Meatballs and Gravy
Before we started our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that iconic Swedish furniture store (you know the one). But they're not very slimming-friendly, so we made our own!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories196
- Carbs9.5g
- Protein22g
- Fat7.3g
- Saturates3.2g
- Sugars4.4g
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You’re amazing, look at the Meatballs and Gravy dishes you’ve made…
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!
Before we started our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that certain flatpack furniture store. You know the ones that somehow taste better after you’ve spent an hour trying to find the exit! They’re great with a tangy tomato sauce and even better with a rich gravy, you could take a packet home and pop them in your freezer, and they didn’t cost much at all.
The only issue was they weren’t always the lightest option, which doesn’t suit cooking the Pinch of Nom way! One thing that gets asked a lot on our Facebook page is “Does anyone have a recipe for slimming-friendly gravy?” Now after a few tasty trials and errors, we think we’ve finally cracked it!
We used shop bought, low-fat meatballs for this slimming friendly Meatballs and Gravy recipe, so it doesn’t break the calorie bank, but if you prefer, you can make your own meatballs. You can find instructions for this in our Meatball Marinara recipe.
This Meatballs and Gravy recipe is based on the premise that 3 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:
- Henderson’s relish or Worcestershire sauce
- Beef stock cubes
Remember to take extra care when you’re cooking for people with allergies. Use separate utensils, cookware, and preparation surfaces.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Meatballs and Gravy?
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How many Calories are in this Meatballs and Gravy recipe?
There are 196 Calories per portion in this Meatballs and Gravy recipe, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category. These recipes are all 400 calories or less, making this Meatballs and Gravy recipe perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet. It also fits well with any one of the major diet plans, such as Weight Watchers for instance.
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
Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 8-10 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate.
Step 2
Re-spray the pan and add the onions, then fry for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for a further 5 minutes. The onion and mushrooms should be softened and golden brown.
Step 3
Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, balsamic, Henderson’s relish, and tomato puree. Stir well.
Step 4
Add the stock cube to the water and stir until dissolved. Pour into the pan. Bring the pan to the boil, then lower the heat.
Step 5
Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water until smooth. Add to the pan and stir well.
Step 6
Add the meatballs back to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes. The meatballs should be cooked through, and the sauce thickened and reduced. Season to taste and serve.
What could I serve alongside this Meatballs and Gravy recipe?
The following recipes would go great with our Meatballs and Gravy recipe:
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. You’ll know the gravy is cooked when it’s developed a thick, rich sauce.
Here in the UK, standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and whoever it is you’re cooking for safe.
How long can you keep Meatballs and Gravy in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it straightaway as this is when the gravy will have the best consistency.
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 Meatballs and Gravy?
Yes, you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it’s cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that’s 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 Meatballs and Gravy?
From chilled: Place in a microwave-proof container with 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 we started our slimming journey, we were huge fans of the meatballs sold by that iconic Swedish furniture store (you know the one). But they're not very slimming-friendly, so we made our own!
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
50 MINS
- KCals 196
- Carbs 9.5G
Instructions
- Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 8-10 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate.
- Re-spray the pan and add the onions, then fry for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for a further 5 minutes. The onion and mushrooms should be softened and golden brown.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, balsamic, Henderson’s relish, and tomato puree. Stir well.
- Add the stock cube to the water and stir until dissolved. Pour into the pan. Bring the pan to the boil, then lower the heat.
- Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water until smooth. Add to the pan and stir well.
- Add the meatballs back to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes. The meatballs should be cooked through, and the sauce thickened and reduced. Season to taste and serve.
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.
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We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
If you’ve made this Meatballs and Gravy recipe and loved it, let us know by sharing a photo and tagging us on Instagram or in our Facebook group!
12 comments
See what others have to say
AngelaThursday 16th October 2025
If making our own meatballs with 5% beef mince would you add any other ingredients to the meatballs or just mince salt and pepper? Thanks.
HollyThursday 23rd October 2025
Hey Angela, you can just keep it simple for the meatballs as the gravy adds so much flavour! Hope that helps!
HelenThursday 29th November 2018
Just fed this to the family using quorn meatballs and it was polished off ! Thanks for great recipe.
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?
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
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!
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
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
MargaretSunday 3rd July 2016
How do u get the recipe I can’t find it x
KaySunday 3rd July 2016
It’s just above where you’re reading this on the page x
Lisa merringtonFriday 1st July 2016
Where do you get the meatballs from?? Please x
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
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