Swedish Meatballs

This easy Swedish Meatballs recipe is a total winner for dinner. These homemade beef and pork meatballs are smothered in creamy gravy and will have everyone asking for seconds.

Love homemade meatball recipes? Make sure to check out my German Meatballs too!

My Favorite Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Swedish Meatballs are a total comfort food recipe in my house. Juicy beef and pork meatballs covered in rich gravy? Sign me up! Especially if there are some egg noodles lying around nearby.

Homemade meatballs like these ones are truly a gift to us all. They’re totally flavorful and juicy, and when you cook them in the oil, they get that perfect crispy exterior. It’s always a struggle not to eat them right out of the skillet!

What are Swedish Meatballs?

As you can see from the name, Swedish Meatballs are different from Italian Meatballs. Italian meatballs are generally a little bit bigger and served in tangy tomato sauce. Swedish Meatballs, on the other hand, are served in a creamy, rich gravy, and the meatballs themselves are made from beef AND pork. They also have nutmeg and allspice in them instead of garlic.

In other words, they’re absolutely delicious, and you’ve gotta try them!

Recipe Ingredients

What do you need in order to get these Swedish meatballs on the dinner table? Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

For the Meatballs:

• Ground Beef: I used 1 pound of lean ground beef.
• Ground Pork: You can sub in ground turkey meat instead, the meatballs will also taste great that way.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: You can use other store brands too, but Panko breadcrumbs are my favorite.
• Yellow Onion
• Egg
• Dried Parsley: Or 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped.
• Garlic Powder: You don’t have to use garlic power, traditional Swedish meatballs don’t use it, but I think it adds great flavor.
• Herbs and Spices: Kosher salt, black pepper, allspice and nutmeg
• Olive Oil
• Butter

For the Gravy:

• Butter
• All Purpose Flour
• Beef Broth
• Heavy Cream: Reduced fat heavy cream is fine if you prefer to use that.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dijon Mustard: Yellow mustard will also work in a pinch.
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make Swedish Meatballs

If you haven’t made homemade meatballs before, don’t worry! They’re super easy to make and they taste so much better than frozen meatballs. This is all you’ll need to do:

For the Meatballs

1. Combine Meat and Seasonings: In a large bowl combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg. Using your hands mix until combined.
2. Build the Meatballs: Form the mixture into 20 meatballs.
3. Cook the Meatballs: Heat a 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter  in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs into the skillet and cook until browned on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and butter to the skillet. Repeat with the remaining meatballs, transferring them to the covered plate as well.

For the Gravy

1. Combine Ingredients & Cook: In the same skillet over medium heat add the butter and flour, whisking together until combined and brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly stream in the broth and cream, whisking constantly to combine. Add in the Worcestershire sauce and mustard, stir and cook, stirring frequently until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Mix In the Meatballs: Add the meatballs back into the skillet and simmer together for 5 minutes. Garnish with extra parsley, if desired.

Tips for the Best Meatballs

Pretty darn easy, huh? Even so, here are a few tips to help you get the best possible results with your meatballs.

• Make the Gravy in the Same Pan: don’t wash the skillet after you’ve made the meatballs! The most flavorful gravy uses up the leftover grease and tiny bits of meatball.
• Keep Your Meatballs on the Small Side: smaller meatballs will cook faster, and it will be harder to undercook them as well.
• Don’t Cook All the Meatballs at Once: to get them truly browned and crispy, you’ll need a little space.
• Use Heavy Cream: heavy cream makes for the best gravy, but if you’re looking to save calories you could use reduced fat cream.

How Do You Eat Swedish Meatballs?

Now that you’ve gone to all this trouble to make beautiful meatballs, what can you serve them with? Here are a couple of ideas:

• Noodles: Egg noodles and rice are popular choices in my house. Use store-bought, or even try my Homemade Egg Noodles!
• Mashed Potatoes: You’ve already got the gravy, why not add in the mashed potatoes?
• Veggies: A side of greens or roasted veggies goes really well with these meatballs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Extras

• Fridge: Leftovers (if you have them!) can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: You can also freeze the meatballs before you put them in the gravy, if you want, and then make the gravy later. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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More Easy Dinner Ideas

• Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
• Pierogi Casserole
• Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
• Kalua Crock Pot Pulled Pork
• Mushroom and Garlic Butter Pasta

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