Swedish Meatballs and Gravy - Tender juicy beef and pork meatballs pan seared and simmered in a meatball sauce served over mashed potatoes is the kind of comfort food your family will love!
Meatballs have always been one of my favorite comfort foods, but even more so when they’re swimming in a deliciously creamy Swedish meatball sauce! I love oven-baked meatballs or lazy meatballs over spaghetti and ground turkey meatballs on toothpicks as appetizers, but these Swedish meatballs are the best when served over mashed potatoes!
No more trips to IKEA needed, now you can make them easily at home. They’re pan-fried until crispy and golden on the outside, and because I use both pork and beef, they’re super flavorful and moist on the inside. This is a dish your family will be asking for over and over again!
Why I Love This Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe
- Swedish meatball gravy is deliciously irresistible.
- The meatballs are juicy and moist.
- They taste even better than at IKEA!
- This recipe makes enough meatballs to serve a crowd!
Recipe Tips
- Do not overmix the meat. This is how you end up with dry, dense meatballs.
- Use an ice cream scoop to ensure all the meatballs are the same size. This helps with even cooking.
- Wetting your hands to roll the meatballs is a good idea to prevent sticking. If you prefer rubber cloves you can use those instead.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can certainly use a mixing bowl and wooden spoon. Once you’ve added the meat, you may even want to mix with your hands.
- You can substitute full-fat sour cream for the heavy cream.
- Bake the meatballs instead on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: You’ll need some to sauté the onions and then some more to sear the meatballs. I use butter for extra flavor.
- Onions: Finely chopped. I like to sauté them first before adding to the meatball mix, that way they’re not going directly in raw.
- Breadcrumbs and milk: The combination of the two helps to keep the meatballs moist while absorbing too much extra grease.
- Ground beef and ground pork: A popular combination when making meatballs. The ground pork keeps it extra moist, especially if using ground beef.
- Large egg: To bind the meatball mixture so the Swedish meatballs don’t fall apart.
- Seasoning: I use salt to taste, ground pepper, ground allspice, and garlic powder.
For the Gravy
- Butter and flour: Makes a roux which will thicken the sauce.
- Broth: You can use either chicken broth or beef broth, whatever you prefer. If I have some made, I’ll use Instant Pot chicken bone broth or Instant Pot beef bone broth.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds a rich creaminess to the sauce.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Step 1: Sauté the onions in melted butter over medium heat. Stir a few times until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: In a bowl add breadcrumbs and milk. Mix well. Transfer the breadcrumbs and sautéed onion into the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the rest of the meatball ingredients, which include the meat and seasoning, and use the paddle attachment on low speed to mix until light and fluffy. This should only be a couple of minutes.
Step 4: Use a small ice cream scooper to scoop out enough meatball mixture to form a 1-inch meatball. Use wet hands to prevent sticking and roll them up into a ball. Place them it on a parchment lined baking sheet until you’ve formed all your meatballs.
Step 5: In the same skillet, melt more butter over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot enough, place the meatballs into the skillet in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd them. You may need to work in batches.
Step 6: Cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side until they are evenly browned and have an internal temperature of 165°F. Once they are done, place them in the oven at the lowest setting to keep warm while you continue cooking the rest.
Step 7: When all the meatballs are set aside, whisk in the flour. The fat from the meatballs and the previously added butter is there to help make the roux. Gradually pour in the broth while constantly whisking until the mixture is smooth.
Step 8: Add the heavy whipping cream and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste then add the meatballs back into the skillet to warm through.
What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs
These meatballs can be served over creamy mashed potatoes with a dollop of traditional Swedish lingonberry sauce or our favorite eggplant spread.
They’re even great over egg noodles! As long as you’ve got something to soak up all of that sauce, you’re set.
Recipe FAQs
You can use ground beef, pork, or veal or a combination of any of them. They each provide moisture and flavor, and pair well with one another.
Sure you can. You can use cracker crumbs or pieces of bread.
They should no longer be pink in the middle. The best way to tell is by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°F.
Yes! Once they’re rolled into balls, you can keep them on the baking tray and flash freeze them for a couple of hours. This way they are solid when you transfer them to a freezer bag so they won’t freeze stuck together.
Keep them frozen for up to 3 months and when you’re ready to use them, thaw them overnight and then cook as directed.
Cooked meatballs can also be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
More Ground Meat Recipes
- Georgian Ground Beef Kebabs Recipe
- The Most Delicious Ground Beef Casserole (Video)
- Lazy Easy Meatball Recipe (Russian Kotleti)
- Best Crunch Wrap Supreme
- 30-minute Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe
When YOU make this easy Swedish meatball recipe please tag us @munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation!
If you tried this Swedish meatballs and gravy recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a * star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Thank YOU for YOUR Comment, Share & Recipe Review!
📖 Recipe
Easy Swedish Meatballs and Gravy
Equipment
- Skillet I am using 12in skillet
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ⅔ cup bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon allspice ground
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Meatball Gravy
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken bone broth or beef broth
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Using a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Then, add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring a few times, until it reaches a soft texture, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer sauteed onion into a stand mixer bowl, then add breadcrumbs and milk, and give it a good mix.
- Add the remaining ingredients: ground beef, ground pork, sea salt, black pepper, ground allspice, and garlic powder. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until everything is well combined. Then increase the speed to high and beat the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Using a small ice cream scooper and wet hands, form 1-inch meatballs. I prefer to line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meatballs on it, or I cook them as I shape them.
- Using the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium to medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, gently place the meatballs in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd them (you may need to cook them in batches). Cook the meatballs for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side until they are browned, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cooked, remove them from the skillet and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, add the flour and whisk it in. Gradually pour in the broth while continuously whisking until the mixture is thick and smooth. Next, add the heavy whipping cream and whisk until combined. Give the mixture a little taste, and season it with sea salt and pepper to suit your taste!
- Pop those delicious meatballs back into the skillet with the gravy and let them cook for about 5 minutes, or until they’re nice and warm all the way through. Enjoy with mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce, or our favorite eggplant spread.
Notes
- To ensure your meatballs cook evenly, use a cookie scoop to shape them to a uniform size of about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter for best results.
- Once the meatballs are cooked and the gravy is made, let them simmer together for a few minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to absorb some gravy.
- To complete your meal, serve the meatballs with lingonberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and easy baked eggplant with vegetables. Don’t forget a sprinkle of fresh parsley or dill for garnish!
Leave a Reply