Swedish Meatballs are the unofficial national dish of Sweden and one of the most famous dishes at Ikea! My recipe features juicy, tender meatballs in a homemade cream sauce. They're perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner, served with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (or lingonberry sauce) on the side.
Can't get enough of meatballs? Try my classic Italian meatball recipe next!
About This Recipe
I grew up eating Swedish meatballs all throughout my childhood. My family used to love going to Ikea, and it was one of our favorite things to eat after a long trip of shopping. The combination of juicy meatballs in creamy sauce was to die for.
But as I got older, I realized how easy they are to make at home! The meatballs themselves are really simple. All you do is combine the ingredients and bake them. The key is getting the right beef-to-pork ratio, and I recommend using 2 parts beef to 1 part pork. I've found this to give the best texture, flavor, and juiciness.
The best part of this recipe is that the meatballs are baked. I hate pan-frying meatballs because it takes a long time, and there's always a big mess to clean up. But the major benefit of panfrying is that you can use the leftover stuck-on bits to make the sauce. But with baking, we can do the same thing. After baking the meatballs, just add some water to the baking pan and scrape off all the stuck-on bits with a wooden spatula. Pour this into the sauce, and it will add a ton of flavor.
Key Ingredients
Ground beef and pork: I like using a 2:1 ratio of beef to pork. I used extra-lean ground beef (<10% fat) and full-fat ground pork. This made the meatballs plenty juicy but not overly fatty.
Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs help absorb juices that squeeze out of the meat during baking. This keeps them extra juicy!
Milk: Milk is needed to help hydrate the breadcrumbs a bit.
Egg: An egg helps bind all the ingredients together.
Spices & seasonings: You will need salt, onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, and white pepper. I know a lot of people have trouble finding allspice so you can leave it out if you don't have it.
Cream sauce: You will need butter, flour, beef broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, and parsley. For the beef broth, I mixed 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon beef base with 2 cups of water.
Instructions
STEP 1: Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let this sit for 5 minutes to hydrate.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Add the soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to mix until thoroughly combined.
STEP 3: Roll the meatballs into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
STEP 4: Bake at 450ยฐF for 16-18 minutes until the tops are browned. Remove the meatballs to a plate and leave behind the pan.
STEP 5: Add ยผ cup of water to the pan and use a wooden spatula to scrape off the stuck-on bits. Pour into a small bowl and set aside for later.
STEP 6: To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes until it turns golden brown.
STEP 7: Slowly whisk in the beef broth, then add the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and the pan liquid from earlier.
STEP 8: In a small bowl, add the sour cream. Scoop out ยผ cup of the sauce and mix it into the sour cream (this will prevent the sour cream from curdling). Pour the sour cream mixture into the sauce and stir to combine.
STEP 9: Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook until warm. Garnish with parsley. Serve meatballs with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (or lingonberry sauce). Enjoy!
๐ Recipe
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ยฝ cup breadcrumbs
- ยผ cup milk
- 1 pound ground beef
- ยฝ pound ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยผ teaspoon ground allspice
- ยผ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ยผ teaspoon white pepper
For the sauce
- ยผ cup butter
- ยผ cup flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- ยฝ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ยฝ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ยฝ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
To make the meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 450ยฐF and place the rack in the middle position.
- Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the rest of the meatball ingredients. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and mix everything well.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on an empty baking sheet. You should have about 30 meatballs.
- Bake the meatballs for 16-18 minutes until brown on the top. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add ยผ cup of water to the pan and use a wooden spatula to scrape off the browned bits. Pour the liquid and bits into a small bowl and set aside for later.
To make the sauce
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2โ3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth, then add the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and the pan liquid from earlier.
- In a small bowl, add the sour cream. Scoop out ยผ cup of the sauce and mix it into the sour cream. This will prevent the sour cream from curdling.
- Pour the sour cream mixture into the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the meatballs and cook until warm. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, and enjoy!
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