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Swedish Meatballs

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ByDenay DeGuzman

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Swedish meatballs are a delicious, savory comfort food! Perfectly spiced, they’re brown and crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. The creamy Swedish meatball sauce is deeply satisfying.

PIN SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Swedish meatballs in a skillet with Swedish meatball gravy, garnished with Italian parsley.

If you like IKEA Swedish meatballs, you’ll love this tasty recipe. It’s made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It’s the ideal mid-week meal for busy families. Get dinner on the table in 30 minutes!

Looking for appetizer meatballs? Try these crockpot BBQ meatballs served with food picks, or these flavorful buffalo chicken meatballs.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS

These are the best Swedish meatballs and gravy you’ve ever tasted! Even picky kids will love them. Served over buttered noodles or fluffy mashed potatoes, your family will request this dinner again and again! The meatballs can also be served as party appetizers or snacks. 

Here’s what you’ll need for this easy one-pot meal:

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

  • Ground beef
  • Ground pork
  • Fresh Italian parsley
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Large eggs
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic cloves
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground allspice
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Vegetable oil – for the pan

SWEDISH MEATBALL GRAVY

  • Butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Beef broth
  • Heavy cream
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper

MORE EASY DINNER RECIPES

If you love this easy Swedish meatball recipe, you’ll enjoy these too:

Ingredients for Swedish Meatballs on a John Boos board with metal scoop and garlic press.

HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALLS

This recipe makes 20 medium-sized meatballs. But today I meal prepped and doubled the recipe! I encourage you to do the same. Having ready-made meals on hand makes life so much easier!

Follow these easy step-by-step directions for making the best Swedish meatballs!

  • STEP 1: Add meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl.
  • STEP 2: Combine ingredients with a wooden spoon.
  • STEP 3: Form Swedish meatballs with a metal scoop (1.5 inches across) and/or clean hands.
  • STEP 4: Add vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches. Rotate each meatball until it’s browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. For food safety, they should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F with no red in the middle. Transfer them to a covered baking dish and place in a warm oven.

NOTE: You can make smaller meatballs, but don’t make larger ones as they won’t cook through.

Four-image collage showing how to make Swedish meatballs from scratch.

HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALL SAUCE

This rich creamy gravy will make you salivate with delight! It takes this classic recipe to the next level. Here’s how to make it, step by step:

  • STEP 1: Gather ingredients for Swedish meatball gravy. Open lids of each product. Have everything ready to go. When making a roux, you must keep whisking with no distractions. Don’t stop until you’re done. I learned this sage advice at a cooking class in New Orleans!
  • STEP 2: Leave drippings from meatballs in the skillet. Over low heat, add butter and flour. Whisk until the roux is light brown and smooth with no lumps (about 1-2 minutes). 
  • STEP 3: Gradually pour in broth and continue to whisk. Raise heat to medium-low. Once gravy has thickened, add  mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk. Add heavy cream. Whisk. Bring sauce to a simmer. Do not allow it to boil!
  • STEP 4: Return meatballs to the skillet. Sprinkle with parsley.
Four-image collage showing how to make Swedish meatball sauce, step by step.

HOW TO SERVE SWEDISH MEATBALLS AND GRAVY

Spoon them over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, rice, or creamy polenta. Veggie side dishes include Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans, or peas with pearl onions. A traditional condiment is lingonberry jam!

Swedish meatballs and gravy served over mashed potatoes.

EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST SWEDISH MEATBALLS!

Sometimes we’re stuck at home and can’t run to the market to pick up a few missing ingredients. Here’s how you can still make this delicious recipe with some substitutions!

  • NO PANKO BREAD CRUMBS? Make your own! Remove crusts from slices of white bread. In a food processor or with your hands, shred bread into coarse crumbs. Spread them on baking tray. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 325°F oven, flipping halfway through. Crumbs should be dry and crisp.
  • NO PARMESAN CHEESE? Use more Panko bread crumbs.
  • FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY SWAP: Dried parsley flakes or dried oregano.
  • YELLOW ONION SUBSTITUTE: Dried onion flakes.
  • BEEF BROTH SWAP: Chicken broth or vegetable broth. You can also create broth with bouillon cubes or bouillon granules and hot water.
  • HEAVY CREAM REPLACEMENT: Sour cream.
  • WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE SWAP: Soy sauce.
  • DIJON MUSTARD SUBSTITUTE: 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard. Or skip the mustard completely.
Swedish meatballs in a black Staub cast-iron skillet.

I WANT WHAT SHE HAS

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Swedish Meatballs with Swedish meatball gravy in a black Staub skillet.

EASY SWEDISH MEATBALLS > RATE THIS RECIPE! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My family says these are the best Swedish meatballs! They’re better than IKEA’s version. If you agree, give this delicious recipe a 5-star rating in the comments below! And let me know how this recipe worked for you.

Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com
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Swedish meatballs in a skillet with Swedish meatball gravy, garnished with Italian parsley.

Swedish Meatballs

★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews
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Description

These tasty Swedish meatballs will have your family drooling at the dinner table!  Bathed in a thick creamy gravy, this recipe is flavorful and delicious. Make this savory one-pot meal in 30 minutes! Serves 4.

Ingredients

Scale

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, packed
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil – for the pan

SWEDISH MEATBALL GRAVY

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly-ground

Instructions

BEST SWEDISH MEATBALLS

  1. Add meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl. Combine ingredients with a wooden spoon. Form Swedish meatballs with a metal scoop (1.5 inches across) and/or clean hands.
  2. Add vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches. Rotate each meatball until it’s browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. For food safety, they should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F with no red in the middle. Transfer them to a covered baking dish and place in a warm oven.Transfer them to a covered baking dish and place in a warm oven.

NOTE: This recipe makes 20 medium-sized meatballs. You can make smaller meatballs, but don’t make larger ones as they won’t cook through.

SWEDISH MEATBALL SAUCE

  1. Gather ingredients for Swedish meatball gravy. Open lids of each product. Have everything ready to go. When making a roux, you must keep whisking with no distractions. Don’t stop until you’re done. I learned this sage advice at a cooking class in New Orleans!
  2. Leave drippings from meatballs in the skillet. Over low heat, add butter and flour. Whisk until the roux is light brown and smooth with no lumps (about 1-2 minutes). Gradually pour in broth and continue to whisk. Raise heat to medium-low. Once gravy has thickened, add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk. Add heavy cream. Whisk. Bring sauce to a simmer. Do not allow it to boil!
  3. Return meatballs to the skillet. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.

 

Equipment

Notes

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS: Sometimes we’re stuck at home and can’t run to the market to pick up a few missing items. Here are a few helpful ingredient swaps!

  • NO PANKO BREAD CRUMBS? Make your own! Remove crusts from slices of white bread. In a food processor, or with your hands, shred bread into coarse crumbs. Spread them on baking tray. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 325°F oven, flipping halfway through. The crumbs should be dry and crisp.
  • NO PARMESAN CHEESE? Use more Panko bread crumbs.
  • FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY SWAP: Dried parsley flakes or dried oregano.
  • YELLOW ONION SUBSTITUTE: Dried onion flakes.
  • BEEF BROTH SWAP: Chicken broth or vegetable broth. You can also create broth with bouillon cubes or bouillon granules and hot water.
  • HEAVY CREAM REPLACEMENT: Sour cream.
  • WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE SUBSTITUTE: Soy sauce.
  • DIJON MUSTARD SWAP: 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard. Or skip the mustard completely!
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 Minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Sweden

Keywords: Swedish Meatballs, Swedish Meatball Sauce, Swedish Meatball Gravy

Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com

SWEDISH MEATBALLS > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Do you love IKEA Swedish meatballs? Would you like to make this savory homemade recipe? Share your thoughts below!

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7 Comments

  3. Sometimes I go to Ikea just for the meatballs, lol. These look like they’re even tastier, and I love that I don’t have to leave my house to enjoy them ;)

    ★★★★★

    Reply