Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs – crazy delicious ground beef meatballs in a creamy rich gravy sauce. Can be served as is or with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.  Family-friendly no-fuss cooking for a busy weeknight!

I drove past IKEA recently, only to remember that I haven’t shared on this blog one of the most popular meatball recipes on the entire planet. Although we do love all the great finds in IKEA (I could stay there all day!), there are those people (*sometimes me*) who will intentionally drive there just to have their Swedish meatballs fix.

But ever since our big move last year, I’ve decided that I just don’t want to get stuck in traffic for those meatballs. I DO love them, I really do, but my hate for traffic kinda overrules this time. So when I saw the big IKEA name slowly fading away from my sight, I immediately had the spark to finally make a homemade version of those meatballs.

What are Swedish Meatballs?

Compared to the usual meatballs that most of us are accustomed to, Swedish meatballs are on the smaller size served with it’s notable creamy gravy Swedish sauce. Another thing with these meatballs is that it uses parsley, allspice and nutmeg for flavoring. And trust me, it is indeed succulent and flavorful! You will LOVE them even without the sauce.

Why Do My Meatballs Fall Apart When Cooking?

Egg and breadcrumbs served as binding agents for the meatballs. But be mindful, too, when it comes to breadcrumbs. Using too many breadcrumbs makes your meatballs too loose and less breadcrumbs won’t hold them well together either. Try to stick to the suggested proportions in the recipe.

Can I Bake The Meatballs Instead?

Yes, you can! After rolling them into 12 balls, place them on a foil/parchment paper-lined baking pan; if desired, top with a wire rack.  Arrange meatballs out in a single layer and spray with oil. Bake meatballs at 375 F  (190 C) until cooked through or browned – about 12-15 minutes. 

Can I Make Swedish Meatballs Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! What I would do is make a big batch of the meatballs, cook them and freeze. Then when you feel like serving this for dinner or lunch, pull out the meatballs from the freezer, make the meatball sauce and add the meatballs into the pan. Let them warm up in the sauce for a couple of minutes.

Another option here is to freeze the uncooked meatballs, then thaw in the fridge when ready to make this recipe. Brown them as directed and follow the rest of the recipe instructions.

How to Make Swedish Meatballs

It is SUPER easy to make this meatball recipe here. No-fuss cooking; perfect for busy weeknights! All you have to is to mix all the meatball ingredient in the list: ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and egg.  Mix them well in a medium-size bowl using a spatula until fully combined. Be careful not to over mix!

Next is to roll the meat mixture into 12 large balls or 16 smaller meatballs with your hand. Finally, cook them by batch in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat while rotating them until all sides are browned and cooked throughout.

Tip #1: You can go all ground pork like I do or a 50-50 pork and beef ratio. You can even make this with ground chicken or turkey!

Tip #2: Panko breadcrumbs is a Japanese variety of breadcrumb that has a light airy and delicate texture that helps it beautifully crisp as it cooks. Furthermore, panko breadcrumbs actually ABSORB LESS oil than the usual breadcrumbs.

Tip#3: For a lower-carb option, you may replace Panko breadcrumbs with almond meal.

How To Make Swedish Meatball Sauce

Once you’re done cooking the meatballs, set them aside on a plate and cover with foil to keep them moist and juicy. Now using the same pan, add butter and melt. Then add the flour to the skillet and whisk until brown and smooth. This will make our sauce creamy.

Slowly stir in the beef broth or stock alongside with the heavy cream.  Add Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lastly, add the meatballs back to the skillet including all the juices in the plate and simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Tip: If you’re watching your calorie intake, you can replace heavy cream with reduced-fat cream. Half and half would work, too, but be careful NOT to bring it to a boil or it may separate.

What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs

This homemade Swedish meatballs is best served on top of egg noodles (or any pasta would do) or warm rice. When you go for this option, make sure you have extra sauce to smother them ’cause they are that good!! You might think of drinking that sauce straight away! Aside from those two, you can serve it with this mashed potatoes or this crusty garlic bread here. For an authentic Swedish experience, add a dollop of ligonberry jam on the side. 

More Meatball Dinner Recipes

Baked Meatballs

Pineapple Glazed Meatballs

Chicken Meatball Soup

African-style Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Sausage Balls (with video)

How To Make Swedish Meatballs

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine ground beef, panko, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well using a spatula until fully combined.

Roll the minced meat mixture into 12 large meatballs or 16 small meatballs.

Heat oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add butter and melt, add in flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown and smooth. 

Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream, cook for about a minute. Add garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Slowly stir till it fully comes together.  Add in the sour cream, stir it in to fully combine. Bring sauce to a boil and simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste

Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

5 from 2 votes

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Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs - crazy delicious ground beef meatballs in a creamy rich gravy sauce. Can be served as it is or with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.  Family-friendly no-fuss cooking for a busy weeknight!

Course: Main

Keyword: easy dinner, meatballs, swedish meatballs

Servings: 12 - 16 meatballs

Calories: 182 kcal

Author: Imma

Ingredients

• 1 pound (453.6 g) ground beef
• ¼ cup (12.5 g) panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon (4 g) parsley , chopped
• ¼ teaspoon (0.60 g) ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon (0.50 g) ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup (29 g) onion , finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) minced garlic
• ¾ teaspoon (4 g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

Swedish Sauce

• 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter
• 3 tablespoons (30 g) flour
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef broth
• ¼  cup (60 g) heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons (10 g) garlic
• 2 teaspoons (2 g) thyme (optional)
• ¼  cup (57.5 g) sour cream
• 1 tablespoon (17 g) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine ground beef, panko, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well using a spatula until fully combined.

2. Roll the minced meat mixture into 12 large meatballs or 16 small meatballs. Heat oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

3. Add butter and melt, add in flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown and smooth. Slowly
   stir in beef broth and heavy cream, cook for about a minute. Add garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Slowly stir till it fully comes together. Add in the sour cream, stir it in to fully combine. Bring sauce to a boil and simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

Recipe Notes

1. You can go all ground pork like I do or a 50-50 pork and beef ratio. You can even make this with ground chicken or turkey!
2. Panko breadcrumbs is a Japanese variety of breadcrumb that has light airy and delicate texture that helps it beautifully crisp as it cooks. Furthermore, panko breadcrumbs actually ABSORBS LESS oil than the usual breadcrumbs.
3. For a lower-carb option, you may replace Panko breadcrumbs with almond meal.
4. If you’re watchful with your calorie intake, you can replace heavy cream with reduced-fat cream. Half and half would work, too, but be careful NOT to bring it to a boil or it may separate.
5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.