Here’s a Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake 🧆🍝—creamy, cozy, and perfect for a family dinner or make-ahead meal.
Ingredients (serves 6)
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter (for browning)
Pasta & Sauce
- 12 oz pasta (egg noodles, penne, or rotini)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Topping
- 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella or Swedish-style cheese
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Make the meatballs
- In a bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk; let soak 1 minute.
- Add ground meat, onion, egg, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Roll into small meatballs.
- Brown in a skillet with oil or butter until cooked through. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta
- Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain.
3. Make the Swedish cream sauce
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in beef broth, then cream.
- Stir in Worcestershire, Dijon, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer until thick and creamy.
4. Assemble the bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, meatballs, and sauce.
- Transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly on top.
5. Bake
- Bake uncovered 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
6. Serve
- Garnish with parsley.
- Serve with lingonberry jam, a green salad, or roasted vegetables.
Tips & Variations
- Shortcut: Use frozen meatballs and egg noodles.
- Extra creamy: Add 2 tbsp cream cheese to the sauce.
- Lighter version: Use ground turkey and half-and-half.
- Traditional touch: Serve with a spoon of lingonberry or cranberry sauce.
This dish is rich, comforting, and freezer-friendly—great for busy weeks.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- A one-skillet version
- A slow-cooker version
- A keto/low-carb version
Just tell me 😊
