Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs are traditionally made with allspice and/or nutmeg, but I chose to omit them to make this recipe the ultimate kid-friendly, family crowd-pleaser. I promise you won’t miss the spices here! This is a go-to dinner at our place. Simple meatballs are made incredibly soft with a secret ingredient (milk!), then covered in a rich, creamy gravy and served with pasta or mashed potato. It’s a deceptively easy recipe to make, with hardly any chopping, making it perfect for a fast, delicious weeknight dinner. The meatballs can even be made in advance and stored in your freezer until you need them. I like to add a fresh cucumber salad and a dollop of cranberry sauce for contrast against the creamy richness of the gravy.

Can you make Swedish Meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you can refrigerate pre-made, uncooked meatballs for up to 3 days. Pre-made Swedish Meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store the meatballs in an airtight container with baking paper in between the layers to stop the meatballs sticking. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before use. Cook as per the recipe.

Are Swedish Meatballs suitable for leftovers?

Swedish Meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Not suitable to freeze.

Swedish Meatballs

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4.9 from 8 reviews

• Total Time: 24 mins
• Yield: 4 (makes approx 20 meatballs) 1x

Ingredients

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MEATBALLS

• 500 g  (1 lb) combined pork and veal mince/ground pork and veal (substitute with beef or use all pork)
• 1 large onion, grated
• 1 cup (120 g) breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp milk

SAUCE

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (473 ml) water
• 1 tsp beef stock powder
• ½ cup (4 fl oz) pure cream or thickened/heavy cream

CUCUMBER SALAD

• 2 cucumbers, sliced
• 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt 

TO SERVE

• 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• Pasta or mashed potato
• Cranberry sauce (see note 1)

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Instructions

1. Add the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and use your hands to combine. Roll the meatballs, slightly smaller than a golf ball.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs, turning frequently for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside (they will still be raw on the inside).
3. Turn the heat down to medium and add the butter to the same pan.
4. Once the butter is melted, add the flour. Use a whisk to stir for 1 minute. Once a paste is formed, add the water and stock powder. Continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken (it will be very thin, like water initially). Return the meatballs to the sauce and cook for 8 minutes.
5. Add the cream and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. To make the cucumber salad, combine the ingredients. 
7. Garnish the meatballs with chives and serve with pasta or mashed potato, cucumber salad and cranberry sauce.

Notes

Note 1 – Traditionally, lingonberry jam is served with Swedish Meatballs. Cranberry sauce is the perfect substitute, accessible at most major supermarkets. It is tangy and sweet and pairs perfectly with the creamy sauce. 

MAKE AHEAD

Refrigerate pre-made, uncooked meatballs for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Store the meatballs in an airtight container with baking paper in between the layers to stop the meatballs sticking. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before use. Cook as per the recipe. 

LEFTOVERS

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Not suitable to freeze.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 14 mins
• Category: pork, meatballs
• Method: deep pan
• Cuisine: Swedish