Amazing recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Soft and juicy meatballs in a rich and creamy gravy sauce that adds so much flavor to the meatballs.

Swedish meatballs smothered in a gravy in a skillet topped with greens and two spoons.

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Swedish Meatballs Recipe

This is a traditional Swedish dish for meatballs with a hint of allspice and nutmeg that give them a distinct and authentic flavor. These meatballs are served over the most delicious creamy sauce that is so good as a gravy over our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or fluffy White Rice.

Once you give the recipe a try, you’ll agree, they taste so much better than IKEA’s famous Swedish Meatballs recipe.

Meatballs in a gravy with a spoon on the side.

What goes into Swedish Meatballs?

  • Panko breadcrumbs- Though you can use bread crumbs for the meatballs, we like the texture of the panko crumbs in this recipe.
  • Ground meat- We used a combination of ground beef and pork. The flavors are great and pork adds a tenderness to the meatballs.
  • Spices- For this recipe, all you need is nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper.
  • Onion and garlic- Though not traditional to add these, we love the added flavor they give the meatballs.
  • Beef gravy- the combination of butter, beef stock or broth, heavy whipping cream, and dijon makes for a creamy gravy.

Meatballs and gravy over mashed potatoes topped with greens.

How to Make Swedish Meatballs:

Here’s a detailed guide on how to make the BEST Swedish Meatballs in cream sauce.

Make the Meatballs:

  1. Add the ground beef and pork to a large mixing bowl. Using the star side of a box grater, grate the onion into the meat. In a small bowl mix the panko crumbs and milk, add to the bowl.
  2. Add remaining meatball ingredients, mix well, and shape into 1″ balls.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with oil and cook meatballs in 2 batches for 6-7 minutes, turning halfway. Cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.

Make the Gravy Sauce:

  1. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown.
  2. Stir in the broth, cream, Dijon, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until it thickens, stirring as needed.
  3. Add the meatballs back and toss in the sauce until reheated.

Step by step collage how to make and cook meatballs.

TIPS and Commonly Asked Questions:

  • What to serve meatballs with? Serve the meatballs with gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or your favorite pasta.
  • Can the meatballs be baked? Yes. Line the baking sheet with foil. Bake the meatballs at 400°F, 12-15 minutes or until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers at 165°F.
  • Can I freeze the meatballs? Yes. One the meatballs are cooked and cooled, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze. Then transfer frozen meatballs to a freezer bag. Thaw overnight and continue with the recipe.
  • Uniform in size- You’ll want to be sure to shape the meatballs so they are uniform in size for even cooking. Tip: Use a small ice cream scoop for even meatballs.

Swedish Meatballs Recipe in Creamy sauce served in a skillet garnished with parsley

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

We always keep ground beef and a variety of ground meat in the freezer to make these family-favorite dinner recipes:

Swedish Meatballs in cream sauce with serving spoon
4.96 from 202 votes

Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Juicy and tender meatballs with a rich gravy sauce. Serve the meatballs over mashed potatoes, pure comfort food. This recipe makes 24 meatballs.

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 servings

For the Swedish Meatballs:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef , (10%-15% fat)
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 small onion, grated on star side of box grater
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup panko crumbs
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, (cooking oil), or as needed

For the Gravy Sauce:

Instructions

How to Make Meatballs:

  • In a bowl combine the panko crumbs with milk. Add remaining ingredients for the meatballs and mix well. Shape into 24 meatballs.
  • Add 2 Tbsp oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, cook meatballs in 2 batches until golden brown and cooked through (6-7 minutes), turning as needed. Add more oil as needed. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.

How to Make Gravy Sauce:

  • In the same skillet, melt the butter. Quickly whisk in the flour and cook until golden.
  • Stir in the broth, heavy whipping cream, Dijon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook it thickens.
  • Add back the meatballs and toss in the gravy sauce. Cook until meatballs are heated through.

Nutrition Per Serving

458kcal Calories7g Carbs25g Protein36g Fat17g Saturated Fat153mg Cholesterol595mg Sodium472mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar657IU Vitamin A2mg Vitamin C60mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
458
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
36
g
55
%
Saturated Fat
 
17
g
106
%
Cholesterol
 
153
mg
51
%
Sodium
 
595
mg
26
%
Potassium
 
472
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
7
g
2
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
25
g
50
%
Vitamin A
 
657
IU
13
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
60
mg
6
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Valentina Ablaev
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: swedish meatballs
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$