Yield: 6 servings
Easy Swedish Meatballs
Ready in just 40 minutes, these tender and juicy Swedish meatballs are smothered in a thick, rich, and creamy gravy. In a rush? Use pre-made frozen meatballs with our Swedish meatball sauce!
Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying pan
Swedish Meatball Sauce
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream, or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
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Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef and pork. Mix in all the other meatball ingredients by hand (except the olive oil) until well combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, or your hands, to shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Optional: Place on a clean platter, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. This helps the meatballs retain their round shape when cooking, but can be skipped!
- In a large non-stick skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding, add the meatballs. Cook meatballs, turning continuously until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Swedish Meatball Sauce
- Add the butter to the skillet and scrape up any stuck on meat pieces. Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until no lumps remain and flour just begins to brown.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth and then the heavy cream. Whisk in the soy sauce and mustard and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cooking and stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Then, add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 3 minutes to warm through.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, or my favorite cauliflower mash for a low carb option. To serve them like they do in Sweden, don't forget the ligonberry jam on the side!
Notes
- Bake Meatballs: Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave under a dampened paper towel, adding in a splash of cream to thin the sauce if needed.
- Freeze: I do not recommend freezing the cream sauce as it can separate one frozen and thawed, however you can freeze the meatballs themselves. Freeze baked - or unbaked - meatballs on a cookie sheet in an even layer for 30 minutes, then transfer them to a freezer safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 605kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 47g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 194mg, Sodium: 810mg, Potassium: 634mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 815IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 3mg