Swedish Meatballs
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
597 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Swedish Meatballs
Description
Swedish Meatballs combine ground beef and pork with a panade of bread soaked in cream and grated onion, creating a tender texture. Seasonings like nutmeg and allspice give the meatballs a warm, aromatic flavor. The meatballs are browned in a skillet using a mix of oil and butter, then set aside while a roux-based sauce is prepared in the same pan by cooking flour in butter, then whisking in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to form a gravy. The meatballs are returned to the pan to finish cooking in the sauce. This technique preserves savory browned bits from frying and infuses the gravy with depth.
The final dish features meatballs coated in a thick, velvety sauce that balances savory, slightly sweet, and spiced notes. It can be served alongside mashed potatoes, noodles, or bread to soak up the creamy gravy. Fresh parsley garnish brightens the presentation.
The recipe can be scaled up for larger groups. Using sandwich bread for the panade is key to tender meatballs, as it retains moisture. If preferred, the meatballs may be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes instead of pan-frying. Use heavy cream rather than lighter dairy to prevent the sauce from separating during cooking.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 2 lices white sandwich bread crusts removed and cut into 1/4" pieces (or chopped in a food processor)
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream or whole milk
- 1 medium yellow onion grated, saving any juices
- 8 oz ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp parsley dried
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated is best
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp butter unsalted
SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp butter unsalted
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth reduced sodium
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- parsley for garnish, fresh, minced
Instructions
MAKE MEATBALLS
- Add bread cubes to large mixing bowl and top with heavy cream and grated onion (plus juices from grating the onion). Stir and let sit a minute or two. Mash with a fork.
- Add beef, pork, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix well.
- Use small cookie scoop to scoop out and roll into roughly 1 inch wide meatballs.
COOK MEATBALLS
- Add oil and butter to large skillet and heat over MED/MED-HIGH heat. Add meatballs, working in batches (about half at a time), and cook on all sides, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining meatballs.
MAKE SAUCE
- Drain off any excess oil but don’t wipe out the skillet.
- Add butter to skillet and heat over MED heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add beef broth, whisking as you add it, until all broth is added. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
RETURN MEATBALLS TO PAN
- Once gravy is simmering, add all meatballs and simmer 5-7 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and gravy has started to thicken.
FINISH SAUCE AND SERVE
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer another 2-3 minutes, until gravy is a smooth and silky sauce that coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Serve over buttered cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes and garnished with minced fresh parsley.
Notes
- The panade of bread, cream, and grated onion is essential for tender meatballs.
- Pan-frying meatballs allows the gravy to absorb flavorful browned bits; bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes as an alternate cooking method.
- Use heavy cream instead of lower-fat dairy to keep the sauce from breaking during cooking.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed larger groups.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 597 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 597kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 47g | 72% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Cholesterol | 185mg | 62% |
| Sodium | 795mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 774mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 714IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 79mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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