This Swedish Meatballs recipe is a family favorite. The meatballs are super tender, perfectly seasoned, and smothered in a rich and creamy sauce. So good!
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Why You'll Love It
These Swedish meatballs are simple to make and can be on your table in only 30 minutes. Because the meatballs are small they only need about 10 to 15 minutes to cook through.
While the meatballs are in the oven you can get the sauce going. This creamy gravy is rich with flavor and makes this into a cozy comfort dish your whole family will love.
And get this...my Swedish meatball recipe is even approved by the Swedish Chef himself!
Ingredients
Here are some notes on each of the Swedish meatball ingredients you'll need to make this recipe:
- Ground beef and pork - I usually use the pre-mixed package of meatloaf mix from the supermarket. It's a 50/50 mix of beef and pork. You can use all beef, or all pork, or even substitute ground chicken or turkey. Some stores also carry a meatloaf mix or ground beef, pork, and veal.
- Panko breadcrumbs - The panko acts as a binder and also help keeps your meatballs moist by absorbing the juices released by the meat as it cooks.
- Eggs - Help bind the ingredients together.
- Onion and Garlic - I prefer to use a garlic press for the garlic and a box grater for the onion. This turns the onion and garlic into a pulp that just melts into the meatballs.
- Milk - We typically have 2 percent milk in the house, but you can use whole milk too if you want.
- Parsley - Chopped parsley adds a freshness and hint of color to your meatballs. be sure to save some to garnish the finished dish.
- Spices and seasonings - Just the right mix of salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg make this the best Swedish meatball recipe.
- Butter and flour - Used to make a roux which will serve as the foundation of our Swedish meatball sauce.
- Beef broth - Use a good quality broth to maximize the flavor.
- Heavy cream - Adds a rich and creamy decadence to the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce - Adds a depth and complexity.
- Dijon mustard - My kids hate mustard in anything, but I sneak a little in when they're not looking. 🙂
- Better than Bouillon (beef flavor) - My secret ingredient. A little goes a long way and you can skip this ingredient but I find it provides an amazing richness of flavor that can't be beat.
How To Make Swedish Meatballs
Scroll down to the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
First gather all of your ingredients and place them in a large mixing bowl. This includes the beef/pork, panko, onion, garlic, eggs, milk and seasonings. I find you get better results when you whisk the eggs and milk together before adding to the dry ingredients.
Use your hands to mix the ingredients until well combined. Then shape the meat into balls about an ounce to an ounce and a half each and place them on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray.
You should end up with roughly 40 meatballs, give or take a few.
Pro Tip
Rub a little cooking oil on your hands before rolling the meatballs to prevent the mixture from sticking to your fingers.
How can you be sure your Swedish meatballs are the right size?
If you have a kitchen scale like this one you can weigh your meatballs to make sure they are between 1 and 1 ½ ounces each. Another trick is to just make each meatball roughly the size of a regulation golf ball.
Once you've finished rolling out the meatballs, you can pop them in the oven preheated to 350 F. While they're cooking we can get started on the sauce.
Start by melting butter in a skillet and then whisking in flour to make a roux. Then whisk in the beef broth, cream, and seasonings. Add the cooked meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Let simmer for a few minutes and then serve.
Substitutions And Variations
- You can use any combination of ground beef, pork, or veal in this recipe. Ground chicken or turkey will also work.
- I like baking the meatballs because its a little healthier, but you can also pan fry them with a little butter or cooking oil.
- Use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko.
- Swap out the heavy cream and use sour cream instead.
What To Serve With Swedish Meatballs
- Swedish meatballs, or köttbullar, are traditionally served with lingonberry jam. You can get some at Ikea or on Amazon, or use homemade cranberry sauce instead.
- They are great with egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, or rice.
- Swedish meatballs make a great appetizer for parties. Stick some toothpicks in them to make it easy for guests to pop them in their mouth.
Leftovers And Storage
Leftover Swedish meatballs will keep in the fridge for about three to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over low heat.
Swedish meatballs are great for meal planning because they're quick to cook and you can make them in big batches, flash freeze them, and store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.
They're great to keep in the freezer for those busy weeknights when time is extra tight. Just make some fresh sauce, add the meatballs, and let them simmer until defrosted and heated through.
FAQs
Swedish meatballs can be made in advance and heated up when needed. For best results, store the cooked meatballs in the fridge before adding them to the sauce and then reheat them by letting the meatballs simmer in a fresh sauce.
In a pinch, Swedish meatballs can be made with frozen store-bought meatballs, but they won't have quite the same flavor since you can't add seasonings like nutmeg and allspice to premade meatballs.
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup onion
- ½ cup panko
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon beef flavor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray baking sheet(s) with non-stick spray.
- Combine the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, panko, onion, garlic, eggs, milk, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Form the meatballs. Roll the mixture into balls about 1 to 1 ½ ounces each. If you have a kitchen scale you can weigh them. If not, aim for meatballs about the size of a golf ball.
- Bake the meatballs in the oven until cooked through (about 10 to 12 minutes).
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until combined and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add the beef broth, stirring continuously. Bring to a simmer and then stir in the heavy cream, Dijon, Worcestershire, and Better than Bouillon.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce on top. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Notes
- Rub a little cooking oil on your hands before rolling the meatballs to prevent the mixture from sticking.
- You can use any combination of ground beef, pork, or veal in this recipe. Ground chicken or turkey will also work.
- If you're making a larger batch of meatballs than you need, freeze the unused portion before adding to the sauce. Then you can whip up some fresh sauce and reheat the frozen meatballs on the stove.
Nutrition
I'm not a trained chef, just an average guy who taught himself how to cook. I make easy meals that anyone make themselves. If I can cook it, so can YOU!
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