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These Swedish Meatballs are smothered in the most amazing rich and creamy gravy and packed with such delicious flavor. You will quickly agree these are the BEST you have ever had!
Serve these scrumptious meatballs over buttered noodles or rice with a Caesar Salad, and these Perfectly Soft Buttery Rolls for a dinner the whole family will love!
Reasons This Recipe is the BEST!
- 300+ 5 Star Reviews: This recipe, trusted by millions, boasts over 300 five-star reviews. I am confident you’ll love it too!!
- Creamy Sauce: The secret lies in the sauce. These meatballs are crafted with a perfect blend of traditional Swedish spices and complemented by a rich, creamy gravy
- Better than IKEA: Ever had IKEA Swedish Meatballs? These ones are so easy and WAY better!
A Reader’s Review
I already have a favorite Swedish meatball recipe that I’ve been making for years. So I wasn’t sure the family would like this version and if I’d regret not sticking to my usual. Well, I can say, this is now the family Swedish meatball recipe! So perfect! The sauce was silky and delicious, and the meatballs were juicy and had a lovely flavor. Highly recommend!
-Anna
Swedish Meatball Ingredients
These meatballs have so much flavor and are easy to make! Don’t let this long list intimidate you. I bet you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.
What’s in Swedish Meatballs?
- Ground beef: The main protein base for the meatballs, providing flavor and texture.
- Panko bread crumbs: Adds lightness and helps bind the meatballs together.
- Parsley: I use fresh parsley to enhance the taste.
- Ground allspice: Introduces a warm, slightly sweet flavor.
- Ground nutmeg: Adds a subtle nutty, warm flavor that complements the beef.
- Onion: This surprisingly adds a slight sweetness to the meatballs.
- Garlic powder: You can’t go wrong with garlic!
- Pepper: This adds in some mild heat.
- Salt: The salt enhances all of the flavors of the ingredients in the Swedish meatballs.
- Egg: Acts as a binder to hold the meatball mixture together.
- Olive oil: Used for cooking the meatballs, adding flavor and helps the meatballs to brown.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps in browning the meatballs.
What is Swedish Meatball Sauce Made of?
- Butter: Forms the base of the sauce, providing richness.
- Flour: Combined with butter to create a roux, the flours helps thicken the sauce.
- Beef broth: Adds depth of flavor and forms the liquid base of the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Provides a creamy texture and rich flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a tangy, savory depth to the sauce.
- Dijon mustard: Introduces a slight tang to the sauce without being overwhelming.
- Salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning and balancing the flavors of the sauce.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
These will come together quick and cook in about 30 min total, so dinner is fast and easy!
- Combine beef, egg and seasonings: In a medium sized bowl combine ground beef, panko, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, salt and egg. Mix until combined.
- Roll and cook: Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs. In a large skillet heat olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
- Make the sauce: Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream. Add worchestershire sauce and dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add meatballs and simmer: Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or rice.
Tips and Variations
- Meat: I love using a mix of beef and pork for these Swedish meatballs. The pork adds extra fat, making them incredibly moist and tender. If you prefer, ground turkey, chicken, or a combination can work beautifully too.
- Spices: Trust me, the nutmeg and allspice are what make these Swedish meatballs special. Don’t skip them if you want that authentic, divine flavor.
- Overmixing: Take it from me, be gentle when mixing your meat. Overmixing can make your meatballs tough, and we want them to stay tender.
- No Bread Crumbs? No Problem: If you’re out of bread crumbs, make a panade by blending two pieces of bread into crumbs and mixing with 1/4 cup milk to form a paste. Add an egg, mix it all up, and you’ll get the same great texture in your meatballs.
- Sauté for Sweetness: Sauté your onions first. It gives them a softer, sweeter flavor that really enhances the meatballs.
- Cream: Stick with heavy cream for the sauce to keep it smooth and rich. If you want to add a bit of tang, swap out some of the cream for sour cream—it’s a delicious twist.
Different Cooking Methods
- Baked: For a foolproof method, brown your Swedish meatballs in a skillet with oil and butter, then finish them in a 350°F oven. This ensures they’re cooked through without any pink.
- Slow Cooker: Try out this recipe in a slow cooker in a pinch! You an even use frozen meatballs Check out that recipe here: Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs Recipe.
Can You Freeze Swedish Meatballs?
Yes! One of the best parts about this recipe is that it’s perfect for doubling up and freezing some for later. These tips will help you enjoy delicious meatballs anytime, without sacrificing flavor or texture.
- Freeze: After cooking the meatballs, place them on a cookie sheet, ensuring they don’t touch to prevent sticking. Freeze for 2-4 hours, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When ready to use, you can thaw them in the microwave or oven. I prefer partially cooking them in the microwave and finishing them in the sauce.
- Don’t Freeze the Sauce: Dairy-based sauces, especially those with heavy cream, can separate and turn grainy when thawed. For best results, make the rich gravy fresh when you’re ready to serve.
- Freezer to Pan: You can also freeze the meatballs raw and cook them directly from frozen. They’ll take longer to cook through but will maintain their shape better than fresh ones. Just ensure they’re fully cooked with no pink remaining.
More Yummy Meatball Recipes
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The Best Swedish Meatballs
The Best Swedish Meatballs are smothered in the most amazing rich and creamy gravy. The meatballs are packed with such delicious flavor you will agree these are the BEST you have ever had!
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 ground beef, panko, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, salt and egg. Mix until combined.
- Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs. In a large skillet heat olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
- Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream. Add worchestershire sauce and dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until 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 rice.
Video
Notes
Originally Posted on August 18, 2016
Photos Updated on May 16, 2024
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!
Sounds yummy can’t wait to make them thanks carolann
Made these meat balls very good
The family loved it! We had them with rice and sweet peas. Thank you!
That is great to hear! I am so glad that everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing and following along with me!
150/10! One of our favourite meals ever!
That is awesome to hear!! I am so glad that you love it!
I made this tonight for my family and they loved it. I omitted the egg in the meatballs and I substituted the cream with coconut milk as I have an egg and dairy allergy. It was absolutely awesome. Thank you.
Just made this tonight (first time making meatballs from scratch and first time making Swedish meatballs!) and we loved it! Kinda reminded me of beef stroganoff flavors. The meatballs were seasoned perfectly to me but we did add at least an extra tsp or two of Dijon to amp up the flavor of the sauce (major mustard lovers around here). Thanks for a great tasting and easy recipe!
Same here… first time making meatballs from scratch and first attempt at swedish meatballs. I made ahead the meatballs and sauce tonight for our supper tomorrow night, as I am taking some night classes and won’t have time to make it once I get home from work before I have to leave for class. This way, all I have to do is come home and cook some egg noodles while warming this up and put it all together. We’re opposite about the mustard though. Around here mustard lasts forever because none of us really care much for it. My husband especially dislikes dijon mustard, but I was hoping to slip some by him to add that special oomph the sauce needs. But, he could still taste it, even though I halved the amount. Our son and daughter like regular mustard on cheeseburgers and such, but neither have tried dijon mustard. Hoping they’ll like it once we eat it tomorrow night. I liked the sauce and can’t wait to try it all tomorrow over some yummy egg noodles. I’ll have to come back tomorrow night to rate it once we’ve had a chance to try everything together.
BIG hit in my house. I baked the meatballs while I made the sauce and plopped them in when they were done.
Thank you for this amazing idea. I tried your recipe and the food was delicious!
What got my attention was the brilliant photo of your dish on the Pinterest.
Hi I love Swedish Meatballs and giving it a go. I upped the Allspice,Garlic Powder, Parsley and Nutmeg by 1/2 and glad I did. Also using a 85/15 burger. So far without hesitation started batch 2 and 3 sooo YUM and fragrant.
Sauce Is awesome! I also added all the meatballs to the sauce and cooked for 40 minutes simering with an extra 2 T of flour and 1 C sour cream (being that I am now working with a triple recipe).
Thank you for sharing!
Jacqueline!!
So glad that you loved it. Thanks for the comment and for following along with me!
We just found out that my middle daughter is allergic to dairy…via me making mac n cheese .Would coconut milk & coconut oil be a good substitute for the cream & butter in the dish?
Kamilla!!
Oh no!! That could make things challenging. I don’t think we realize how much dairy we use until we have to look to take it out or substitute it! I would think that it should be fine but I have not tried this alternate yet. It may change the taste a little. Please let me know if you try it. I would like to know how it goes!!
Delicious! Great recipe….
Arline!!
Thanks so much for the comment! I love it that you love the recipe!
sounds good except, isnt the panko supposed to be soaked in milk? Someone swedish told me you also need mace. And that they are also dipped in “bramble berry_ which is blackberry jam/sauce or a mixture of raspberry and blackberry. I’ve also known people to dip them in grape jelly. ….I”d just be happy pouring ranch all over the finished product (egg noodles with butter mixed in and swedish meatball and melted cheese and RANCH. Thank you for the recipe.
Had these tonight, and they reminded me of growing up when my mother would make them! Husband approved, they were awesome!!! Loved the sauce! Thankyou!
This recipe was awesome! So creamy and flavorful. I doubled the sauce because we like to have extra over the noodles. My husband and son both loved it. In fact my son wants the recipe for the sauce so he can make it to use on other things. Definitely something I will make again! Thank you for sharing it!
How is the recipe different if i use ground turkey vs beef. Also, hubby is allergic to eggs, how can I substitute to hold them together???? I have used ground flax turned into a slimy egg like substance in baked goods, would this work for meatballs???,
Ground Turkey sounds great! You can use bread crumbs and milk will help bind them together. Hope that helps! Thank for following along with me! XOOX
This was awesome and so easy. I think the key was to make the sauce in the same pan as the one you cook the meatballs in. The burnt bits left in the pan made the sauce sooooo tasty.