Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Tender Swedish Meatballs with hints of allspice and nutmeg are smothered in a rich and creamy gravy. These are a must-make and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Course Beef

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword how do you make swedish meatballs, how to cook swedish meatballs, how to make swedish meatballs, swedish meatball sauce, swedish meatballs recipe, what are swedish meatballs

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 468kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef see notes
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large egg room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Swedish Meatball Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Mix the beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, egg, salt, fresh ground black pepper, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and parsley together in a large bowl.
Shape into small meatballs and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through. Move the meatballs to a plate and cover the plate to keep them warm.
Add the butter to the skillet over medium heat and scrape to loosen the brown bits. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes while whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. Whisk in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sour cream.
Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer for just a couple of minutes to warm. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over cooked egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Swedish meatballs are traditionally small, so roll them under an inch. I use my smallest cookie scoop.
You can use ground pork or ground turkey instead of ground beef. Or a mixture of any or all of these.
Wet your hands with cold water when rolling meatballs, and if at all possible, add them to the pan while rolling them.
If you prefer, you can roll the meatballs onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. That being said, I really like the brown bits of the bottom of the pan because they add flavor to the sauce.
If the gravy becomes too thick, add a little bit more beef broth. Chicken broth and milk will work as well.

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