These juicy and flavorful Swedish Meatballs are smothered in a savory gravy cream sauce and are perfect over noodles or mashed potatoes. This is like no other recipe you’ve ever tried!
I’ll just go ahead and say it: I do believe that these Swedish Meatballs are quite possibly the best of the best!
These are not an IKEA replica, (I’ve actually never been to IKEA! ) and I can’t say that I’ve been to Sweden either, but they are amazing, and include some standout ingredients that we’ve come to know and love in America when it comes to this particular dish.
The meatballs themselves are made with a combination of ground beef and pork, along with a touch of allspice and nutmeg. Onions and garlic add flavor and texture, and milk, egg, and breadcrumbs act as a binder. Finally, Parmesan cheese is a little “Cozy” touch that adds a subtle pop of flavor.
The sauce itself is an amazing combination of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and sour cream. My secret ingredient? Chicken Bouillon. It adds the best depth of flavor and contrasts perfectly with the beef broth.
Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, milk, onions, garlic, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently incorporate the meat until evenly combined.
Roll into 1+ 1/2 inch meatballs and chill for 15 minutes, (or overnight). Brown in batches and set aside.
Melt butter in the same skillet and whisk in flour. Add the sauce mixture (beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and parsley), in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the sour cream to a medium bowl along with some of the sauce, and stir until combined. Stir it into the skillet.
Add the meatballs back and spoon the sauce on top. Cover partially, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles!
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Swedish Meatball Recipe
These juicy and flavorful Swedish Meatballs are smothered in a savory gravy cream sauce that you can serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.
Prep: 25min
Total: 65min
Yield: 33
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 75 kcal, Carbohydrate 2 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Trans Fat 0.1 g, Cholesterol 23 mg, Sodium 177 mg, Fiber 0.1 g, Sugar 0.5 g, unSaturated Fat 2.4 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided in half)
- ½ cup yellow onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated from a wedge)
- 1 large egg (whisked)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ lb. ground beef (80% lean)
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cube chicken bouillon (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (can sub mustard powder)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
Instruction:
- Heat ½ of the olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet and add the finely diced onions and garlic. Soften for 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onions/garlic, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently incorporate the meat until evenly combined, but without overworking it (otherwise the meatballs will be tough instead of tender).
- Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place on a plate. (A small cookie scoop makes it easier to roll balls of uniform size.) Transfer to the fridge and let them chill for 15 minutes, or up to overnight. Cover if chilling overnight.
- While the meatballs chill, combine the beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and parsley in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown the meatballs in batches, leave plenty of room around each so that you can easily rotate them with a spoon to brown on all sides. Brown for about 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside. Add additional oil and/or decrease heat slightly as needed throughout cooking.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until it begins to brown.
- Add the beef broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Place the sour cream in a medium bowl. Spoon some of the sauce into the bowl (about ¼ cup), and stir until well-combined. Stir it into the sauce over low heat until incorporated.
- Add the meatballs back to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Spoon the sauce on top. Allow them to heat through over low heat for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked through), partially covered. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
How to make Swedish Meatballs | Homemade Ikea Meatballs
FAQ
What is Swedish meatball sauce made of?
Beef broth: You can use low sodium if you wish. Brown Sugar: Just a couple teaspoons. Heavy cream: We like to use all heavy cream instead of sour cream. Black pepper: Freshly cracked is best but use what you have.
What makes Swedish meatballs different from regular meatballs?
Is there a premade Swedish meatball sauce?
What do you eat Swedish meatballs with?
