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This Swedish meatball recipe is a top favorite recipe on the site for a reason! Juicy meatballs, rich creamy gravy, and SO MUCH FLAVOR! They’re easy to make and, in my opinion, way better than IKEA’s.
Reasons This Recipe is the BEST!
- Fan Favorite: With 400+ five-star reviews, these meatballs are actually the best.
- Creamy Sauce: The secret lies in the sauce. It’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor thanks to classic spices. You will be licking the spoon, I promise.
- Better than IKEA: Ever had IKEA Swedish Meatballs? These ones are so easy and WAY better!
A Reader’s Review
This is my absolute favorite Swedish meatball recipe. The flavor is mouthwatering. Thank you for sharing this with us!
-Renee
Ingredients in Swedish Meatballs
- Use lean ground beef: It helps keep the meatballs tender without making them greasy.
- Spices: Trust me, nutmeg and allspice are what make these Swedish meatballs special. Don’t skip them if you want that authentic flavor.
- No Panko Breadcrumbs? No Problem: If you’re out of breadcrumbs, make a panade by blending two pieces of bread into crumbs and mixing with 1/4 cup of milk to form a paste. Add an egg, mix it all up, and you’ll get the same great texture in your meatballs.
- Go for low-sodium beef broth: This keeps the creamy gravy from turning too salty and gives you more control over the final flavor.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
These will come together quickly and cook in about 30 minutes total, so dinner is fast and easy! I have a few variations of this recipe you have to try! Swedish meatball casserole, soup, and slow cooker method!
- Combine: In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground beef, panko, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and egg. Mix until combined.
- Roll Meatballs: Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs.
- Cook: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
- Make the sauce: Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to the skillet and whisk until it turns brown.
- Whisk: Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream, and whisk to combine.
- Add meatballs and simmer: Add Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard, and bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
All Things Swedish Meatballs
I know how much you love my Swedish meatballs! I’ve rounded up every version of a Swedish meatball recipe that I have on my site, from quick and easy to homemade favorites! You can find them all in one place!
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Swedish Meatballs
Tender, flavorful Swedish meatballs that simmer in a rich, creamy sauce are pure comfort food! They're easy to make and impossible to resist.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ cup onion, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 egg. Mix until combined.
- Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
- Add 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour to the skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in 2 cups beef broth and 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Can You Freeze Swedish Meatballs?
- Freezing Cooked Meatballs: Let them cool, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid (2–4 hours). Transfer to a freezer bag or an airtight container. They’ll keep up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or warm them up in the sauce.
- Skip Freezing the Sauce: Creamy sauces don’t freeze well—they can separate. For best results, make the gravy fresh when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 17gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 712mgPotassium: 327mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 987IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
More Yummy Meatball Recipes
Try using Cardamon for a real Swedish flavor.
I love this recipe. Tonight will be the 3rd time that I make these within a month. Everything is wonderful, and tastes so authentic. I add an extra T of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy, as well as a pinch of the nutmeg. Since there was a lot of gravy, I also threw the egg noodles right into the pan as the gravy and meatballs cooked together. The egg noodles cook rather quickly. Great intense flavor, all in one pan. Thank you.
Did you know that Swedish Meatballs are not Swedish at all? One Swedish king for some reason lived in Turkey for a while (a few centuries ago) fell in love with their meat balls and brought the recipe back to Sweden. And Swedes have been using that recipe ever since and still do. If you want and authentic Swedish recipe, try new potatoes steamed with a lot of dill and served with pickled herring including the juices. That was a standard lunch dish when I was growing up. I was born and raised in Sweden
Great tip! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
These are delish! I baked the balls at 200c for 20 minutes then added them to the pan for a few minutes. I’ve done them twice now, once over fresh egg fettuccine and once with rice. I’m thinking of making some, vacuum sealing and giving to my eldest children to boil in the bag sometime over Christmas.
I’ve made these a dozen times now for potluck parties and every time they are gobbled up! The only change I make is swapping the beef broth for chicken and adding shallots.
Can the Swedish meatballs be made in advance, frozen and then thawed and reheated?
Yes, that sounds great! Enjoy! XOXO
Could these be made using ground turkey instead of beef. Would you also use turkey broth instead of beef broth?
Yes, that is a great idea! Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
I made these tonight, the only change I made was added sautéed mushrooms to the sauce and allowed the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for about an hour on very low heat, then served it over rice noodles- It was AWESOME
This dish turned out so well! It reminded me of the Swedish meatballs my grandmother used to make. My boyfriend really enjoyed it. I’ll keep this recipe in my weekly rotation.
Thanks for this recipe
I followed it exactly and they came out great. Initially it tasted like a bit too much flour but once I put them in the oven after they came out great! Whata wonderful addition to thanksgiving this year.
That is great to hear! Thank you for sharing! XOXO
Oh man. Just finished making this and it really hit the spot. I was also able to put it together pretty quick.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Just made this and it’s delicious! Only had whole grain dijon and it changed the texture a little, but loved the flavor it added and will use grey poupon next time. Also added a little sour cream at the end but it didn’t need it at all (I just love sour cream). Will committ this to memory, Thanks!
This meatball recipe is excellent and family-worthy! Delish. My kids were scared at first but after one polite bite they dug in and we had to fight over the last bite! Thanks for sharing.
One modification was using ground down pretzel sticks for the panko and soy milk instead of cream (to protect against our dairy allergies). Nonetheless I will be repeating this savory dish!
I love this recipe! It’s easy to pull together and delicious! I have it over gnocchi pasta instead. It’s perfect!
I have never tried this recipe but I can just taste it reading the ingredients! I was wondering if there was a way to try this without the egg. My youngest son is highly allergic to eggs and I would love to make this for my entire family.
You are welcome to try it without egg. Let me know how it turns out and what you loved about it! XOXO
A fantastic recipe. So delicious. I added some Parmesan at the end as it simmered and then added the meatballs. The sauce is excellent. Thank you for sharing!!