These Paleo Swedish meatballs in a creamy gravy, with dairy-free, Whole30 friendly mashed potatoes are pure comfort food for cold nights. Made with real-food ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, family approved!
Sometimes I feel like I could just live on meatballs – seriously one of my favorite things to make and eat!
As much as I love them though, I seem to “forget” to create new meatball recipes – even though I cook them for my family all the time.
Maybe it’s because making meatballs at 9am (when I usually work on blog recipes) seems less than ideal.
Well, I’m getting over it now, because 1.) We’re close to January which means Whole30 for many of us (including me!) and 2.) What’s a Whole30 without a few seriously tasty meatball recipes?!
An incomplete one, if you ask me!
In doing some Whole30 brainstorming, there were two recipes I absolutely wanted to share. Swedish meatballs (long overdue!) and Whole30 friendly mashed potatoes.
Of course, combining them just seemed to be the right thing to do, since the creamy gravy goes so well with potatoes, and honestly, mashed potatoes were exactly what I was craving with these meatballs!
The Easiest Healthy Swedish Meatballs
The meatballs themselves are super easy to throw together, and the gravy is even easier.
I usually get the potatoes started before the meatballs, to avoid “timing mishaps” which usually lead to me burning something. I’m not the best cooking-multitasker, I must admit!
The potatoes also take longer than the meatballs to cook, so getting a head start on them helps get everything on the table faster!
Ingredient Subs for Swedish Meatballs
If you haven’t made any of my meatball recipes yet, you’ll see that I use blanched almond flour as a binder.
If you have a nut allergy in your family, don’t try to replace the almond with coconut flour 1:1, or you’ll wind up with very dry meatballs!
If you can’t have almond flour, rather than sub in a different flour I would recommend omitting it entirely. You can also use GF breadcrumbs if you aren’t strictly paleo.
As for the mashed potatoes, you absolutely won’t be able to tell these are dairy free! They’re creamy, fluffy, and full of classic buttery flavor.
And no, you really can’t taste the coconut in them either – trust me.
I often receive questions from coconut haters about this, and I always respond that if my kids eat it without a word, you definitely can’t taste the coconut!
What To Serve with Paleo Swedish Meatballs
See how creamy?! These are the real deal! Oh, and while we’re on the subject of coconut, you also can’t taste the coconut milk in the gravy or meatballs either.
This is one of those “I’ll believe it when I taste it” situations, but, really, all the other flavors here mask any flavor from the coconut milk! So, all you get is the creaminess it provides.
Also, if potatoes are too high in carbs for you, these meatballs would pair really well with a cauliflower puree or even roasted spaghetti squash.
You can also spiralize pretty much any veggie for “noodles” to go along with these meatballs for a complete meal.
Or just serve with any of your favorite veggies or potatoes!
I hope you’re ready to cook (and EAT!) these delicious paleo Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes – let’s go!
Paleo Swedish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes {Whole30}
Paleo Swedish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes {Whole30}
These Paleo Swedish meatballs in a creamy gravy, with dairy-free, Whole30 friendly mashed potatoes is pure comfort food for cold nights. Made with real-food ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, family approved!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb grass fed ground beef 80-85% lean
- 1 small onion minced
- 1 tbsp ghee, to cook onion
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp coconut milk
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Gravy:
- 3 Tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp arrowroot starch or tapioca flour
- 1 3/4 cup beef or chicken bone broth
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk blended prior to adding
- 1 tsp spicy brown mustard *optional, adds flavor
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos *optional, adds flavor
- salt and pepper to taste
Mashed Potatoes:
- 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2” pieces
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast optional (for flavor)
Instructions
For Mashed Potatoes:
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Heat a 3 quart pot with water, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Add 2” potato pieces to the boiling water, and cook until very soft
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Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Set heat to low and add the ghee and coconut milk. Mash with a potato masher over very low heat, once smooth, turn heat off and add salt and pepper, to taste, and nutritional yeast, if using. If you want your potatoes really creamy, you can use an immersion blender at this point (I just put mine right in the pot.)
For Meatballs and Gravy:
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In a large, heavy, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp ghee and cook onions over medium heat until soft - you should have about 1/4 cup cooked minced onions. Remove skillet from heat (you will use this skillet to brown meatballs)
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Add cooked onions to a large bowl, then add all meatballs ingredients and mix well with your hands, until fully combined (try not to overwork the meat, if possible)
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Form meat mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined platter or baking sheet.
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Heat your skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs (using a bit more ghee if necessary) turning just 2 to 3 times carefully so they don’t break.
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Once browned, remove meatballs to a plate and set aside.
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For gravy, turn heat to medium and add 3 tbsp ghee to skillet and whisk in the tapioca or arrowroot until bubbly.
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Add remaining gravy ingredients and stir to combine, raise the heat to bring to a strong simmer.
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Return meatballs to skillet, lower heat a bit and allow them to simmer in gravy until fully cooked through and gravy has thickened - 3-5 minutes. Serve hot with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My Paleo Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes:
Want More Paleo and Whole30 Dinner Recipes? Try One of These!
Creamy Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon {Low Carb}
Salisbury Steak Meatballs {Low Carb}
Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken with Roasted Butternut
Pumpkin Turkey Meatballs with Harvest Tomato Sauce
One Pan Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup with Kale and Leeks
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Hi—do you think these will hold up warm in a crockpot for several hours to take to a potluck?
My whole family loved this! We are adding it to our dinner rotation recipes! The meatballs were the perfect texture and were even approved by my two toddlers.