Low Calorie Swedish Meatballs Recipe | LaaLoosh (2024)

By Wendy

Low Calorie Swedish Meatballs Recipe | LaaLoosh (1)

Growing up, Swedish meatballs were a staple in my house. So every time I eat them, I think of classic, home cooking. I adore Swedish meatballs…really, what’s not to love about moist and juicy meatballs smothered in a creamy, beefy sauce and usually served over yummy egg noodles?

Well, traditional Swedish meatballs sure are tasty, but they are definitely not so diet friendly. My healthier version uses all beef instead of a beef/pork combo, and I used whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of slices of bread soaked in milk.

And finally, for the creamy beef sauce, I used fat free cream cheese instead. I got the idea from a Swedish meatball casserole recipe I saw and thought it was a great substitute for the heavy cream.

I also added mushrooms to the dish to help bulk it up, and because I think the mushrooms work really well in this sauce.

The flavor of the dish was amazing and was adored by the whole family. I served mine over whole wheat fettuccine noodles because I didn’t have any egg noodles, but it didn’t really matter…the Swedish meatballs are the star of the dish.

Serve them over noodles or just eat them straight up. Any way you choose to devour them, they are divine. Enjoy!

Low Calorie Swedish Meatballs Recipe | LaaLoosh (2)

LOW CALORIE SWEDISH MEATBALLS RECIPE

Swedish Meatballs are a classic comfort food recipe that is seriously slimmed down in my version. And they have a deliciously creamy beef sauce that truly makes this dish.

3 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 359 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 oz extra lean ground beef - (90/10)
  • 8 oz ground turkey breast
  • 1 large onion - (finely chopped)
  • 2 large celery stalks - (finely chopped)
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • cup parsley - (finely chopped)
  • 8 oz sliced mushrooms
  • 3 cups fat free beef stock
  • 3 oz fat free cream cheese
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • tsp ground ginger
  • tsp ground cardamom
  • 3 garlic cloves

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-fat cooking spray, and place in oven while preheating.

  • In a food processor, mince onion, parsley, garlic and celery.

  • Place it in a large bowl, and add in beef, turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and salt and pepper to taste. Combine well with hands.

  • Form mixture in 24 meatballs (about 1” each). Remove baking dish from oven and place meatballs about 1/2 inch apart in the hot baking dish. Press down to flatten the bottom just slightly.

  • Bake for 15 minutes in oven, then turn over and continue baking for 10 more minutes.

  • Spray a large nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray. Add in beef broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a low simmer and gently add in the meatballs. Cover and let cook for 25 minutes.

  • Remove meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  • Add cream cheese into broth, and slowly whisk in until cream cheese and well combined.Then add in the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes.

  • Pour sauce over meatballs, garnish with additional parsley and serve.

Notes

Entire recipe makes 4 servings

Serving size is 6 meatballs

Nutrition

Calories: 359 kcal (18%)Carbohydrates: 9.2 g (3%)Protein: 40.1 g (80%)Fat: 17.8 g (27%)Saturated Fat: 8 g (50%)Cholesterol: 149 mg (50%)Sodium: 516 mg (22%)Potassium: 1118 mg (32%)Fiber: 2.4 g (10%)Sugar: 3.2 g (4%)Calcium: 60 mg (6%)Iron: 5 mg (28%)

Main Ingredient: Beef Recipes

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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16 Comments

  1. Andria8 years ago

    Tried this tonight. What a waste of ingredients :( The sauce was runny, the meatballs had an overwhelming cinnamon-spice taste that we couldn’t get past. All in the garbage. Very sad.

  2. Helen8 years ago

    I made this the first time and it was great. The second time I doubled the batch and the sauce was runny. What do you think caused this??

  3. Kyri Sandvik9 years ago

    I made this and it was so amazing!! I served it with broccoli and egg noodles. It was so satisfying and a great feeling knowing it was less than 500 calories

  4. Jackie10 years ago

    I find “Spray a large nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray” unnecessary in step 6 since you’re just adding broth and THEN you add the meatballs. Otherwise, yummy!!!

  5. llg11 years ago

    why is there not a printer friendly version??? what a waste of paper

    • Virginia10 years ago

      Do you have the Windows accessory called Snipping Tool? You can “snip” whatever part of the screen you want to save or print. Just COPY the snip and PASTE it into any word processor and print it out from there.

      VIrginia

  6. Holly Liskey11 years ago

    I made this recipe last night and served it over whole wheat egg noddles. Delicious and every member of my family of 7 loved it! Thank you

  7. Caress Redd11 years ago

    Awesome recipe! These are great, thanks

  8. Nancy Gray12 years ago

    Made your meatballs last night for dinner. They were awesome. Thanks for all the great recipes.

  9. JS12 years ago

    Is there a substitution for cardamom?

    • Lucy12 years ago

      instead of all these weird spices, just use 1/2 tsp allspice.

      • Dawn5 years ago

        How did the all spice work for you on the Swedish Meatballs recipe

    • Chris6 years ago

      This may be good to someone who has never had real Swedish meatballs! But cream cheese, cinnamon, and celery don’t belong in this recipe. Low fat sour cream and allspice, nutmeg, onions,and parsley do. I want to lose weight to ,but not by eating stuff like this uck !

      • Dawn5 years ago

        I was thinking the same thing
        Y cream cheese n not sour cream

  10. Irod127712 years ago

    Your recipe doesn’t say what to do with the items that you minced in the food processor.

    • laaloosh12 years ago

      Just take a look at Step 3. It says to place “it” in a bowl…”it” refers to the items you just minced in the food processor :).

Food Recipes

Low Calorie Swedish Meatballs Recipe | LaaLoosh (2024)

FAQs

How many calories are in homemade Swedish meatballs? ›

Swedish meatballs with cream or white sauce
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Portion418
Calories
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g32 %
29 more rows

What can you use instead of heavy cream in meatballs? ›

To make it less fattening, you could also use milk instead of heavy cream, then thicken it with some extra flour or corn starch. I used vegetable stock and sour cream instead of beef and heavy cream. I added mushrooms. I made with frozen turkey meatballs and it was amazing.

What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

What is the secret to firm meatballs? ›

Massage your meat

Get your hands into your mixing bowl and combine the ingredients for your meatballs using your fingers. The heat from your hands will help release the proteins in the meat which will in turn help the mixture stick together when it cooks. Don't overmix, just a few minutes will do.

How many calories in a 2 oz homemade meatball? ›

How Many Calories in a Meatball? A two ounce meatball has 53 calories, 8.9 grams of fat, 1.76 grams f carbs, 10.9 grams of protein, and no fiber. If you want to lower the amount of calories in a meatball recipe, you can omit the breadcrumbs – that will also drop the carbs.

How many calories in a 3 oz homemade meatball? ›

Nutrition summary:

There are 172 calories in 3 ounces of Beef Meatballs. Calorie breakdown: 60% fat, 15% carbs, 25% protein.

What is a healthier substitute for heavy cream? ›

The 10 Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream
  • Milk and butter.
  • Soy milk and olive oil.
  • Milk and cornstarch.
  • Half-and-half.
  • Tofu and soy.
  • Yogurt and milk.
  • Evaporated milk.
  • Cottage cheese and milk.

How to thicken Swedish meatball sauce without? ›

How do you thicken Swedish meatball sauce? Flour creates a thicker, gravy-like texture to the sauce. If you'd like an even thicker sauce: Before adding the meatballs, mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of milk or cold water and add it to the sauce.

Can I use almond milk instead of heavy cream? ›

No milk (except for coconut milk) can replace heavy cream without the addition of a thickener, ideally a fat of some kind. To make a heavy cream substitute with almond milk, we recommend adding soaked nuts or vegan butter, or plain silken tofu to get the right texture.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste so good? ›

They're made with all-natural ingredients

The Ikea website lists the ingredients of their meatballs (which Ikea calls ALLEMANSRÄTTEN), and the rundown is surprisingly simple: Meat (a combination of pork and beef, for texture, flavor, and juiciness), onion, breadcrumbs, egg, water, salt, and pepper.

What's the difference between Swedish and Norwegian meatballs? ›

Norwegian recipes are made with all beef, while some Swedish recipes also use pork. Norwegian meatballs tend to be larger and flatter than their Swedish cousins.

How do you keep Swedish meatballs from falling apart? ›

Eggs: Eggs help bind the meatballs together so they don't fall apart. They also help keep the meatballs soft and tender. Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs are almost always used in meatball recipes because they absorb the fat and, along with the eggs, serve as a binder.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

What makes meatballs soft and tender? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

Why do you put baking soda in meatballs? ›

Baking soda, otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate, appears often in köfte recipes. It raises the PH level of the meat, making it harder for the meat's protein molecules to bond. This in turn allows the meat to retain water as it cooks. And more water means a moist meatball.

How many calories are in 6 Swedish meatballs? ›

6 Piece of 6 piece swedish meatballs, meatballs only (IKEA) contains 290 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 6% carbs, 76% fat, and 18% protein. This is a good source of protein (23% of your Daily Value).

How many calories are in homemade meatballs with sauce? ›

There are 81 calories in 1 meatball with sauce of Meatballs with Sauce (Mixture). * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

How many calories in a swedish meatball plate? ›

There are 550 calories in 1 meal of Ikea Swedish Meatballs Dinner (10), Mashed Potatoes, Lingonberry, Cream Sauce.

How many calories are in Swedish meatballs and mash? ›

Table of Nutritional Information
Typical Valuesper 100gA serving contains
Energy569kJ2127kJ
136kcal509kcal
Fat7.0g26.1g
Saturates3.2g12.0g
8 more rows

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