The Best Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs on plates with mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

The Best Swedish Meatballs

The best Swedish meatballs are made from scratch with an easy homemade gravy. Make a huge batch of meatballs and keep them in the freezer for a quick meal!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Swedish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 452kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 slice white sandwich bread
8 ounces ground beef (see note 1)
8 ounces ground pork
1 onion grated (see note 2)
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Gravy:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth (see note 3)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon beef base (see note 4)
1 cup heavy cream
Mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles for serving (see note 9)
Cranberries for serving (see note 9)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the meatballs:

Adjust 2 oven racks to the upper middle and lower middle positions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and set racks coated nonstick spray on top.
In a large bowl, mash together egg, cream, and bread until a smooth paste forms. Add beef, pork, onion, allspice, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Using a strong rubber spatula or your hands, mix well.
Working with 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and lay on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (I use the OXO medium cookie scoop, a size 40 portioner, and do meatballs per rack). If rolling by hand, wet your hands so the meat mixture doesn't stick to them. You should have 24 meatballs.
Arrange on rack and bake until browned with crispy edges, about 15 to 20 minutes (an internal thermometer should read 155 degrees for 15 seconds).

To make the gravy:

In a large skillet, melt butter until the foaming subsides. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Add chicken broth, brown sugar, and beef base. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until reduced to about 2 cups.
Stir in heavy cream and return to a simmer. Add meatballs, cover and cook until the meatballs are heated through and the gravy has thickened (allow about 10 minutes if the meatballs are frozen). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles and cranberries (or lingonberries, if you can find them).

Video

Notes

Beef and pork: Ground veal is traditional in Swedish meatballs, but it's also hard to find. So, I use a 50/50 split of beef and pork.
Onion: To avoid biting into large chunks of onion in your meatballs, grate them on a box grater.
Chicken broth: Most canned beef broths taste like the metal can they are in, so I use chicken broth from a carton and supplement with beef base.
Beef base: Similar to bullion cubes, beef base is highly concentrated beef stock. You can find it in powder or paste forms. I love “Better than Bouillon” brand, a paste that is widely available and tastes delicious.
Pan-frying the meatballs: Heat vegetable shortening or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and the meatballs are cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch (an internal thermometer should read 155 degrees for 15 seconds). Add more shortening between batches if the skillet looks dry. Leave all the delicious bits in the skillet for the gravy.
Freezer: Arrange meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet or plate, not touching. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and label it. Meatballs keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. The gravy does not freeze well, so make that when you need it.
Reheat: No need to thaw before you reheat these. Throw the frozen meatballs directly into the gravy and allow an extra 10 minutes or so for them to be heated through.
Slow cooker: Keep Swedish meatballs and gravy warm in a slow cooker for parties and buffet dinners.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy these meatballs with a delicious pile of mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or even cooked rice. And if you can't find lingonberries, cranberry sauce is an awesome substitute.

Nutrition