I love meatballs of all kinds, and the Swedish variety is one of my favorites. Swedish meatballs were not a dish I ate growing up. I had heard of them but did not have the opportunity to try them until I was well into adulthood. I experienced them only once before I was gluten and dairy-free and the experience of eating them left a strong impression that was etched into my memory banks.
I was gluten and dairy-free for many years when the Swedish Meatball king of the world, Ikea, opened in Denver. The craving was strong the first time I ventured into the building and I would have given anything to be able to eat those delicious meatballs. Well, not anything since I never gave in and ate them. Oh, but I longed for them.
I put the idea of Swedish Meatballs out of my head for many years. Then, one day, I decided I was going to try making my own version, gluten, and dairy-free. I found the Ikea recipe online and set out to replace, refine, and recreate my own version. My biggest challenge was the creamy gravy. Replicating it without milk, butter, or heavy cream was tricky, but not insurmountable.
As with all recipes that attempt to replicate dairy, multiple ingredients and a few extra steps are needed. But, it is so worth it! The gravy is creamy and has a terrific depth of flavor. The meatballs, using gluten-free breadcrumbs and cashew milk, are quite flavorful and moist. Served together, the meatballs and gravy are a heavenly bowl of comfort and deliciousness.
I love to serve Swedish Meatballs as an appetizer for parties and family get-togethers. They make a beautiful presentation, swimming atop their gravy, sprinkled with parsley.
discover. cook. enjoy.
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Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy
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The Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 medium onion, fine dice
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1.25 cups bread crumbs, gluten-free, not seasoned
- 1/3 cup cashew milk, unsweetened, or your favorite dairy-free milk
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
For The Creamy Gravy
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, 112 grams
- 1/2 cup gf explorers cooking flour blend, 136 grams
- 3/4 cup Flavored Rippled, see below
- 1 cup beef stock
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp Tamari sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Flavored Ripple
- 3/4 cup Ripple Plant Based Half & Half
- 1/8 cup Beef stock
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Kosher salt
Garnish
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
The Process
Mise en Place
- Gather all your ingredients. Dice the onion very finely and mince the garlic using a knife or garlic press. Measure each ingredient and place in prep bowls. Place the ingredients in groups based on the aspect of the recipe: meatballs, creamy gravy, flavored Ripple.
Flavor the Ripple
- The plant-based half & half has a sweet flavor to it and does not work well in savory recipes. That's why I like to "de-flavor and re-flavor" it before using in a recipe. Add the Ripple, beef stock and garlic to a small saucepan. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt. Heat to just starting to boil and then turn down the heat to low. Stir often and let simmer for 15 minutes. Taste along the way to see if you need more kosher salt. Remove from the heat and transfer to a measuring cup.3/4 cup Ripple Plant Based Half & Half, 1/8 cup Beef stock, 1 clove garlic, Kosher salt
Mix the Meatballs
- Add the ground beef and ground pork to a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, breadcrumbs, and cashew milk. Mix to combine with your hands. Add the onion in parts and mix to determine how much onion you need. All onions are different sizes and you want less or more onion. Add the garlic, and spices and mix to combine. Season with kosher salt and pepper.1 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb ground pork, 1 medium onion, 1 large clove garlic, 2 large eggs, 1.25 cups bread crumbs, 1/3 cup cashew milk, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp celery salt
Cook a Test Patty
- To test the seasoning of the meat mixture, you will cook a patty. Heat a small amount of sunflower in a small frying pan on medium heat. Grab a small amount of the mix, form into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Cook on both sides until done and then taste. If you need more salt, add it2 tbsp sunflower oil
Form, Brown and Bake the Meatballs
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Using a #24 1 11/3 oz disher or similar tool, scoop out the meat mixture for each meatball and roll in your palms to form a ball. You want fairly small balls for appetizers but if you are making these for a meal, you can make the balls slightly larger. You should get about 36 meatballs from this recipe.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of sunflower in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan to medium high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. You will need at least two batches to brown all the meatballs. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Keep a close eye on the meatballs for they will brown quickly. Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and transfer to the same sheet pan they came from. Brown the rest of the meatballs.
- Bake the pan of meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. All ovens are different so you may need more or less time. The meatballs are done when the juices run clear and they are cooked through.
Make the Creamy Gravy
- In a medium-sized saucepan set to medium heat, melt the Earth Balance. Once melted, add the Cooking Flour Blend and whisk for two minutes. You will see the roux get darker and thicker. Add the beef and vegetable stock and keep whisking. Add the Flavored Ripple and keep whisking. Finally, add the Tamari and Dijon, and yes, keep whisking. Check the seasoning and add Kosher salt and pepper. Keep whisking. Turn heat to low and keep a close on the gravy. It will start to thicken and keep thickening even after it is off the heat. When the sauce has achieve your desired thickness, remove from the heat. If the gravy becomes too thick, add some more beef stock to thin it out. If you want a rich flavor, add more Earth Balance.1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, 1/2 cup gf explorers cooking flour blend, 3/4 cup Flavored Rippled, see below, 1 cup beef stock, 3/4 cup vegetable stock, 1 tbsp Tamari sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, Kosher salt
Garnish and Plating
- If serving as an appetizer, spread a thin layer of gravy to the bottom of the serving dish. Arrange the meatballs on the dish and drizzle with more gravy. Add a toothpick to each meatball and sprinkle chopped parsley over the meatballs. Serve and enjoy! You can also set out a small bowl of gravy for extra dipping goodness.
- If you would like to serve the meatballs as a meal, pair with mashed potatoes or gluten-free pasta. You can add the meatballs to the pan of gravy and then serve over the potatoes or pasta, or add separately. Enjoy!
2 thoughts on “gf df swedish meatballs and creamy gravy”
I absolutely Love this recipe, discovered it about 2 weeks ago and have made it at least 4 times A.mA.ZIng!!!
Thank you so much, Teresa!!! I am happy you love it!
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