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A plate filled with mashed potatoes and Swedish meatballs and gravy on top.

Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs (Gluten Free + Whole30)

Kaleena Martinez
These Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs are creamy, cozy, and full of flavor. Made with ground bison, a silky dairy free gravy, and simple real food ingredients, this gluten free recipe is the ultimate comfort meal for any night of the week.
3.84 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Swedish
Servings 4 people

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Medium mixing bowl
  • 1 large skillet

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground bison *or ground beef
  • ¼ cup almond flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

For the gravy

  • 1 cup broth beef or chicken
  • ½ cup unsweetened dairy free milk
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon ghee *or Vegan butter
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions
 

Cooking the meatballs

  • Add the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix together using your hands.
  • Using your hands or an ice cream scoop, roll the meatball mixture into 1.5 inch balls and place them on a plate. Put the plate in the refrigerator and let the meatballs chill for 10-30 minutes.
  • Add avocado oil or olive oil to a large skillet and turn heat to medium.
  • Cook the meatballs for 5 minutes and then turn them upside down and cook the other side for another 5 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 skillet and place on a plate.

Making the Gravy

  • Add the ghee or vegan butter to the hot pan the meatballs were in and let it melt.
  • Add the arrowroot to the pan and whisk together with the melted ghee or vegan butter. About 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the dairy free milk, broth, coconut aminos, and Dijon mustard to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together.
  • Slowly and a little bit at a time (I usually do a few tablespoons at a time), add the liquid to the hot pan, whisking to combine. The mixture will seize up at first but will loosen up the more liquid is added.
  • Let the gravy thicken for about 5 minutes on medium heat, whisking occasionally.
  • Once the gravy has thickened, add the meatballs back into the pan with the gravy and turn the heat to low. Let the meatballs and gravy cook on low for 5 minutes.

Notes

Substitutions
Ground bison- You can use ground beef instead of bison.
Almond flour- Gluten free breadcrumbs can be used. You can also use regular bread crumbs if you don't have a gluten allergy.
Dairy free milk- Any unsweetened dairy free milk will work in this recipe, but I use almond milk.
Coconut aminos- You can use Worcestershire sauce or gluten-free soy sauce.
Arrowroot flour- If you don't have arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, gluten free flour, or cornstarch can be used.
Beef broth- If you don't have beef broth or beef stock, you can use chicken or vegetable broth, stock, or bone broth.
Ghee- If you have a dairy allergy you can use avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil.
Egg- You can use a flax egg. A flax egg is 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Mix the ground flaxseeds with the warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes then add it to the meatball mixture.
Tips
  • Chill the meatballs before cooking so they stay firm and juicy.
  • Use full-fat unsweetened coconut milk for an extra creamy sauce.
  • If your gravy looks too thin, whisk in a bit more arrowroot slurry (1 teaspoon arrowroot and a tablespoon or two of broth or milk).
 
Storing, Freezing, Reheating
Storing: Let the meatballs cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: After the meatballs have cooled, add them to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you want to eat them, let them thaw out in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: You can warm them gently on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until hot. If the gravy has thickened a bit in the fridge, just add a splash of broth or dairy free milk to loosen it up.
For a quick reheating, the microwave works too! Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until everything’s warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 27gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 834mgPotassium: 453mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 305IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 4mg

*nutrition information is an approximate

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