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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!
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Made this last night and it was excellent. The spice of the meatballs was great, and the gravy is delicious. I have always had issues with meatballs breaking apart and crumbling, these ones held together decently but I still had to watch them closely and turn them constantly. I put them in the gravy for longer than the 1-2 minutes to ensure they were cooked through. They were still a little pink.
I am so happy that you enjoyed it as much as our family did! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
Excellent recipe! I doubled the garlic powder but next time I think I would use fresh garlic. I also added sautéed mushrooms at the end. I will definitely make this again. Thank you!!
Love this recipe. I’ve made Swedish meatballs for years, wanted to try this recipe. These meatballs are the best by far.
Wish you could send the recipe to me via my email
Just made this with spaghetti squash and it was delicious! THANK YOU!
Oh YUM!! Spaghetti squash is so Yummy!! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
I️ want to make this for a work potluck. Will the sauce separate if I️ reheat it the next day?
Is there supposed to be diced onion? It’s says in the instructions but not in the ingredients list.
Yes, 1/4 cup diced onion. Hope that helps! XOXO
Made this for dinner tonight. I followed the recipe as stated. The result was just wonderful. So flavorful. My husband and picky 9-year-old son loved it, too! Served it over oven-roasted cauliflower and gluten-free penne pasta. The only change I would make next time is to double the recipe so there will be more leftovers!
YAY!! I am so happy for you! I am so glad that it was perfection! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
Made this tonight – I cut the recipe in half because its just me that I’m cooking for. My plan was to eat dinner tonight and have the leftovers later in the week. Next time I’ll make a full batch, because before I realized it, I had finished the entire thing lol. It’s delicious! I served it over egg noodles and I was in dinner heaven lol. I WILL be making this again!
LOL! That is awesome! I am so glad you like it that much! YAY, for you! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
Hi! Just wanted to say that I stumbled on your blog randomly as I was looking for a recipe for Swedish meatball.
I tried it out (I forgot the bread crumbs though) and it was very delicious!!! We’re not very big meat eaters in the family but we loved it!
Thank you!
That is great to hear! I am so glad that you loved it, even without the breadcrumbs! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
Silly question,! I do not care for onions. Could I use onion powder instead? And if so, how much would I need?
This was an excellent recipe!
Wow, never seen so many people angry over a recipe title! This recipe looks like Swedish meatballs to me, and they sound amazing! I will be trying them tonight for dinner so my partner has something to come home to after her work shift and I have something to eat before my EMS squad training. I absolutely cannot wait!
When searching for a family favorite, Swedish Meatballs, this site was the first to come up. This recipe is absolutely divine. I look forward to cooking more recipes from your site! Thanks! Blessings!
I made this tonight after searching for “ground beef” on pinterest. WOW. Huge HUGE hit with my kids. They inhaled it. This is not normal. This will definitely be put into our regular rotation!
That is great to hear! I am so happy the kiddos loved it! That is a winner in my book! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
I make this often, always perfect – even the leftovers! Yum
That is great to hear! Left overs are the best! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
Great Recipe