Meatballs and Gravy

  • 10MINS
  • 40MINS
  • Serves 4
  • 183KCAL

Before our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that certain Swedish furniture store. But they're not very slimming friendly, so we made our own!

  • Batch Cook pinchofnom.com
  • Dairy Free pinchofnom.com
  • Everyday Light pinchofnom.com
Easy Peasy Meatballs and Gravy pinchofnom.com
4

NutritionPer Serving

  • Calories183
  • Carbs7.3g
  • Protein22g
  • Fat7.2g
  • Saturates3.2g
  • Sugars4.5g

For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!

One thing that gets asked a lot on our Facebook page is ‘Does anyone have a recipe for slimming friendly gravy?’ After many attempts, we’ve come up with what we think is the best one so far!

Before we started our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that certain Swedish furniture store. They were great with a tomato sauce and even better with a rich savoury gravy. They were quick, easy and pretty cheap too.

The only issue is, those meatballs, and the accompanying gravy isn’t very slimming friendly.

We used shop bought, low fat meatballs for this slimming friendly Meatballs and Gravy recipe, so it doesn’t break the calorie or points bank, but if you prefer you can make your own ones. You can find the instructions in our Meatball Marinara recipe.

This recipe is worked on the premise that  6 meatballs = 1 portion.

What diets are this Meatballs and Gravy recipe suitable for?

This Meatballs and Gravy recipe can be made gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions;

  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Beef stock cubes

Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.

Do you need any special ingredients to make Meatballs and Gravy?

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This post contains affiliate links: what this means

You can buy Xanthan Gum here on Amazon, or down the gluten free aisle of your local supermarket. It’s not cheap, but a little goes a long, long way.

How many Calories are in this Meatballs and Gravy recipe?

There are 183 Calories per portion in this Meatballs and Gravy, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.

This Meatballs and Gravy recipe is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.

As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.

Step 1

Make the stock up 400ml boiling water to 1 beef stock cube.

Step 2

Mist a large frying pan with low calorie cooking spray, then heat over a medium heat.

Step 3

Add the meatballs, and cook until they have browned.

Step 4

Remove the meatballs from the pan, return the pan to the heat and spray with a bit more low calorie cooking spray.

Step 5

Add the chopped onion and mushrooms, and cook until they start to brown.

Step 6

Add the herbs, balsamic, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning and cook for a minute.

Step 7

Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes.

Step 8

Place 200ml of the sauce into a jug and whisk in the xanthan gum a 1/4 of a tsp at a time. You will need to whisk well – and keep whisking!

Step 9

Return the thickened sauce to the pan and stir will – it will thicken the sauce.

Step 10

Add the meatballs back into the pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C.

What could I serve alongside this Meatballs and Gravy?

The following recipes would go great with our Meatballs and Gravy recipe:

Buttery Carrot and Swede Mash pinchofnom.com
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Maple Glazed Carrots pinchofnom.com
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How do you know when this Meatballs and Gravy recipe is cooked?

The meatballs will be cooked when the meat has turned from pink to brown in the centre.

How long can you keep these Meatballs and Gravy in the fridge?

Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it at the time of serving

If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Meatballs and Gravy in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

Can I freeze these Meatballs and Gravy?

Yes, you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;

  • Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
  • Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.

Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!

How do I reheat these Meatballs and Gravy?

From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.

From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.

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Meatballs and Gravy

Before our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that certain Swedish furniture store. But they’re not very slimming friendly, so we made our own!
  • Prep Time
    10 MINS
  • Cook Time
    40 MINS
  • KCals 183
  • Carbs 7.3G

Ingredients

  • 20 low fat, mini meatballs
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 4 mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 400 ml water
  • 1 beef stock cubes
  • ¼ tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 pinch fresh rosemary
  • 1 pinch fresh thyme
  • low calorie cooking spray
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

We use a fan assisted oven for all of our recipes. Check out our oven temperature conversion guide.

Please do not screenshot this. Recipes are updated often

Instructions

  1. Make the stock up 400ml/1½ cups boiling water to 1 beef stock cube.
  2. Mist a large frying pan with low calorie cooking spray, then heat over a medium heat.
  3. Add the meatballs and cook until they have browned.
  4. Remove the meatballs from the pan, return the pan to the heat and spray with a bit more low calorie cooking spray.
  5. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and cook until they start to brown.
  6. Add the herbs, balsamic, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning and cook for a minute.
  7. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes.
  8. Place half of the sauce into a jug and whisk in the xanthan gum a ¼ of a tsp at a time. You will need to whisk well - and keep whisking!
  9. Return the thickened sauce to the pan and stir will - it will thicken the sauce.
  10. Add the meatballs back into the pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C.

Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?

With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.



We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website

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10 comments

See what others have to say

HelenThursday 29th November 2018

Just fed this to the family using quorn meatballs and it was polished off ! Thanks for great recipe.

Reply

EmmaSunday 25th February 2018

Instead of the herbs and stock cube, would it work with an oxo rich beef stock pot with onion and rosemary?

Reply

JoySaturday 2nd December 2017

Hi, if you don’t have the gum, can you just use cornflour or flour instead & work out if there’s a sun value in flour please? Love the FB page & recipes by the way! Thanks, Joy

Reply

Hayley SFriday 28th July 2017

Hi I really want to try this but I HATE mushrooms, do u think it would work without them or are they part of ‘the taste’? Thanks, love ur stuff!

Reply

JaniceWednesday 5th April 2017

You can buy the Xanthem gum in sainsburys around £2.50ish but as the recipe says a little goes a long way

Reply

    KateThursday 6th April 2017

    Hi Janice
    Yes, it does. You will only need around 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon to thicken most things

    Reply

MargaretSunday 3rd July 2016

How do u get the recipe I can’t find it x

Reply

    KaySunday 3rd July 2016

    It’s just above where you’re reading this on the page x

    Reply

Lisa merringtonFriday 1st July 2016

Where do you get the meatballs from?? Please x

Reply

joanne howardFriday 1st July 2016

hi i havn’t tried the recipe yet but have to say it looks fab, i ordered the gum from ebay uk, its half the ammount because as you said a little goes a long way and cost me £2.15 no p&p, i hope you didnt mind me commenting as its not about the meal as such lol

keep up the good work as your recipes are fab xx

Reply

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