Swedish Meatballs
These Swedish meatballs come together in a few simple steps with pantry staples. It's warm, cozy, and full of flavor! It's the perfect weeknight dinner.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 539kcal
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 12 ounces ground beef (340g)
- 12 ounces ground pork (340g)
- 1 small yellow onion grated (121g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (30g)
- ¼ cup parsley minced
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Gravy:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 2½ cups beef broth (600mL)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120mL)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Stir together until well combined. (I like to use my hands for this!) Shape the meat mixture into 36 tablespoon-sized balls.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
- Pour off any grease from skillet and wipe clean.
For the Gravy:
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Whisk the flour into butter and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the broth until the mixture is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, salt, and pepper and bring to a low simmer, reducing the heat if necessary.
- Add meatballs back to skillet and simmer until gravy thickens and meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve over hot egg noodles or mashed potatoes and garnish with more chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- When combining the meatball mixture, be careful not to overmix. I like to use my hands, so I get a good feel of when the mixture is just combined. If you overmix, you end up with dense and heavy meatballs.
- To keep the meatballs uniform in size, use a cookie scoop. Having uniformed meatballs will help them cook evenly.
- If the meatballs stick to your hands, moisten your hands with some water to make it easier to shape the meatballs. Wetting your hands creates a barrier on your skin, preventing the meat from sticking and allowing you to roll it into a ball without making a mess.
- Use a large skillet and don’t try to brown all the meatballs in one go in the skillet. You need to make sure the meatballs are not touching while they brown, as this will ensure the meatballs get crispy instead of steaming.
- After adding the heavy cream to the skillet, be mindful not to boil the cream, as it might separate if you do. Keep the heat on the lower side so it simmers gently instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg