Low Carb Swedish Meatball Recipe

I like to call this Swedish meatball recipe "Danish" meatballs instead, because it's not your typical Swedish recipe.

I had doubts about using allspice and nutmeg in a beef recipe, but these meatballs are awesome. The cheese gives them a wonderful flavor, and also keeps them moist and tender. These would be great in just about any kind of cream sauce, a la Swedish meatballs.

I adapted the recipe from Chef John's recipe here on the Food Wishes website. If you can't find whole milk ricotta, part skim will work. The fat and calorie contents of the final product will be reduced, of course.

Ellen's Danish Meatballs

4 ounces white onion, minced
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces swiss cheese
1 cup cold whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cold large egg
1.5 teaspoons nutmeg
1.5 teaspoons allspice
1.5 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground beef (92% lean)

Directions

Saute onions in butter until translucent, then remove from heat, and cool for 10 minutes.
While onions are cooling, shred the swiss cheese, and then mince the shreds to a fine crumble in a food processor. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg and whisk.
Add the spices, salt, and pepper and mix.
Add onions and swiss cheese and mix until smooth.
Add the beef and mix until all ingredients are combined into a non sticky "dough".
Divide meat mixture into 30 - 1 ounce sized pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball.
Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees until cooked through and brown, about 20 minutes.

Note: if you don't have ricotta handy, 4-6 ounces of softened cream cheese can be substituted for the 1 cup of ricotta.

Assuming 30 -1 ounce portions, each meatball has 62 calories, 4 g fat, 1 carb, 5 g protein

Entire recipe has 1861 calories, 121 g of fat, 32 g carb, 3 g fiber, 157 g protein

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