fat milk to make the traditional recipe.
Butter will help to create a roux and thicken the sauce.
Sour cream, heavy cream, or Greek yogurt will add creaminess and thickness to the sauce.
A dash of Worcestershire sauce can add even more flavor and depth to the dish.
Consider adding Dijon mustard or white onion to the meatballs for additional depth of flavor.
Taste & Texture
Swedish meatballs have a unique flavor that is comforting and tasty. The beef meatballs have the classic meatball texture of traditional meatballs, tender and moist.
The cream sauce has a smooth and creamy texture and tastes rich and creamy.
How to Make One-Pot Swedish Meatballs
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
Step 1
Plug in your Crock Pot or slow cooker and spray the sides and the bottom of the pot with coconut oil spray.
Step 2
Add meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Using your hands, gently incorporate the meat without over-mixing.
Step 3
Use a small ice-cream scoop to create approximately 20 golf ball-sized meatballs. Place the meatballs in the Crock Pot dish.
Step 4
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
Step 5
Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until meatballs are cooked through.
Serve, Store, and Reheating Swedish Meatballs
What to Serve with One-Pot Swedish Meatballs?
Authentic Swedish meatballs are traditionally served warm with creamy mashed potatoes and gravy. Add a simple vegetable side dish like garlic green beans will provide a balanced meal.
Traditional Swedish meatballs also serve lingonberry jam as a side.
Our family loves to eat Swedish meatballs over egg noodles with gravy.
How Do I Store Swedish Meatballs?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze Swedish meatballs. Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How Do I Reheat Swedish Meatballs?
Reheat leftovers in a pan on the stove over medium heat. You can also reheat them in the microwave on high for 60-second increments.
Expert Tips
Use an ice cream scoop to evenly-sized little meatballs.
Avoid crowding the bottom of the pan when adding the meatballs to the Crock Pot. This will help them to cook evenly.
Consider browning the outside of the meatballs in a skillet before slow cooking. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and sear for a few seconds per side before adding to the Crock Pot.
Recipe FAQs
Use ¾ tablespoon coconut flour in place of all-purpose flour in the sauce. Serve with zucchini noodles.
Rather than traditional Italian meatballs that are cooked in a red tomato sauce, Swedish meatballs are cooked in a gravy-like sauce.
Full-fat coconut milk replaces dairy to make meatballs for this one-pot Swedish meatball recipe.
Adding arrowroot or a cornstarch slurry will help to thicken the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot to ½ cup of water and stir.
Add it to the sauce and allow it to thicken as it heats up.
You can also use dairy-free sour cream to help thicken up the sauce. Add in ¼ cup or more at the end of cooking.
Other One-Pot Dinner Recipes You Will Love!
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One-Pot Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
- ice cream scoop
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spray the bottom and sides of the crock pot with coconut oil spray.
- Combine ground beef, almond flour, salt, and garlic in a large bowl. Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop out about 20 meatballs.1 lb ground beef, ½ cup almond flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon garlic
- Place meatballs into the crock pot. Avoid crowding the pot and leave a little space between each meatball.
- Combine the sauce ingredients into a glass measuring cup and whisk until well incorporated. Pour over the meatballs. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until meatballs are cooked through.1 cup beef bone broth, 1 cup full fat coconut milk, 3 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Once meatballs are cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste.salt and pepper
Notes
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Jessica A Bee says
I made this recipe once and it was soooo good. Husband (who's very picky) also loved it! I was wondering if I could swap out frozen cooked meatballs? Could I use the crockpot just for the sauce and throw the meatballs in, in the last half hour- to hour?
Lyndsey Piccolino says
I haven't tried frozen meatballs yet! Sorry! Let me know if you try them though and how it works out.
Christine says
This is my new go to favorite recipe. My whole family loves it - and my daughter even asked for this to be her lunch at school. I use a cookie scooper to make the meatballs and the whole thing takes me about 10 minutes. I also used ground turkey and chicken broth. TJ's coconut milk is the best! Thank you!
Lyndsey says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe, Christine! Thank you so much for your review!!