When I had my first baby, Maddie, friends and family showed up with meals (thank goodness!). One of the dishes that stood out the most was my sister's famous Homemade Swedish Meatballs. She served them with a rich, creamy gravy over big scoops of buttery mashed potatoes, my husband and I devoured every single bite. It truly felt like comfort food at its best and was such a lifesaver during that time.
I'm so excited to share my sister's classic Swedish Meatball recipe here with you. Tender, delicious meatballs are simmered in a creamy, flavorful sauce. Whether you serve them over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or even rice, I know you're going to love them as much as we do.
Jump to:
- Why Youโll Love This Recipe for Swedish Meatballs
- What Are Traditional Swedish Meatballs
- Ingredients for Traditional Swedish Meatballs
- How to Make Easy Swedish Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Serving
- Storing
- Freezing
- Recipe Tips
- More Next Level Dinner Recipes
- Did you make this recipe?
- Easy Swedish Meatballs Recipe
- Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Swedish Meatballs
- These are not your run of the mill “cream of soup” Swedish Meatballs. The rich and creamy sauce is made from scratch.
- Meatballs made with a panade will always be more tender and juicy.
- 50% ground pork and 50% ground beef is a great mixture for Swedish Meatballs.
- You can serve these over buttered garlic egg noodles, mashed potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Rice, whatever fits your diet, mood and budget.
FIVE STARS! Growing up, we used to go to a Swedish restaurant that had an amazing Sunday brunch and my favorite thing to get was the Swedish meatballs. This recipe takes me right backโฆso much flavor and the creamy sauce is truly next level! – Lori
What Are Traditional Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Meatballs in Sweden are called Kรถttbullar, and pronounced "SHUT-boo-lahr“.
This recipe is definitely an Americanized version of Swedish meatballs.
TRUE Swedish Meatballs, in Sweden, are generally not served in any type of gravy or sauce. If they are it may be a very light version of what we consider Swedish meatball sauce. They are commonly served over a buttered pasta or mashed potatoes with a Lingonberry Jam or pickled cucumbers on the side.
Ingredients for Traditional Swedish Meatballs
Pictured are the ingredients you need to make Swedish Meatballs and the Gravy Sauce.
Ground Beef– an 85/15, 90/10 or 93/7 are great ratios to use in your Swedish Meatballs.
Ground Pork– you want to grab regular ground pork here. This is not the time to use a sausage/flavored product.
Onion – A yellow or white onion will work here. Make sure you very finely chop the onion so you don’t have large chunks in your meatballs. If a slight onion crunch is not your favorite, you can also grate the onion.
Panade
In this Swedish meatball recipe we make the meatballs with a panade, which keeps them moist and tender!
A panade is a mix of a starch, usually bread or crackers, mixed with a liquid, usually milk, stock or egg, to keep a meat mixture juicy. This is a common practice with meatballs or meatloaf.
How to Make Easy Swedish Meatballs
There are three main steps for making NEXT LEVEL Swedish Meatballs: making killer meatballs, a delicious homemade sauce, and then combining the two:
- Start by combining the beaten eggs and panko bread crumbs. Let sit for a few minutes to soften.
- Now add the onion, garlic, parsley, all spice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Give a quick mix.
- Add the beef and pork and mix with clean hands to combine everything.
4. Form your Swedish meatballs about 1 ยฝ inches each.
5. Now add oil to a large skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches.
6. Remove the cooked meatballs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
7. If there is excess grease in the skillet wipe it out.
8. Now add the butter to the skillet and melt.
9. Sprinkle in the flour and let it cook into the butter for about 2 minutes, stirring.
10. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer.
11. Whisk in the Worcestershire, Dijon, Kosher salt and pepper.
12. Once the sauce is thickened add the meatballs and juices to the pan. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
Swedish Meatballs Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Swap out the proteins – use a ground turkey or chicken, or make the meatballs with a combo or pork and veal.
- No breadcrumbsโฆ use crushed saltine crackers! You may want to dial back the salt content if you use this swap.
- Add fresh dill – chop up a little fresh dill and add to the meatball mixture, then sprinkle a little over top when serving. It will give you a really fresh flavor in this savory dish.
- Horseradish Lovers – stir just a skosh of grated horseradish into the meatball mixture.
- Mushroom in the sauce – if you like mushrooms , slice up some baby bella or button mushrooms and saute in the butter before moving on with making the sauce.
- Serving Variations – there are lots of options when it comes to serving the Swedish Meatballs. We love to spoon it over mashed potatoes. Garlic butter noodles are great too. Pile the meatballs and sauce over top a piece of rye bread.
Serving
Serve your Swedish Meatballs over mashed potatoes (or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes), rice, or garlic buttered egg noodles. Then pour the sauce over top.
It also goes great with warm bread, a side salad, and/or vegetable side dish, like:
Storing
Store leftover Swedish Meatballs in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.
Freezing
To freeze the meatballs prepare and brown completely, then freeze individually on a rimmed baking tray. Once frozen solid move to a freezer safe baggie and keep for 3 months.
I don’t recommend freezing the sauce/gravy because of the cream content. It can tend to separate after freezing.
To reheat the meatballs place in a 350 degree oven on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Then simmer in the gravy on the stove top.
Recipe Tips
- If you do not like a slight onion texture in your meatballs you can grate the onion. You will still get the flavor but not the extra texture.
- Don’t skip the panade in your meatballs. It keeps them nice and juicy!
- If you like your sauce a little thicker, whisk in a beurre manie (1 tablespoon softened butter mixed with 1 tablespoon flour) and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute.
- Don’t make the meatballs any larger than 1 ยฝ inches, or they will struggle to cook through in the skillet.
More Next Level Dinner Recipes
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Easy Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef - 85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 eggs - lightly beaten
- ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion - very finely diced -(if you don't like an onion texture you can grate the onion)
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley - chopped
- ยผ tsp. ground allspice
- ยผ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 ยฝ tsp. kosher salt
- ยผ tsp. pepper
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
Homemade Sauce/Gravy
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- ยผ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ยฝ tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ยฝ tsp. pepper
Serving
- Mashed Potatoes, Rice or Egg Noodles for serving
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the beaten eggs and the panko breadcrumbs and let sit for 2-3 minutes to soften.2 eggs, ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Add in the diced onion, garlic, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper, ground beef and ground pork. Using clean hands or a large spoon, mix until thoroughly combined.1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, ยผ tsp. ground allspice, ยผ tsp. ground nutmeg, 1 ยฝ tsp. kosher salt, ยผ tsp. pepper, 1 pound ground pork
- Roll the mixture into 1 ยฝ inch meatballs (you will have approx. 30 meatballs). Set meatballs aside.
- In a large skillet heat the 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add half the meatballs and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked through (depending on how cold your meat/meatballs are this can take about 10 minutes).1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Transfer the meatballs to a plate and cover tightly with foil.
- Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- If there is a lot of extra grease, wipe the skillet clean so your sauce is not overly greasy. Now add 4 Tbsp. butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat .4 Tbsp. butter
- Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until it turns golden brown (about 1-2 minutes).ยผ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth and heavy cream. Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken (approx. 10-15 minutes).Be patient this can take, what feels like, a long time! But it will thicken beautifully into a glossy sauce.However if you like it thicker your can add a beurre manie, 1 tablespoon softened butter mashed together with 1 tablespoon flour, whisk it in and simmer for 1 minute.3 cups beef broth, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 ยฝ tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. kosher salt, ยฝ tsp. pepper
- Once the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, add the meatballs and any accumulated juices back into the skillet and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
- Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.
Freezing
- To freeze the meatballs prepare and brown completely, then freeze individually on a rimmed baking tray. Once frozen solid move to a freezer safe baggie and keep for 3 months.
- I don't recommend freezing the sauce/gravy because of the cream content. It can tend to separate after freezing. Instead make the gravy when you remove the meatballs for serving.
- To reheat the meatballs from frozen: place in a 350 degree oven on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Then simmer in the gravy on the stove top.
- To reheat the meatballs thawed: place the meatballs in the fridge overnight to thaw. Prepare the sauce/gravy and then simmer the meatballs in the sauce until heated through- approx. 15 minutes.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- If you do not like a slight onion texture in your meatballs you can grate the onion. You will still get the flavor but not the extra texture.
- Don’t skip the panade in your meatballs. It keeps them nice and juicy!
- If you like your sauce a little thicker, whisk in a beurre manie (1 tablespoon softened butter mixed with 1 tablespoon flour) and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute.
- Don’t make the meatballs any larger than 1 ยฝ inches, or they will struggle to cook through in the skillet.
Susan Padilla says
These meatballs are so delicious, love the flavor and texture. I was surprised by the nutmeg but it added a really nice kick to it and my family loved them ๐
local yokel says
Very good, but it is a lot of work. The only change I’d make is using sour cream instead of heavy cream.
Susie Weinrich says
It is a bit of work… I’ve had some say they use this recipe but will use a premade meatball.
Lori says
Growing up, we used to go to a Swedish restaurant that had an amazing Sunday brunch and my favorite thing to get was the Swedish meatballs. This recipe takes me right back…so much flavor and the creamy sauce is truly next level!
Lori says
Growing up, we used to go to a Swedish restaurant that had an amazing Sunday brunch and my favorite thing to get was the Swedish meatballs. This recipe takes me right back…so much flavor and the creamy sauce is truly next level! Worth more than 5 stars!
Lauren says
I grew up eating these and haven’t found a recipe I’ve loved, until this one. Everyone in my house enjoyed it and went for seconds.
Craig says
Absolutely fantastic!!!