Swedish Meatballs
I remember when the the first IKEA was built in my area and it was all everyone could talk about. Oddly enough, I heard mention of IKEA’s Swedish Meatballs just as much as I heard about their awesome products. I had friends who would stop in for lunch just to have the meatballs! If you’ve never had Swedish Meatballs before, or if you love them but need a great recipe, TRY THESE!
What is so special about Swedish Meatballs?
Swedish Meatballs actually originated in Turkey and are a meatball dish that is served with a creamy gravy or Swedish Meatball Sauce. Swedish Meatballs are sometimes confused with Italian Meatballs but there are some differences between the two types of meatballs.
Swedish Meatballs are typically smaller in size than Italian meatballs and they are usually made with a 50-50 ratio of ground pork and ground beef. Swedish Meatballs also tend to use spices like allspice and nutmeg for flavoring where Italian meatballs rely more on parmesan and garlic flavoring.
Ingredients in Swedish Meatballs:
Swedish Meatballs are made with onion, ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
The ingredients in Swedish Meatballs Sauce include butter, flour, beef broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.
How to make Swedish Meatballs:
Start by cooking the onions in a little olive oil until they are translucent.
Make the Swedish Meatballs by combining ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, egg yolk, allspice, nutmeg, and sautéed onion. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir the meatball mixture until well combined. Use clean hands to roll the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch in size. This should make about 30 meatballs.
Cook the Swedish Meatballs in a hot skillet with oil, rotating them with a fork until all sides are browned. The meatballs don’t need to be cooked all the way through.
Remove the meatballs to a plate to rest while we cook the Swedish Meatball Sauce.
How to make Swedish Meatballs Sauce:
- Melt butter in a skillet and whisk in flour until it gets slightly browned.
- Gradually whisk in beef broth, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
- Stir in sour cream and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the Swedish Meatballs into the Swedish Meatballs Sauce and serve the meatballs and sauce over cooked egg noodles, or rice.
This is one of those meals that has really simple ingredients and flavor but it’s soo comforting and yummy! Any time I ask Jeff for some dinner ideas this is always at the top of his list. He requests them all the time!
I love to serve Swedish Meatballs with a big side of steamed veggies or a green salad.
Consider trying these popular dinner recipes:
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
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Swedish Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
For the Swedish Meatballs:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 1 onion , diced
- 1 pound ground beef (*see note)
- 1 pound ground pork (see note*)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
For the Gravy
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves , chopped
- Cooked egg noodles or rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg and onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined. Use clean hands to roll the mixture into meatballs about 1 1/2-in in size (It should make about 20-24 meatballs).
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
For the Swedish Meatball Sauce:
- Melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe August 2014. Updated March 2019.
Fanny says
The recipe for swedish meatballs is actually pretty good but why the f*#k would you serve it with rice or noodles!? Traditionally our meatballs are supposed to be served with mashed potato or just boiled potato, raw stirred lingonberries and a brown sauce.
Eigene says
Really you needed to use the ‘Full word!
Unnecessary
D says
Well aren’t you a ray of sunshine 🙄🙄
Paula says
Have you ever considered that some people may not like potatoes or are allergic to ingredients in mashed potatoes. Your comment was really rude and insensitive. Please, if you cant say anything nice dont say anything at all.
Donna says
First of all, you should watch your language. It’s not necessary to be that rude.
Rice or noodles, I’m sure, is just a suggestion. You can serve it any way you want. People like you shouldn’t be commenting.
Kimberly says
Fanny is just acting like a big fanny!!! Pun intended!! 😉 i actually think it would be not so good with a plain old boiled potato and i prefer the noodles. To each their own i guess. But the “f” word is probably the most disgusting thing on this page. No need to be such a fanny about it!! I think the recipe is great!!! Thank you Lauren
Karin says
Because I want to:)
Karrie Ables says
You said why would you serve it with noodles… because we’re in America that’s why. It’s asking for feedback on the actual recipe not what you serve it with… eat it with a hot dog bun…. Pour it open face over a roll or piece of bread. The sauce needs more seasonings & I added a dash of Worcestershire & a little feesh garlic while caramelizing the onion
Cindy says
Wow, calm down. Is it “traditional” to attack someone because you prefer potatoes? Hopefully Lauren’s children don’t like to read the nice comments people leave for their mom.
They look great – will be making a big batch for Christmas Eve!
Lisa says
I make these a lot at my restaurant and my customers love them….I use all beef!
Susan Brown says
I was concerned about the lack of liquid in this recipe, so I moistened the bread crumbs with reduced sodium beef broth and a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, then mixed in the egg yolks, seasoning and cooked onions before mixing in the beef and pork. These are delicious meatballs and I haven’t even made the sauce yet.
Colleen says
I think they are great with potatoes, noodles or rice all 3 are yummy. Thank you and if others have nothing nice to say then they should zip it.
Teri says
I made these as an hors d’oeuvre… I put in slow cooker and will put on buffet table. People will just stab meatball with a toothpick .and eat. I made 2 days ahead of the upcoming holiday and hope they reheat nice!
EMW says
Made this exactly as indicated – sauce was very bland and uneventful. Meatballs…were ok. Not a fan but I tried something different and it just was not the recipe for me unfortunately.
Note to Fanny: I served my dish with egg noodles….and you need your mouth washed out with soap. Using nasty ugly words in a post is very inappropriate.
Dean says
I’m very surprised at your “serving size”. Anyone who has eaten good Swedish Meatballs knows you can’t possibly eat just three. 9 maybe, but not three.