Go Back
+ servings
scooping out swedish meatballs drizzled with gravy
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Swedish Meatballs

These Homemade Swedish Meatballs are bite size balls of beef and pork smothered in a rich brown gravy. Serve them as an appetizer or over mashed potatoes for a comforting and belly warming meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy swedish meatballs, how to make swedish meatballs, ikea swedish meatballs, swedish meatballs, swedish meatballs recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 454kcal

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 2 cups cubed fresh bread, use fresh sliced bread, remove crusts
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 small yellow onion, grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl; pour milk over bread cubes and let sit for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed all the milk.
  • Using two forks, shred the bread into tiny pieces.
  • To the bread mixture add grated onions, egg, garlic, beef, pork, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg.
  • Mix everything together until well combined. It’s best to use your hands to mix it all together.
  • At this point, you can chill the mixture for 15 to 30 minutes so it’s easier to roll out the meatballs. This is not a must, but it does help.
  • Form the mixture into about 24 meatballs. Mixture will be wet.
  • Set a large frying pan over medium-high heat; heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides; this should take about 5 to 6 minutes for each batch, depending on the size of the meatballs. Use a spoon to turn them over; turn over gently so they don’t break apart.
  • Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate and cover with foil.

Make the sauce:

  • Add 3 tablespoons butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
  • Whisk in the flour; continue to whisk until dissolved and brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Slowly pour in the broth and whisk; the broth will sputter and seize up a bit, but just keep stirring and the sauce will eventually loosen up.
  • Add the cream while continuously whisking. Don't stop whisking because the heavy cream will curdle.
  • Whisk in Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper; bring mixture to a simmer and continue to cook until thickened and smooth.
  • Stir to combine the flavors.
  • Return meatballs to the pan; cook on low heat just to warm through and gravy to thicken, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.
  • Or, add toothpicks to each meatball and serve as an appetizer.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 654IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg