Swedish Meatball Recipe (2024)

by Stephanie on September 5, 2022 (Updated March 11, 2024)416*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »

These juicy and flavorful Swedish Meatballs are smothered in a savory gravy cream sauce and are perfect over noodles or mashed potatoes. This is like no other recipe you’ve ever tried!

Be sure to try my Chicken and Dumplings and Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipes next!

Swedish Meatballs

I’ll just go ahead and say it: I do believe that these Swedish Meatballs are quite possibly the best of the best!

These are not an IKEA replica, (I’ve actually never been to IKEA! 🤯) and I can’t say that I’ve been to Sweden either, but they areamazing, and include some standout ingredients that we’ve come to know and love in America when it comes to this particular dish.

The meatballs themselves are made with a combination of ground beef and pork, along with a touch of allspice and nutmeg. Onions and garlic add flavor and texture, and milk, egg, and breadcrumbs act as a binder. Finally, Parmesan cheese is a little “Cozy” touch that adds a subtle pop of flavor.

The sauce itself is an amazing combination of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and sour cream. My secret ingredient? Chicken Bouillon.It adds the best depth of flavor and contrasts perfectly with the beef broth.

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, milk, onions, garlic, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently incorporate the meat until evenly combined.

Swedish Meatball Recipe (2)

Roll into 1+ 1/2 inch meatballs and chill for 15 minutes, (or overnight). Brown in batches and set aside.

Swedish Meatball Recipe (3)

Melt butter in the same skillet and whisk in flour. Add the sauce mixture (beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and parsley), in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the sour cream to a medium bowl along with some of the sauce, and stir until combined. Stir it into the skillet.

Swedish Meatball Recipe (4)

Add the meatballs back and spoon the sauce on top. Cover partially, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles!

Swedish Meatball Recipe (5)

Using Frozen Meatballs

  • Frozen meatballs can be used in a pinch, just note that the allspice and nutmeg seasonings are what give the meatballs themselves that traditional Swedish meatball flavor, consider adding 1/4 tsp. of each to the sauce itself instead.

Make Ahead Method

  • Roll out the meatballs, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to serving, then follow recipe as outlined.
  • You can alsoflash freeze the uncooked meatballs on a tray for 1 hour. Transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then follow recipe as outlined.

Pro Tips

  • The chicken bouillon in the sauce adds depth of flavor and contrasts nicely with the beef broth. Beef bouillon can be used instead if needed.
  • Use full-fat sour cream to ensure that it doesn’t curdle.
  • Heavy cream can be used instead of sour cream if preferred.
  • Any combination of ground beef, pork, and veal can be used in this recipe.
  • 1 + 1/4 lbs. of meat is perfect for fitting in a 12-inch, high-walled skillet.

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Leftovers freeze fairly well, let them thaw prior to reheating.
  • Reheat in a makeshift double boiler for best results. Refrain from reheating over heat that is too high, as the sauce can break.

Swedish Meatball Recipe (6)

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Swedish Meatball Recipe (13)

Swedish Meatball Recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

4.99 from 162 ratings

Servings: 33 Meatballs

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These juicy and flavorful Swedish Meatballs are smothered in a savory gravy cream sauce that you can serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Meatballs

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
  • ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg, whisked
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¾ lb. ground beef, 80% lean
  • ½ lb. ground pork

Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cube chicken bouillon, see notes
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, can sub mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

Instructions

  • Heat ½ of the olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and garlic. Soften for 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

  • In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onions/garlic, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently incorporate the meat until evenly combined, but without overworking it (otherwise the meatballs will be tough instead of tender).

  • Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place on a plate. (A small cookie scoop makes it easier to roll balls of uniform size.) Transfer to the fridge and let them chill for 15 minutes, or up to overnight. Cover if chilling overnight.

  • While the meatballs chill, combine the beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and parsley in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.

  • Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  • Brown the meatballs in batches, leave plenty of room around each so that you can easily rotate them with a spoon to brown on all sides. Brown for about 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside. Add additional oil and/or decrease heat slightly as needed throughout cooking.

  • Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until it begins to brown.

  • Add the beef broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

  • Place the sour cream in a medium bowl. Spoon some of the sauce into the bowl (about ¼ cup), and stir until well-combined. Stir it into the sauce over low heat until incorporated.

  • Add the meatballs back to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Spoon the sauce on top. Allow them to heat through over low heat for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked through), partially covered. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Notes

Pro Tips:

  • The chicken bouillon in the sauce adds depth of flavor and contrasts nicely with the beef broth. Beef bouillon can be used instead if needed.
  • Use full-fat sour cream to ensure that it doesn’t curdle.
  • Heavy cream can be used instead of sour cream if preferred.
  • Any combination of ground beef, pork, and veal can be used in this recipe.
  • 1 + 1/4 lbs. of meat is perfect for fitting in a 12-inch, high-walled skillet.

Storage:

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Leftovers freeze fairly well, let them thaw prior to reheating.
  • Reheat in a makeshift double boiler for best results. Refrain from reheating over heat that is too high, as the sauce can break.

Nutrition information is an estimate, is per meatball, and includes the sauce. This recipe makes 33 meatballs.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 177mg, Potassium: 86mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.5g, Vitamin A: 83IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Stephanie

Swedish Meatball Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

What are the ingredients in Swedish meatballs superstore? ›

Ingredients: Beef, Water, Soy Flour, Toasted Wheat Crumbs, Soy Proteinconcentrate,seasoning (onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices, Spice Extract, Driedparsley), Salt.

How do you keep Swedish meatballs from falling apart? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

How many meatballs is enough? ›

If you are making 1-ounce meatballs for a main course you should make 6 meatballs per person. If you have some big eaters at the party I suggest making 6-10 bite sized meatballs per person. As you can see, the number of meatballs you need depends on their size.

Why is my Swedish meatball sauce not thickening? ›

How to Thicken Swedish Meatball Sauce. The all-purpose flour in this recipe should do the trick to thicken your Swedish meatball sauce to the right consistency. But if it doesn't, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water) to thicken it up.

How long to cook Swedish meatballs in the oven? ›

Roll the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. You should get about 46 meatballs. Bake in a 400°F (205°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, or until cooked through. You can test to see if they're done by slicing a sacrificial meatball in half.

What is the Swedish meatball scandal? ›

Czech authorities alerted the discount furniture maker that they had found horsemeat in a sample of meatballs, and Ikea subsequently pulled the product from stores in 14 countries.

What makes Swedish meatballs different? ›

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

Does Swedish meatballs contain sour cream? ›

It's All About the Sauce

Flavored with nutmeg and cardamom, these little beef-and-pork meatballs are best served with a Swedish meatball sauce—a rich roux-based and beef stock gravy, spiked with sour cream and a little lingonberry jelly.

What is the secret to making tender meatballs? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Using the wrong amount of bread crumbs (or flour)

Bread crumbs are another popular binder for meatballs that can become problematic if used incorrectly. Adding too many bread crumbs to the mix will cause your meatballs to become loose and fall apart. The same applies to flour.

What makes meatballs stick together better? ›

Most meatball recipes call for a bit of starchy filler, such as dry breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or soaked bread, which is meant to keep the meatballs tender, hold everything together, and help add bulk.

How many eggs do you need to bind meatballs? ›

How many eggs should one add to their ground beef when making homemade Italian style meatballs? 1 egg, scrambled before adding to 1 pound of beef. Then salt, pepper, crushed garlic, bread crumbs. You can use plain or buy seasoned.

What is the perfect size meatball? ›

Typically, meatballs will be somewhere between the size of a large cherry and a golf ball. Recipes such as Swedish meatballs and Italian-inspired meatballs are often made with a mixture of both beef and pork, but meatballs can be made with any red meat, game, poultry or a mixture.

How many meatballs do I need for 12 people? ›

(So helpful if you're serving a huge crowd and doing the math about how many frozen meatballs for 50 or more people!) Here's how many meatballs per person you'll need: One serving = 4 meatballs. Party of 12 = 2 pounds.

What is Ikea meatball gravy made of? ›

Iconic Swedish cream sauce: Melt 40g of butter in a pan. Whisk in 40g of plain flour and stir for 2 mins. Add 300ml of bouillon (or consommé) and continue to stir. Add 150ml double cream, 2 tsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of (Dijon) mustard.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste so good? ›

The Seasoning

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

What is served with Swedish meatballs? ›

Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

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