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These Swedish Meatballs are a top favorite recipe on the site for a reason—juicy meatballs, rich creamy gravy, and have SO MUCH FLAVOR. They’re easy to make and way better than IKEA’s (yes, really!).
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!
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 creay gravy from turning too salty and gives you more control over the final flavor.
Skip the Pork- Here’s Why
Some people like to use a mix of beef and pork for Swedish meatballs, and while the pork can add a little extra tenderness, I’ve found that it’s not enough of a difference to justify the extra cost of buying 2 kinds of meat. The rich, creamy sauce and yummy flavors in the meat make these meatballs turn out perfectly tender and delicious with just ground beef!
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
These will come together quickly and cook in about 30 minutes total, so dinner is fast and easy!
- 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 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.
Variations to Try
Since Swedish Meatballs are one of YOUR favorite recipes on the site, I thought you might want to see other ways I have cooked them up!
- Casserole: My Swedish Meatball Casserole is a simple way to serve everything in one dish, and it’s great for feeding a crowd.
- Soup: Want the same great flavor in a different form? Swedish Meatball Soup is an easy twist that’s perfect for cooler days.
- Slow Cooker: Short on time? My Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs Recipe is a great hands-off option, and you can even use frozen meatballs!
Can You Freeze Swedish Meatballs?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for doubling and freezing for later. Here’s how to do it without losing flavor or texture:
- 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.
More Yummy Meatball Recipes
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The Best Swedish Meatballs
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 reduce to a simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is highly recommmended.
Oh my! Easy and sooooo tasty. Even my picky husband went back for seconds and that is something for him! This is going on the regular list of dishes I make.
I made this for dinner and it’s a winner 🙂 I used half n half because I forgot to pick up heavy cream. This substitute worked out well. I made 20 meatballs and baked them in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.
Ah ha! I just figured out why my gravy was so thick! I didn’t have beef broth so I used beef bouillon instead. lol, no wonder no else commented and why I had to add two more cups of milk. Duh!!
I’ve made this recipe more times then I can count, it’s one of our families favorite dinner. My 2 year old, 3 year old and husband can’t get enough. Thank you. I make this to go over a 16oz bag of egg noodles however I make an extra 1/4 sauce or the noodles end up too dry.
Could you use whole milk instead of cream?
It won’t have the same consistency but that will work as a great substitute.
Great recipe! My husband doesn’t really like meatballs and he ended up loving the recipe! My only issue that I had was that the meatballs kind of broke apart while I was turning them but other than that, love the recipe! Will definitely be making this again!
The only thing I’d change is doubling the recipe for leftovers! Hehe! My first time making. Delish.
Just wanted to say, I’ve been going back to this recipe for at least a year if not more!!! Definitely my go-to.if you want a little more tang, add a 1/2 cup sour cream to the gravy before serving. Love to double or triple it and freeze for leftovers. Sometimes I add beef consommé instead of broth….just as good! Thankyou!
That is great to hear! Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate it!
These were delicious, but very greasy. They don’t sit in the pan well, or reheat well, so if you make them they need to be eaten right away otherwise puddles of grease and oil form.
Real swedish meatballs are not fried, but gently simmered in broth
Then added to Sauce
Totally yummy
Not fatty
Sounds great but your missing 2 vital ingredients that make Swedish meatballs. They are nutmeg and dill
I guess it would only be 1 vital item then (dill) because nutmeg is on the ingredients list.
Making tonight!
I made these for dinner the other night and OMG it was delicious! Everyone loved it. It was so easy to make. I will definitely make I again! Thanks for such a good recipe!
I made this today and though I didn’t follow exactly because I don’t measure ingredients I eyeball them, this was absolutely full of flavor and delicious!! This is a keeper!! ?
If planning to freeze meatballs should you cook then first
That is the best way to freeze meatballs. Freeze them separately on a baking sheet then add them to a freezer bag.
I have always been hesitant to taste Swedish Meatballs. All I can say it was my loss! These are so flavorful and delicious. I followed recipe to a “T” and it was perfect. I loved them and my family loved them. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.