Swedish Meatballs

Why These Swedish Meatballs Work
Ingredient Tips For Swedish Meatballs
Serving Suggestions
More Cozy Dinner Recipes You’ll Love

Swedish meatballs are one of those meals that I make when I need something cozy that everyone will love. Tender meatballs, homemade or frozen, are simmered in a creamy gravy in just one pan.

Inspired by the classic Ikea favorite, we love this homemade version even more. It’s perfect over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a perfect family dinner.

Cooked Swedish meatballs with parsley next to egg noodles

Why These Swedish Meatballs Work

These Swedish meatballs are one of those dishes I turn to when I I don’t want to think about dinner!

Uses everyday ingredients. You can adjust the seasonings or salt levels.
Use frozen or homemade meatballs. Browning homemade meatballs helps them hold together and adds flavor.
A rich flavorful sauce that’s easy to make.
One pan meal.

ingredients for a Swedish meatball recipe on the counter

Ingredient Tips For Swedish Meatballs

Meat: Use a combination of ground beef and pork or all ground beef. Lean beef ensures the meatballs are tender without being too greasy.
Binders: Breadcrumbs and egg bind the meatballs together and keep them tender. Any type of bread crumbs work.
Spices: Warm spices like nutmeg and allspice give the meatballs a traditional flavor.
Beef stock: Beef stock is a bit richer in flavor than broth. If you use broth, add a beef bouillon cube.
Soy sauce: This may seem unconventional but it is often added to authentic Swedish meatball recipes. It adds both salt and flavor to the sauce.

A bowl of raw meatball ingredients for Swedish meatballs

Browning meatballs in a skillet for Swedish meatballs

Use Frozen: Swap the homemade meatballs with 24 ounces of frozen, fully cooked meatballs.
Add flavor: Cook diced onion or mushrooms in a little bit of butter before browning the meatballs.
Prep ahead: Make a large batch or two of homemade meatballs. They can be cooked before or after freezing. Simmer them in the Swedish meatball sauce for a quick weeknight meal.
Make it a little lighter: Replace heavy cream with ½ cup of evaporated milk whisked with 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch.

Serving Suggestions

In Sweden, these meatballs are often served with lingonberry jam. It has a flavor similar to cranberry sauce. Serve these with:

Did you enjoy this Swedish Meatball recipe? If so, leave a rating and a comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, pork, bread crumbs, egg, milk, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until combined and divide into 45–48 small meatballs, about 1-inch each.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and brown on all sides, they do not need to be cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
In the same skillet, add the butter to the meat drippings in the skillet. Whisk in the flour and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
While whisking, slowly add in the the broth, cream, and soy sauce, stirring until smooth.
Once smooth, add the meatballs and bring to a gentle boil over medium low heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 5-10 minutes more or until the sauce is thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley if desired.

*If using beef broth instead of stock, add a little extra seasoning or bouillon for flavor.

Swap heavy cream with sour cream or cream cheese if desired. Flavor will change slightly.
Fully cooked frozen meatballs can go straight into the sauce. Thaw homemade frozen meatballs first and cook to 160°F.
Store in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Main Course

Cuisine Swedish

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