Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Dinner

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 24 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

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Last updated on March 1, 2024

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This Swedish Meatballs recipe is made with juicy homemade meatballs, simmered in a rich and creamy beef gravy — perfect for serving or noodles or mashed potatoes! See the step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • What is in Swedish meatball sauce?
  • Variations and Substitutions:
  • Can I make these Swedish Meatballs in the crockpot?
  • Can I make these meatballs in the Instant Pot?
  • What should I serve with Swedish Meatballs?
  • Swedish Meatballs Recipe

We are a little meatball-obsessed around here, which explains our February theme for 6 Ingredient Staples — this easy Homemade Meatballs recipe.

So far, we’ve used it to make this classic Spaghetti and Meatballs (one of our all time favorite meals!) and now we’re tossing them in a rich and creamy gravy that couldn’t be simpler!

These Swedish Meatballs are totally juicy, loaded with flavor and made with just a few ingredients.

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (3)

Serve them over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes with a solid ladle of that creamy, beefy gravy and a side salad and one of my Mom’s Homemade Buns for a meal that screams comfort food!

What is in Swedish meatball sauce?

I guess that depends on who you ask 😉

Traditionally, Swedish meatball sauce is a creamy beef gravy that starts with a simple roux (melted butter and flour to thicken), beef stock or broth and a few simple seasonings plus something to make it extra rich and creamy.

Often, that something is sour cream, and since I’m not a big fan of sour cream I usually use heavy cream instead. The heavy cream adds the perfect richness and we really love it this way!

I’ve included both in the recipe, so you can use whichever you prefer and both will be delicious!

Variations and Substitutions:

  • Meatballs: you can swap the homemade meatballs for store bought meatballs in a pinch, though nothing compares to homemade! If you are making homemade meatballs just for these Swedish meatballs, feel free to add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg for a more authentic flavor!
  • Beef broth: I always choose low sodium stock and broth and add my own seasoning. If you have regular beef broth with salt added, you will want to leave the salt out and add to taste at the end.
  • Cream: I make my sauce with heavy cream, but you can use either cream or sour cream (and I’ve included both in the recipe), without changing anything else in the recipe and both will work just as well!
  • Seasonings: since I use my classic homemade meatball recipe for these Swedish meatballs, I add a bit of nutmeg to my sauce to get that classic flavor coming through. You can adjust the seasonings to taste as you like!
Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (4)
Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (5)
Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (6)
Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (7)

Can I make these Swedish Meatballs in the crockpot?

If you’re looking to make these meatballs in the slow cooker, check out my Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs recipe and post for more information.

Can I make these meatballs in the Instant Pot?

If you want to make Swedish meatballs in the Instant Pot, check out my Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Noodles for more information.

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (8)

What should I serve with Swedish Meatballs?

We love these Swedish Meatballs served over plain cooked egg noodles or these Crockpot Mashed Potatoes — but these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes would be an indulgent addition to your meal!

This Instant Pot Brown Rice also rounds out the meal nicely!

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (9)

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Swedish Meatballs

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 24 votes

This Swedish Meatballs recipe is made with juicy homemade meatballs, simmered in a rich and creamy beef gravy — perfect for serving or noodles or mashed potatoes!

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (11)

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Review

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Cuisine American, Swedish

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Calories 456cal

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 slice soft bread
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Swedish Meatball Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (or sour cream)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with tin foil — optional but helps with clean up! (OPTIONAL: instead of baking, you can also simmer right in the sauce for 8 minutes per side. I bake a big batch at once, which is why I bake them).

  • Tear bread into small pieces and place in a food processor. Process until the bread is in fine crumbs and combine with water. Stir and let sit for a few minutes.

  • In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, nutmeg and soaked bread until just combined — don't overmix!

  • Shape into 1.5-2″ balls (I get about 20 this way, but you can get up to 30 if you shape them into 1″ balls) and place 1″ apart on the baking sheet.

  • Bake for 10-15 minutes (longer for 2″ rounds, shorter for 1″ rounds), until a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees F in the largest meatballs (a meat thermometer is your best chance at having perfectly cooked meatballs!)

  • Remove from the oven.

Swedish Meatball Sauce

  • In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, corn starch, garlic, parsley, salt, thyme, pepper and nutmeg.

  • Pour into a large skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer until slightly thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

  • Add the meatballs, stir and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until heated through (or 8 minutes per side if you are adding them raw).

  • Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes and refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 456cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 777mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

Keywords meatballs, swedish meatballs

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Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (12)

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marlene Stjernfeldt says

    Sound good but it’s not even close to real swedish meatballs. Not the ones we do here in Sweden anyways. Nor the sause but it still sounds tasty.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Marlene! It’s very tasty! Definitely not claiming it to be the real version. Each country has their own ingredients, products and ways of making recipes, so this is just my spin in on.

      Reply

  2. Tara Alden says

    Absolutely loved this recipe! I didn’t listen and used beef bouillon cubes and was way too salty so did tone down with milk and sour cream. Will definitely make again with low sodium beef broth! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Tara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!

      Reply

  3. Megan says

    Usually with recipes I find on Pinterest I have to make a few times and figure out what to change. This recipe however was amazing first time! The only thing I’d change is doubling the sauce we were fighting over who got the last of it! So delicious thank you!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Megan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!

      Reply

  4. Jane King says

    Love this recipe!
    Can I make them ahead amid freeze them. Cooked or uncooked?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Absolutely! You can freeze them either way (you can even freeze with the sauce!). I like to freeze them cooked so I can pull them out for quick meals

      Reply

  5. Selena says

    I added a tablespoon of white wine and sautéed mushrooms. Delish!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Great idea!

      Reply

  6. Nicole says

    So I notice cheese in the picture for the meatballs do you just not put it in if you are just making them for Swedish meatballs?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Yes, I just omit the cheese for Swedish meatballs, though you could add some in if you want!

      Reply

  7. Brooke Mead says

    Instead of the bread can you use bread crumbs store bought? Do you still need to soak them? And how much breadcrumbs?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      You can use dried bread crumbs but you will need more liquid because they are not as moist

      Reply

  8. Claudia Lamascolo says

    I have never had anything like this, heard of them but never wanted to try them until I saw this mouth watering photo On my list to make

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply

  9. Elizabeth says

    Delicious, the family loved them! I’ll have to try them in the Crock-Pot next.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Thanks Elizabeth!

      Reply

  10. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    I usually have meatballs American style in a marinara sauce but now you’ve made me crave them this way with gravy

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      You’ll have to try them!

      Reply

  11. Anjali says

    Thanks for these helpful tips to make the perfect meatballs!! These turned out to be moist and satisfying and everyone loved them!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      I’m so glad to hear that!

      Reply

  12. Dannii says

    This is always a must when we go to Ikea. I really should make it myself more.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      We love homemade way better!

      Reply

  13. Melissa Berman says

    If I wanted to substitute almond flour for the processed bread in the meatball recipe, how much would I need? Let me know. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Melissa! I’ve never tried anything like that so I can’t say how it would go

      Reply

Leave A Reply

Swedish Meatballs recipe [step by step VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

What are traditional Swedish meatballs made of? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 tablespoon butter.
  2. 3 tablespoons onions, grated.
  3. 12 cup breadcrumbs.
  4. 1 12 cups milk.
  5. 12 lb ground beef.
  6. 12 lb ground pork.
  7. 12 lb ground veal.
  8. 1 egg.

What makes Swedish meatballs different from regular meatballs? ›

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

Why is my Swedish meatball sauce not thickening? ›

How to Thicken Swedish Meatball Sauce. The all-purpose flour in this recipe should do the trick to thicken your Swedish meatball sauce to the right consistency. But if it doesn't, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water) to thicken it up.

What are Ikea Swedish meatballs made of? ›

Ingredients for Meatballs
  • 500g beef mince.
  • 250g pork mince.
  • 1 onion finely chopped.
  • 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
  • 100g breadcrumbs.
  • 1 egg.
  • 5 tablespoons of milk.
  • salt and pepper to taste.

What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

Onions and garlic add flavor and texture, and milk, egg, and breadcrumbs act as a binder. Finally, Parmesan cheese is a little “Cozy” touch that adds a subtle pop of flavor. The sauce itself is an amazing combination of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and sour cream.

What's the difference between Swedish and Norwegian meatballs? ›

Norwegian recipes are made with all beef, while some Swedish recipes also use pork. Norwegian meatballs tend to be larger and flatter than their Swedish cousins.

Are homestyle meatballs the same as Swedish meatballs? ›

The major difference between Swedish and Italian meatballs is what they're accompanied with. Swedish meatballs are traditionally topped with a creamy gravy and served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce to cut through the richness, similar to how they're cooked at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Aquavit.

How do you keep Swedish meatballs from falling apart? ›

Bastianich recommends giving the meatballs a little dusting of flour before adding them to the oil in the skillet. The ones I dredged in flour did hold up better than those I did not.

What can you use instead of breadcrumbs in Swedish meatballs? ›

I have done them with panko, crusty bread, crushed Ritz crackers, and once a few packages of Cheese sandwich crackers because I didn't have anything else that night. All of them add different characteristics to the end product but all came out good and unique. Try both and see how you like it.

Can you cook meatballs too long in sauce? ›

I always make it that way. If the meatballs are not huge, about 45 mins to an hour on a low simmer. You don't want to cook it too high or it will burn the bottom of the sauce. I usually cook it for around 2– 2 1/2 hours since it adds flavor to the sauce but if it cooks too long, the meatballs will fall apart.

What goes with Swedish meatballs? ›

The traditional way to serve Swedish Meatballs is with lingonberry jam or homemade lingonberry sauce and thin slices of pickled cucumbers. See the photo above for inspiration!

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook in sauce? ›

The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become. 3. Concentration of Flavors: Simmering at a low temperature for an extended period also encourages the sauce to reduce and thicken.

What are Ikea meatballs made of horse meat? ›

Ikea first said that it would not sell or serve any meatballs at its stores in Sweden after the Czech authorities detected horse meat in frozen meatballs that were labeled beef and pork, even though Ikea's own tests two weeks ago had not detected horse DNA.

Why did Ikea stop selling meatballs? ›

STOCKHOLM - Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat. Stores in the U.S. and Canada were not affected, Ikea said.

What is the jam they put on Ikea meatballs? ›

It's lingonberry season and the small sour berries that thrive best in cold climates are ready to be picked. Swedes love eating the jam made from lingonberries with meatballs, mashed potatoes and cream sauce.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste so good? ›

The pork in the meatballs lends saltiness and moisture while the beef is where that hardy flavor and uniform texture comes from. Following that are onions, water, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, and potato starch - and the last two are those 'secret' ingredients.

What's the difference between Swedish and Finnish meatballs? ›

"Finnish meatballs are meatier and bigger than Swedish meatballs. They are also served with lingonberry jam and boiled/mashed potatoes, and a gravy, but they are juicier and yummier.

What supermarket sells Swedish meatballs? ›

Smörgåsbord The Original Swedish Meatballs 400g | Sainsbury's.

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