Description
Classic Swedish Meatballs are tender, flavorful meatballs made with a blend of ground beef and pork, seasoned with warm spices like allspice and nutmeg, and served in a rich, creamy gravy. Perfect comfort food that’s simple to make and sure to impress!
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
- 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, panko breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands until well combined. Form into 1 ¼ – 1 ½-inch meatballs, approximately 25-30 in total, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in two batches, turning with tongs, until all sides are browned, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Add extra oil if needed. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Prepare the roux: Pour out most of the fat from the skillet, leaving the browned bits. Lower heat to medium, add butter, and melt. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns golden, about 2-3 minutes.
- Make the gravy: Gradually whisk in beef broth, ensuring the flour dissolves fully into the sauce. Whisk in Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
- Simmer the meatballs: Return the meatballs to the skillet, cover with the gravy, and cook for about 10 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and gravy has thickened moderately.
- Finish the sauce: Turn off the heat and stir in sour cream to create a creamy texture. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately, ideally with lingonberry jam, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles.
Notes
- For best results, use a blend of beef and pork for tender, flavorful meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs add a nice light texture, but regular breadcrumbs can also be used.
- Don’t overmix the meat to prevent dense meatballs.
- The gravy should be creamy but not overly thick; adjust flour or broth as needed.
- Lingonberry jam is a traditional accompaniment, adding a sweet contrast to the savory dish.
- Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen before cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-frying and simmering
- Cuisine: Swedish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce (about 150g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: Swedish meatballs, creamy gravy, comfort food, traditional Swedish recipe, ground beef and pork, allspice meatballs
