I have to confess something to you, I use to live on Lean Cuisines. By live, I mean literally, every night that was my dinner and sometimes even my lunch! My all-time favorite Lean Cuisine was Swedish Meatballs. So naturally, I had to come up with a gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30 recipe. This Whole30 Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes dish is such a flavorful and comforting dish and is perfect for a weeknight meal.
What to serve with your Swedish Meatballs?
Personally, my favorite thing to serve with these Whole30 Swedish Meatballs is mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are so easy to make and who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? One great thing about serving the meatballs with mashed potatoes is you can make easy Whole30 mashed potatoes.
Another way to serve these meatballs is with rice or egg noodles. Keep in mind if you serve them with rice or noodles they will no longer be Whole30.
What is Swedish Meatball sauce made of?
Traditional Swedish Meatball sauce is made from a mixture of flour, broth, and sour cream.
Bison vs. Beef
I make these meatballs with ground bison instead of ground beef. If you are familiar with some of my other recipes then you know I love using ground bison.
First let me say, bison isn’t as hard to find as you think it is. My local HEB store sells ground bison and so does Whole Foods and Sprouts.
To me, one of the most surprising differences between bison and beef is that bison has 25% fewer calories and is lower in total saturated fat than beef. I would have never thought there would be that big of a difference between the two.
Since bison has less fat, the fat marbling is finer which makes it softer and more tender than beef.
Another big difference between the two types of meat is that bison is more likely to be grass-fed and sustainably sourced than beef. Beef is more likely to be gain fed and factory-farmed.
How to make the meatballs and mashed potatoes
Making these Savory Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes may seem like a lot of work, but it isn’t so bad. It may take a little more time and have more steps than a fast and easy meal but let me tell you it’s worth every minute!
First, you’ll start by adding all your meatball ingredients into a bowl and combining them together. Then you will roll the mixture into 2-inch sized meatballs (or whatever size you prefer) and place in a hot pan.
While the meatballs are cooking, you will cut your potatoes and add them to boiling water. By the time your potatoes are done boiling your meatballs will already be done.
Once your meatballs are done you will remove them from the pan and start making your gravy in the same pan you cooked the meatballs. Once you add the gravy ingredients to the pan you will let it cook and thicken up for about 5-6 minutes.
When the gravy is done, you will add the meatballs back into the pan with the gravy and let them hang out on low while you finish your potatoes.
While your meatballs and gravy are hanging out together, you will add the rest of the potato ingredients in and either mash them together or pulse in a food processor. It’s a personal preference! I tend to just mash mine so they don’t get overly gummy.
Looking for more bison dinner ideas? Check these out:
Whole30 Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground bison
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/4 unsweetened nut milk I use Nutpods Original Creamer
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp parsley
For the gravy
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 cups broth chicken or beef broth would both work
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1/2 unsweetened nut milk I use Nutpods Original Creamer
For the potatoes
- 1 lb yukon potatoes
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 unsweetened nut milk I use Nutpods Original Creamer
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Cooking the meatballs
- Add all the meatball ingredients except for the ghee to a bowl and combine well
- Add the ghee to a pan and heat to medium
- Using your hands, roll the meatball mixture into 2 inch (or whatever size you prefer) sized balls and place in the pan
- Cook meatballs for about 7 minutes and then turn them upside down and cook the other side for another 7 minutes
- Once you have cooked both sides of the meatballs, using tongs, turn the meatballs on their sides and cook each side for 2 minutes then remove from the pan and place on a plate
Making the Gravy
- To the pan that you cooked the meatballs, add the ghee and let it melt a minute or two on medium-low heat then whisk in the arrowroot flour and let cook for 2 minutes
- After you have whisked in the arrowroot flour and let cook for a few minutes whisk in the coconut aminos, dijon, and nut milk
- After combined, slowly add in the broth and whisk everything together
- Let the gravy thicken for about 5 minutes whisking occasionally
- Once the gravy is thickened add the meatballs back into the pan with the gravy and turn the heat to low
Cooking the potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into chunks and add to a pot halfway filled with boiling water
- Let the potatoes boil till fork tender (about 15 minutes)
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water and return the pot with the potatoes to the stove
- Add in the ghee, nut milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder and mash together
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over top of the mashed potatoes
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