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Swedish Meatball Recipe

Best Swedish Meatballs

These tender, flavorful Swedish meatballs are made with ground beef and pork, seasoned with allspice and nutmeg, then smothered in a rich cream sauce. Perfect comfort food that's ready in just over an hour.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Swedish
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatball Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 large egg whisked
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 lb ground beef 80% lean
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
Cream Sauce Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cube chicken bouillon
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature

Equipment

  • Large high-walled skillet
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small cookie scoop
  • Whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook diced onions and garlic for 5 minutes until soft. Let cool completely.
  2. In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, milk, and cooled onion mixture. Add seasonings including allspice and nutmeg.
  3. Gently mix in ground beef and pork until just combined. Don't overmix or meatballs will be tough.
  4. Roll mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs using a small cookie scoop for uniform size. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  5. Heat remaining olive oil in your skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches, turning carefully to brown all sides (about 1 minute per side). Remove and set aside.
  6. In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  7. Combine beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and parsley in a measuring cup. Add to skillet slowly, stirring continuously.
  8. Place sour cream in a bowl and gradually add some hot sauce to temper it. Stir this mixture back into the skillet.
  9. Return meatballs to skillet and spoon sauce over them. Cover partially and simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 160°F).

Notes

Use full-fat sour cream to prevent curdling. The chicken bouillon adds depth of flavor and contrasts nicely with the beef broth. Any combination of ground beef, pork, and veal can be used. Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat using low heat to prevent sauce from breaking.