Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs are a favorite, and best of all, they’re easy to make.

Tender homemade meatballs are simmered in a savory cream sauce for a weeknight favorite. Serve it over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Swedish Meatballs on a plate with noodles

An Easy Weeknight Meal

They make a delicious main dish over potatoes, noodles, or rice; kids love them!
Use homemade or frozen meatballs.
Add mushrooms, onions, or sour cream if you’d like.

pork , milk , spices , salt and pepper , bread crumbs , beef , flour , stock , butter , egg , soy sauce , and cream with labels to make Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients in Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs – Meatballs made with ground beef and pork have great flavor, but you can use all ground beef if you prefer. Choose lean beef (not extra lean) for the best flavor. Frozen meatballs can be used in place of homemade. Traditional Swedish meatballs have some warm spices in the meat mixture, as I’ve added in the recipe below.

Swedish Meatball Sauce—This sauce is simple. It’s made from a mixture of beef stock and heavy cream thickened with a bit of flour. Soy sauce is frequently added to a traditional Swedish meatball sauce, it adds salt and umami (savory flavor).

Variations

If you want to add onion, cook ½ finely diced onion in the butter before adding the flour.
Some or all of the heavy cream can be replaced with sour cream but the flavor will be more similar to a stroganoff.
If you use beef broth instead of beef stock, you may need to add a bouillon cube, as the flavor may be lighter.

adding ingredients to bowl to make Swedish Meatballs

cooking meatballs to make Swedish Meatballs

adding butter to pan to make Swedish Meatballs

adding broth to pan to make Swedish Meatballs sauce

How to Make Swedish Meatballs

These all-purpose meatballs come out juicy and tender every time!

Combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl and form meatballs (recipe below).
Brown the meatballs in a large skillet and set aside.
Cook butter and flour. Whisk in broth and cream smooth. Season and simmer meatballs in the sauce until cooked through.

Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jam, which has a flavor similar to cranberry sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Move over Ikea – homemade Swedish meatballs are easy to make! We love to serve this dish over a bed of egg noodles but they’re great spooned over rice or mashed potatoes too.

Storing Swedish Meatballs

The meatballs can be assembled up to 48 hours in advance or frozen until they’re ready to use.
Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little water if needed.

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These Swedish meatballs are cooked in a creamy, mouthwatering gravy.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine beef, pork, bread crumbs, egg, milk, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and clove. Mix well and roll into 1-inch meatballs (About 45-48 meatballs).
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and brown on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
To make the sauce, add the butter to the drippings in the skillet. Stir in the flour and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in the broth and cream, stirring until smooth after each addition. Add the soy sauce.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer for 5-10 minutes more or until thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley if desired.

*If you replace the beef stock with beef broth, you may need to add extra seasoning or a bit of bouillon.
Heavy cream can be replaced with spreadable cream cheese or sour cream if desired. This will change the flavor of the sauce.
If using prepared frozen meatballs, they do not need to be browned first. They can be simmered from frozen. Homemade frozen meatballs should be thawed first and cooked as directed in the recipe. Meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Main Course

Cuisine American

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