This Swedish meatball recipe is full of flavor and simple to make. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice for an amazing meal you are sure to enjoy.
We love making meatball recipes at home for quick dinners that I know everyone will love. These easy Swedish meatballs are filled with warm spices like nutmeg and allspice which give them an out of this world flavor.
What makes this recipe so good
Delicious – No need to take a trip to Ikea, this homemade meatball recipe tastes better than Ikea meatballs and the tasty Swedish meatball sauce with sour cream is so creamy and rich.
Simple – These meatballs can be made easily in the oven in about 30 minutes. The creamy sauce can also be made in minutes.
Crowd pleaser – This comfort food is perfect for dinner guests or even a simple weeknight dinner. You can also easily double the recipe if you are planning on a crowd.
Ingredients needed
This recipe uses homemade meatballs but you can certainly use frozen meatballs.
Meatballs:
Meat – These meatballs are made with ground pork and ground beef. This adds extra flavor and makes them super juicy and delicious. You can use all ground beef or all ground pork.
Breadcrumbs – These act as a binder. You can substitute with Panko breadcrumbs.
Eggs – 2 eggs are needed.
Onion – Make sure to either dice them up very small or use a grater.
Milk – This adds moisture and keeps the meatballs tender.
Seasonings – Fresh parsley, allspice, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
Swedish meatball sauce:
Flour – All-purpose flour is used to help thicken the sauce.
Butter – Unsalted butter
Beef broth – You can substitute with chicken broth or vegetable broth but the beef broth adds a nice, rich flavor.
Lemon juice – Adds a little acidity to the sauce.
Sour cream – Sour cream makes this sauce creamy and so good.
Dijon mustard – Gives a little tang to the sauce.
How to make Swedish meatballs
Step one: Cook meatballs in oven-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step two: Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Let sit for a few minutes. Mix in beef, pork, eggs, onion, and seasonings.
Step three: Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the meatball mixture and place meatballs on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Step four: Butter Cream Sauce – Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Stir in beef broth and lemon juice. Then add in sour cream, salt and pepper.
Step five: Once meatballs have cooked, place them in the sauce. Serve warm.
Recipe tips
- Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Overmixing can make the meatballs tough.
- Be sure not to make the meatballs too large. I find using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon makes the perfect size.
- You can scoop the meatball mixture onto the pan and then refrigerate for 30 minutes – 1 hour to help them stay together and not fall apart.
- If you are freezing the meatballs, don’t freeze with the sauce. The sauce will not reheat well.
- If you are in a hurry, you can use thawed frozen meatballs.
How to serve
This authentic Swedish meatball recipe has so much flavor they can be served on their own. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve them:
- Try serving them on top of egg noodles.
- Serve over creamy mashed potatoes. If you want to serve them like Ikea, add a little scoop of lingonberry jam.
- Over rice or cauliflower rice.
How to store leftovers
Store: Have leftovers? Let everything cool and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Reheat: Reheat in a sauce pan over medium heat until meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F.
Freeze: The meatballs can be frozen separate to use for later. After they bake, let completely cool and then place on a pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Once the meatballs have frozen, place them in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
More meatball recipes
If you made this classic recipe let me know in the comments.
Swedish Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup onion, grated or diced fine
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine milk and breadcrumbs, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, pork, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt, pepper, grated onion, and 2 eggs.
- After 10 minutes add the breadcrumb mixture to a large mixing bowl. Mix well, but do not over-mix.
- Using a two-tablespoon cookie scoop, form evenly sized meatballs. Arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- While meatballs are cooking, prepare sauce. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, and add butter, once the butter begins to melt, whisk in flour. Add in beef broth, and lemon juice, and mix well. Stir in sour cream, and add in salt and pepper.
- The sauce will begin to thicken.
- Once meatballs have cooked, add to toss coat the meatballs.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- It’s a great option to chill the meat mixture for 1 hour after mixing, this will make your meatballs easier to form, but if you are pressed for time it is not necessary
- Fattier meats yield juicy, tender meatballs, but any combination of meat can be used.
- Coat your hands with a light layer of oil to prevent the meat mixture from sticking too much.
- Don’t add too many breadcrumbs-½ a cup per pound
- The recipe easily doubles and freezes well
- Do not over-mix meat mixture
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