Description
This recipe for the Best Swedish Meatballs offers tender, flavorful meatballs made from a mix of beef and pork, baked to perfection and smothered in a rich, creamy gravy. Perfect comfort food served traditionally over mashed potatoes with cucumber salad and lingonberries.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 4 slices white bread, no crusts
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
- 1 pound ground pork (or substitute with another pound of ground beef)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- A few shakes of black pepper
For the Gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter (or drippings from baked meatballs)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (more as needed)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (more to taste)
- 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- Very slight dash of nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the bread mixture: Soak the white bread slices in 1/2 cup heavy cream for 5 to 10 minutes until thoroughly softened. Mash the soaked bread with a spoon or your hands until it forms a paste.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the bread paste with onion powder, garlic powder, ground beef, ground pork, egg, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix everything until evenly incorporated. If the mixture feels too wet to handle, add a small amount of panko breadcrumbs or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to help bind the mixture without drying it out.
- Shape and bake the meatballs: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll the meat mixture into smallish meatballs and place them on a sheet pan or baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned.
- Make the gravy base: In a large skillet, sauté pan, or braiser over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (or use drippings from the meatballs if available). Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing it to bubble and form a roux without browning too much.
- Add broth and cream: Gradually pour in 1 1/2 cups of beef broth, stirring constantly after each addition to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until a smooth gravy forms. Then stir in 1 cup heavy cream. Season the gravy with Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt, and a slight dash of nutmeg if using. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to get the perfect balance.
- Combine meatballs and gravy: Add the baked meatballs back into the pan with the gravy, stirring gently to coat the meatballs well. Cover the pan to keep warm. Alternatively, transfer the covered pan to the oven on a low or warm setting to let the meatballs soak and become more tender in the gravy before serving.
- Serve: Serve the Swedish meatballs hot, traditionally over creamy mashed potatoes, accompanied by cucumber salad and lingonberries for an authentic experience.
Notes
- The meatball mixture is intentionally moist to create tender meatballs, so don’t be alarmed if it feels wet.
- Adding panko or cornstarch can help if the mixture feels too loose for shaping.
- The gravy flavors develop as you adjust the Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and nutmeg; taste and adjust carefully for the best result.
- For authentic Swedish flavor, serve with lingonberries and a simple cucumber salad.
- Meatballs can be kept warm in the gravy on low heat or in the oven before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 5-6 meatballs with gravy)
- Calories: 452
- Sugar: 6.3 g
- Sodium: 1143.1 mg
- Fat: 24.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.4 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 176 mg
