Homemade Swedish Meatballs
This recipe for easy, homemade Swedish Meatballs in a rich, creamy sauce is one of our favorite comfort foods! These really are the best Swedish meatballs in a simple gravy sauce that is made from scratch that I've ever had!
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 564kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 3 slices white bread crust removed and cut into small cubes (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ large onion grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
Sauce
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cubed bread and milk to a large bowl. Let the bread soak for 10 minutes.
- While the bread is soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and garlic powder to the bowl of bread and milk, along with the cooled onions. Mix well with your hands until combined.
- Form about 30 small meatballs (each about 1" in diameter) and set aside on a baking sheet or plate.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat in the same skillet used for the onions. Working in batches, fry the meatballs for about 4-5 minutes, rotating to brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Once all of the meatballs are browned, make the sauce in the same pan by heating ¼ cup butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until light brown and bubbly.
- Whisk in broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
Video
Notes
- When browning, the meatballs don't need to be completely cooked through unless you plan to eat them plain since they will finish cooking as they simmer in the Swedish meatball sauce. If you don't plan on making the sauce, you will need to cook the meatballs slightly longer, around 6-8 minutes in total, until they are cooked through.
- Freezing Instructions: The meatballs can be made and frozen either cooked or uncooked. If freezing uncooked meatballs, thaw them in the fridge, then proceed with cooking them as directed in the recipe. If freezing cooked meatballs, they can be added to the sauce while frozen and heated until hot all the way through.
- Oven Method: The meatballs can be cooked in the oven, rather than browning them on the stove. To bake the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, then add to the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 804IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg