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Get ready for the BEST Swedish Meatballs Recipe – an authentic recipe from a Swedish grandmother – with a little twist! They’re better than IKEA, really easy to make and are swimming in the most amazing creamy gravy sauce- I’m just drooling thinking about the last time I made these.
Hi there! My name is Helena! I was born in Sweden and lived there for the first 20 years of my life before I moved to Australia in 2010. Ask any child aged from 5 years and over in Sweden what they like to eat and they will definitely say MEATBALLS! It’s safe to say that meatballs are tied to a lot of childhood memories of family dinners. Another thing Swede’s love is tradition.
Swedish Meatballs are on the table in every household at every special occasion and holiday, guaranteed, and I wanted to bring some of that joy and flavor to your table too, with this recipe.
Why this Recipe Works
This recipe is a fine-tuned, easier version of the authentic Swedish meatballs. You’ll need just about 20 minutes in the kitchen to prep and shape these, and you can store them for later too.
Plus, this comforting classic is such a treat for your taste buds, you’ll find yourself making it again and again.
What Goes into this Recipe
For the meatballs
- Meat: I used a mix of ground beef and pork here.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and onion, for that savory flavor.
- Egg: To give the meatballs structure and keep them moist and juicy.
- Milk + cream: For that authentic flavor and texture.
- Breadcrumbs: To help the meatballs hold their shape, make them extra juicy, keeping them moist while cooking.
- Seasonings: I used ground black pepper, white pepper, Grillkrydda (all purpose seasoning) and some salt.
- Butter + olive oil: To fry the meatballs.
- Parsley: For that pop of freshness.
For the gravy sauce
- Flour: All purpose flour, to thicken the gravy.
- Butter: For that rich, glossy shine.
- Broth: I used beef broth as the base for the sauce. You can use beef bouillon and water too.
- Soy sauce: Just a dash, for that umami deliciousness.
- Dijon mustard: For that depth of flavor.
- Heavy cream: For that fatty creaminess.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper, just a pinch.
Note: please see recipe card at the bottom for list of full ingredients and measurements
How to Make Swedish Meatballs Recipe
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine milk, cream, egg and garlic with the breadcrumbs and seasonings. Allow this to soak for about 10 minutes, then add the onion, meat and parsley and mix well to combine.
- Shape and fry meatballs: Roll the meat mixture into 16 large or 24 small balls. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the meatballs in batches, until they’re golden brown and crispy. Set them aside and cover them with foil.
- Make cream sauce: To the same pan, add the butter for the gravy along with the flour, and cook on low heat, whisking continuously until it is light brown in color. Gently pour in the broth while stirring the mixture and then add in the cream, soy sauce and Dijon mustard. Bring this to a simmer, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Take it off heat once it has thickened.
- Assemble and serve: Place the meatballs in the gravy and serve. If you’re planning on serving them the authentic Swedish way, you can skip making the gravy entirely.
I usually serve these meatballs plain- teamed up with either boiled potatoes, Mashed Potatoes or a simple pasta (Macaroni if I get to pick!). The absolute classic way to enjoy these is to pair them with some boiled potatoes, that creamy sauce and lingonberry jam! If you can’t find lingonberry jam, Cranberry Sauce is your next closest alternative.
You can also serve the meatballs and gravy over some egg noodles to make it a hearty and filling meal, and use up the leftover meatballs for a homemade sub sandwich or as a protein in a grain bowl.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you don’t want to use a skillet, you can cook the meatballs in the oven too. Simply arrange them on a baking sheet or dish, pop them in the oven preheated at 400 degrees and bake them for about 20-25 minutes.
Yes, absolutely. Simply use almond meal instead of the breadcrumbs and create a cornflour slurry to thicken the gravy instead of using all purpose flour.
Yes. You can make Swedish meatballs using only ground beef too. Choose 80% lean for the best texture.
Watch Them Made
Love Meatballs? Try these recipes!
The Best Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 35 ml cream
- 1 egg large
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Grillkrydda or all spice or all purpose seasoning
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef mince
- 1/2 pound ground pork mince
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Gravy Sauce (OPTIONAL):
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/4 cup plain flour all purpose flour
- 250 ml vegetable broth or stock
- 250 ml beef broth or stock
- 1 cup thickened or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 pinch salt to season
- 1 pinch pepper to season
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs together with the milk, cream (If using), egg, garlic, salt, peppers and spice. Allow the milk to soak into the breadcrumbs for at least 10 minutes.
- Once the milk has absorbed some, add in the onion, meat(s) and parsley. Mix well with your hands to combine.
- Roll meat into about 24 small balls, or 16 larger balls.
- Heat 1 tablespoons of butter and 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Fry meatballs in batches of two so they don’t stew or simmer. Transfer to a warm plate and cover with foil.
- Add the 1/3 cup butter to the juices in the pan to melt. Whisk in the flour until it dissolves and turns brown in colour. Pour in the broth (or stock), cream, soy sauce and dijon. Bring to a to simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the sauce through well to combine all of the flavours together.
- Continue to simmer until thickened.
To serve:
- Non Swedish way: Place meatballs into the gravy in the pan and serve
- Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)
Notes
1) I use a mixture of ground beef and pork (mince) in may recipe, but you can use all beef is you don’t have or like pork
2) To make the meatballs lower in carbs, use almond meal to replace the breadcrumbs. Also, use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water to replace the flour in the gravy sauce. Just add the cornstarch mixture at the end, while continuously stirring, over low heat until sauce has thickened.
3) I like to grate my garlic clove with the small part of a grater. You can use minced garlic if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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End product was AMAZING but felt that the cook time listed was not realistic. It took me an hour and a half to make the recipe exactly as is along with mashed potatoes (which mostly cooked in the background while I was working on this recipe). I try to be pretty efficient and quick so I don’t know how I could have done it any faster. I am saving this recipe to use again because it was so good but keeping the time in mind next time. I also loved the portions. This covers dinner tonight and a couple nights of leftovers for two.
I just made this recipe for the 2nd time. I absolutely love it! The only thing that I do differently is that I only sear the meatballs to give them a nice color and then I put them in the oven at 400° while I make the sauce in my Dutch oven. When the sauce is done, I take the meatballs out of the oven and put them in the sauce in my Dutch oven, put the lid on it and put it back in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 more minutes or until they are done. It gives the sauce a lot more flavor.
I love the recipe as is and always double the sauce 🙂 The 2nd time I made them I used a little more soy sauce (maybe 2 tablespoons) but remember I am doubling. I also added a tablespoon of worcestershire and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. I always make these early in the day so they can sit on super low on the stove all day. Thanks for a wonderful recipe
I guess I should say reheat. I would fully prepare it!
I only have used the gravy sauce recipe and usually just buy frozen meatballs to make cooking a bit easier for me. But today, I decided to make the whole recipe and man oh man! This is the tastiest meatballs I’ve had in a while and I’ve made mine with turkey meat! What more with beef and pork! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thank you for describing the difference between Swedish and ‘internationalized’ Swedish Meatballs. I have been making mine with a traditional French velouté sauce, sans cream (because of diabetic weight watching fussiness). I’ll try your way, now though. I wouldn’t have guessed at the soy sauce. I have been using Worcestershire in the stock.
I like them with pasta (rigatoni, lightly fried in oilive oil and garlic after boiling), or on a mash of potato, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Thanks again.
Peter from Brisbane
Meatballs and sauce were fantastic! Very well received at the dinner table and will be saving this recipe to make over and over!
This makes great Swedish meatballs and tasty gravy. I did a a few tweaks after reading the comments the second time I made it. Almond meal instead of bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp Grillkrydda (home-assembled), sauteed the onion, used beef bouillon in 500ml water, left out the parsley in the meatballs by mistake (but good for anti-greens family member), and substituted coconut aminos for soy sauce. With the almond meal, it’s lower carb, and if substituting cornstarch for the thickening and using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, it can be gluten-free, as well, without sacrificing taste.
Wow! Wow! And Wow! This was the First time I made Swedish Meatballs! And it won’t be my last! Truly Easy and the Gravy is Amazing! I inhaled it! Lol! I will Definitely make Again! Thanks Again Karina! I Love all your recipes! Your Awesome! God Bless you and your Family!
I’ve never made this dish before so have nothing to compare it to. With that said, I won’t look any further for other recipes because this dish is darned good! I followed the recipe with no substitutions. After I cooked the meatballs I put them on a cookie sheet and covered with foil, popping in a 300F oven for ten minutes and then turned the oven off and left them in there while I made the gravy and cooked pasta shells. The meat and the gravy have such a delicious texture and taste. I think some of that taste is lost using pasta and will be serving it over mashed potatoes next time.