Here’s a classic Swedish meatballs recipe—tender, flavorful, and smothered in a creamy gravy, just like the traditional style 🇸🇪
Swedish Meatballs (Serves 4–6)
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (or ½ beef + ½ pork)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk or cream
- 1 small onion, finely minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp butter (for frying)
- 1 tbsp oil
Creamy Gravy
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the meatball mixture
- Mix breadcrumbs and milk; let soak 2–3 minutes.
- Add ground meat, onion, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Mix gently until just combined.
- Shape & cook meatballs
- Roll into 1-inch balls.
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Brown meatballs on all sides, about 6–8 minutes.
- Remove and set aside (they’ll finish cooking in the sauce).
- Make the gravy
- In the same skillet, melt butter.
- Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in beef broth until smooth.
- Stir in cream and Worcestershire sauce.
- Simmer until thickened, 3–5 minutes.
- Finish
- Return meatballs to skillet.
- Simmer gently 10 minutes until cooked through.
- Adjust seasoning.
Serve With
- Mashed potatoes (classic)
- Egg noodles
- Lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce
- Steamed green beans or peas
Tips
- Don’t overmix—keeps meatballs tender.
- Allspice is key to authentic flavor (nutmeg is a close second).
- For extra richness, use heavy cream instead of milk.
If you want, I can also give you an oven-baked version, a slow cooker version, or a copycat IKEA-style recipe.
