Keto Beef Stroganoff Meatballs
These Keto Beef Stroganoff meatballs are inspired by the classic dish of beef simmered in a sauce of mushrooms, onions, and sour cream. Low carb, gluten free, family friendly!
These Keto Beef Stroganoff meatballs are inspired by the classic dish of beef simmered in a sauce of mushrooms, onions, and sour cream. Low carb, gluten free, family friendly!
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 2 tbsp butter (for frying)
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (white or cremini)
- Carbohydrate 7.79654880341895 g
- Cholesterol 20.2398437639336 mg
- Fat 9.86243141086774 g
- Fiber 1.69102343971153 g
- Protein 3.52021968882304 g
- Saturated Fat 4.53315604974384 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (250g)
- Sodium 520.739626707853 mg
- Sugar 6.10552536370742 g
- Trans Fat 0.594574406514983 g
- Calories 129 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine the meatball ingredients (except the butter) in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Form into 12 meatballs.
- Heat the 2 Tbsp of butter in a large, nonstick saute pan.
- Cook the meatballs on medium heat in the butter until browned on all sides and cooked through (2-3 minutes per side.)
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
- Add the 1 Tbsp of butter and the 2 cups of sliced mushrooms to the pan.
- Cook until the mushrooms are golden and fragrant (4-5 minutes.)
- Remove the mushrooms from the pan.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened and translucent.
- Remove the onions from the pan.
- Add the beef broth to your pan and scrape the bottom to get all the yummy bits off.
- Whisk in your sour cream and xanthan gum until smooth.
- Add the meatballs, mushrooms, onions and garlic back to the pan and stir.
- Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with the fresh parsley right before serving.
Why does traditional stroganoff use sour cream instead of heavy cream? Russian nobility historically finished beef fricassees with smetana, a high-fat cultured cream that resists curdling when exposed to moderate heat. Translating this flavor profile into ground beef meatballs requires managing moisture and binding agents carefully. Almond flour absorbs less liquid than wheat flour, meaning meatballs mixed with it need a gentle touch during initial shaping to prevent a dense, rubbery texture. Brown the 12 formed meatballs over medium heat for two to three minutes per side in a large nonstick skillet to build a robust Maillard crust before simmering. Slicing white or cremini mushrooms and cooking them for four to five minutes allows their natural water content to evaporate fully, concentrating their savory umami compounds. Scraping the bottom of the pan after pouring in the beef broth releases the caramelized fond left behind by the meat, forming the foundation of the sauce. Whisking xanthan gum directly into the cold sour cream prevents clumping when combined with warm liquids, yielding a glossy, stable sauce without flour-based roux. Simmering the assembled dish on low heat for twenty minutes allows the proteins in the ground beef to relax while absorbing the surrounding aromatics. Substituting cultured dairy for heavy roux-based reductions keeps the carbohydrate count low while honoring the dish's Eastern European roots.
