This recipe for easy, homemade Swedish Meatballs in a rich, creamy sauce is one of our favorite comfort foods! These really are the best Swedish meatballs in a simple gravy sauce that is made from scratch that I’ve ever had!
- The Best Swedish Meatball Recipe
- Best Swedish Meatballs Ingredients
- How to make Swedish Meatball Sauce for Homemade Swedish Meatballs
- How do you make Homemade Swedish Meatballs?
- Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe FAQs
- Easy Swedish Meatballs Tips
- Can you freeze Swedish Meatballs?
- What to eat with Swedish Meatballs
- More Easy Dinner Ideas Like This
- Homemade Swedish Meatballs Recipe Recipe
At our house, we definitely love good meatballs. But Swedish meatballs have a unique flavor profile that comes from the addition of spices like allspice and nutmeg. They differ significantly from Italian meatballs which are typically served in a tomato-based sauce and seasoned with basil, oregano, and other Italian spices.
My mom used to make Swedish meatballs for us often when I was growing up so they are total comfort food, but it was one of those dishes that sort of just fell out of the rotation at some point. A rare recent trip to Ikea reminded me how good these are, especially when they are homemade from scratch!
If you love these Swedish meatballs, I’ll bet you will also like my Baked Greek Feta Meatballs , Meatloaf Hamburger Patties and Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles !
The Best Swedish Meatball Recipe
If I’m being honest, I find the Ikea Swedish meatballs only so-so. For me, they are a little on the spongy side and a tad bit too greasy. Having grown up eating my mom’s Swedish meatballs, I knew I could do better at home. Also, our Ikea isn’t super convenient for when I want a meatball fix!
So I picked up some lingonberry jam (because I love the contrast of the rich, creamy gravy and savory flavors of the Swedish meatballs with the contrast of the sweet, tart jam) and went home and made my own!
Another option would be to serve these with cranberry sauce for a similar flavor profile.
Best Swedish Meatballs Ingredients
- White bread: Any kind of white bread will work. You will need three slices.
- Milk: This will add moisture to the meatballs.
- Olive Oil
- Onion: You will grate the onion so they will cook better.
- Ground Beef
- Ground Pork
- Egg: Helps bind the meatballs and help keep its shape.
- Spices: We need salt, black pepper, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, and garlic powder
- Salted butter
Swedish Meatball Sauce Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Beef Broth
- Heavy cream
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh Parsley: This is mainly used for garnish
How to make Swedish Meatball Sauce for Homemade Swedish Meatballs
The easy, savory gravy that coats each one of the tender Swedish meatballs is so simple to throw together in the same pan that you use to cook the meatballs.
Some Swedish meatball recipes call for a combination of beef broth and sour cream to make the cream sauce, much like my Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe , but I think that using a little cream makes for a silkier finish.
How do you make Homemade Swedish Meatballs?
- Add the cubed bread and milk to a large bowl. Let the bread soak for 10 minutes.
- While the bread is soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and garlic powder to the bowl of bread and milk, along with the cooled onions. Mix well with your hands until combined.
- Form 30 small meatballs (each about 1″ in diameter) from the meat mixture and set aside on a baking sheet or plate.
- Heat the remaining oil and butter over medium-high heat in the same skillet used for the onions. Working in batches, fry the meatballs for about 4-5 minutes, rotating to brown on all sides. They don’t need to be completely cooked through yet unless you plan to eat them plain since they will simmer in the Swedish meatball sauce in just a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. If you don’t plan on making the sauce, you will need to cook the meatballs slightly longer, around 6-8 minutes in total, until they are cooked through.
- Once all of the meatballs are browned, make the sauce in the same pan by heating the butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until light brown and bubbly.
- Whisk in broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
A good option if you don’t want to stand by the stove and brown the meatballs in a couple of batches is to bake them in the oven instead. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then arrange the homemade meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup and bake for 18-20 minutes, then add to the sauce.
Truth Bomb! Swedish meatballs are not actually Swedish! King Charles Xll of Sweden lived in Turkey from 1709 to 1714 during the Great Northern War and brought the recipe back with him. He incorporated the meatballs to the Swedish way of life and we are forever grateful that he loved meatballs so much.
You can use the meatballs to make a soup, toss noodles right into the meatballs and sauce for a yummy pasta dish, or you can freeze the leftovers to enjoy later.
Quite a bit actually! The size, the spices used, and the way they are cooked. Swedish meatballs are generally shaped to be much smaller in size, like easily pick one up with a toothpick size, while regular meatballs are much larger in size and you have to cut it to eat it. The seasonings and sauces are also quite different. Swedish meatballs have allspice, nutmeg, and white pepper while classic meatballs use parmesan, fennel seed, oregano, garlic, parsley. The classic Italian meatball is cooked in a bright, tangy tomato sauce while Swedish meatballs are cooked in a creamy gravy sauce made with beef broth and sour cream or heavy cream.
I have had some not so great meatballs in my day and the main culprits? They were usually super dry and had no flavor! For a good meatball you want high quality meat and bold flavors (don’t skimp on the seasoning and add liberally)! Also, make sure your bread soaks in milk to add a good amount of moisture and don’t over mix the meatball mixture.
Easy Swedish Meatballs Tips
- Traditionally, these juicy meatballs are made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork. But you can use all beef, if you prefer, or even swap out part of the ground beef or ground pork for ground turkey.
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture when combining everything. I always just squish it together with my hands until everything is evenly combined, which is messy, but results in more tender meatballs than if you decided to add everything to a mixer and blend it that way.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd or to have extras for freezing!
Can you freeze Swedish Meatballs?
Swedish meatballs are great to make ahead and freeze for busy nights. And leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in and airtight container the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop (although you may need to add a little water or broth to thin out the sauce a bit).
To Freeze Uncooked Swedish Meatballs: One option is to shape and freeze the meatballs without cooking them first. Then just thaw them in the fridge overnight, and brown them and make the sauce the next day for dinner. Since most of the time spent making Swedish meatballs is in the prep of combining the ingredients and shaping the meatballs, this is a really great solution.
To Freeze Cooked Swedish Meatballs: Another option though, is to shape and brown the meatballs, then freeze them before making the sauce. This is a little more prep work up front, but the frozen cooked meatballs can be added to the sauce from frozen and just simmered a little longer until they are hot and cooked all the way through, making for a really easy weeknight meal.
What to eat with Swedish Meatballs
But they are also delicious with the Swedish meatballs and sauce served over rice, egg noodles , or even spaetzle with roasted broccoli on the side.
More Easy Dinner Ideas Like This
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet
- Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs [Chakhokhbili]
Chicken & Poultry
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Beef & Lamb
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Chicken & Poultry
Lemon Chicken Piccata
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Homemade Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients123
Meatballs
- ▢ 3 slices white bread crust removed and cut into small cubes (about ½ cup)
- ▢ 1/2 cup milk
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- ▢ 1/2 large onion grated on the large holes of a box grater
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef
- ▢ 1 pound ground pork
- ▢ 1 egg
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon salted butter
Sauce
- ▢ 1/4 cup salted butter
- ▢ 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 3 cups beef broth
- ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cubed bread and milk to a large bowl. Let the bread soak for 10 minutes. 3 slices white bread, ½ cup milk
- While the bread is soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ large onion
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and garlic powder to the bowl of bread and milk, along with the cooled onions. Mix well with your hands until combined. 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Form about 30 small meatballs (each about 1" in diameter) and set aside on a baking sheet or plate.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat in the same skillet used for the onions. Working in batches, fry the meatballs for about 4-5 minutes, rotating to brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- Once all of the meatballs are browned, make the sauce in the same pan by heating ¼ cup butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until light brown and bubbly. ¼ cup salted butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Whisk in broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. 3 cups beef broth, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
Video
Notes
- When browning, the meatballs don’t need to be completely cooked through unless you plan to eat them plain since they will finish cooking as they simmer in the Swedish meatball sauce. If you don’t plan on making the sauce, you will need to cook the meatballs slightly longer, around 6-8 minutes in total, until they are cooked through.
- Freezing Instructions: The meatballs can be made and frozen either cooked or uncooked. If freezing uncooked meatballs, thaw them in the fridge, then proceed with cooking them as directed in the recipe. If freezing cooked meatballs, they can be added to the sauce while frozen and heated until hot all the way through.
- Oven Method: The meatballs can be cooked in the oven, rather than browning them on the stove. To bake the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400°F, then arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, then add to the sauce.
- This recipe is on page 168 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday !
Nutrition
Homemade Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 3 slices white bread crust removed and cut into small cubes (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 large onion grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
Sauce
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cubed bread and milk to a large bowl. Let the bread soak for 10 minutes. 3 slices white bread, 1/2 cup milk
- While the bread is soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 large onion
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and garlic powder to the bowl of bread and milk, along with the cooled onions. Mix well with your hands until combined. 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Form about 30 small meatballs (each about 1" in diameter) and set aside on a baking sheet or plate.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat in the same skillet used for the onions. Working in batches, fry the meatballs for about 4-5 minutes, rotating to brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- Once all of the meatballs are browned, make the sauce in the same pan by heating 1/4 cup butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until light brown and bubbly. 1/4 cup salted butter, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Whisk in broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. 3 cups beef broth, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
Video
Notes
- When browning, the meatballs don’t need to be completely cooked through unless you plan to eat them plain since they will finish cooking as they simmer in the Swedish meatball sauce. If you don’t plan on making the sauce, you will need to cook the meatballs slightly longer, around 6-8 minutes in total, until they are cooked through.
- Freezing Instructions: The meatballs can be made and frozen either cooked or uncooked. If freezing uncooked meatballs, thaw them in the fridge, then proceed with cooking them as directed in the recipe. If freezing cooked meatballs, they can be added to the sauce while frozen and heated until hot all the way through.
- Oven Method: The meatballs can be cooked in the oven, rather than browning them on the stove. To bake the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400°F, then arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, then add to the sauce.
- This recipe is on page 168 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday !
Nutrition
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