Best Swedish Meatballs Recipe
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The Best Swedish Meatballs feature tender meatballs in a rich, creamy sauce! Delicious served over noodles or mashed potatoes for dinner, and makes a great appetizer. The recipe is simple to make and ready in 30 minutes!
These savory, satisfying Swedish Meatballs are delicious favorites my family loves! They are made from scratch with my Mama’s simple recipe she’s made for decades. With a few steps and simple ingredients, this recipe makes the best Swedish meatballs and rich, creamy Swedish meatball sauce.
While they most certainly make a hearty meal served over mashed potatoes, wide noodles, or rice, they make a special appetizer for serving at parties, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple to Make – The ingredients are simple, and the recipe is straightforward and easy! While there are a few steps, they are easy to do, and the results are so very worth it! These are the Best Swedish meatballs I’ve ever tasted!
Time-Tested Recipe – This family recipe was passed down from my Mama and has been made hundreds of times over decades. While we aren’t Swedish and have been making this recipe long before we’d ever heard of Ikea Swedish meatballs, I know you will enjoy these Swedish meatballs just like my family and friends have for many years.
Versatile – Makes a satisfying, scrumptious dinner as well as a delicious appetizer. There are also several recipe variations if you wish to use any of them.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
For the Meatballs:
Ground Beef – Use ground chuck for the most depth of flavor.
Onion – Chopped onion adds flavor to the meatballs. You can omit if you prefer.
Egg – Acts as a binder for the meatballs.
Seasonings – Stone House Seasoning, nutmeg, and allspice. (Note: Mama’s original recipe did not include nutmeg and allspice.)
Bread Crumbs or Cracker Crumbs – Binds the meatballs together. You can also use plain Panko.
Fresh Parsley – Use freshly chopped parsley for the best flavor.
Olive Oil
For the Swedish Meatball Sauce:
Butter – Adds flavor and richness to the sauce.
Flour – It thickens the sauce.
Beef Stock or Broth – Adds deep flavor to the sauce.
Whole Milk – Makes the sauce creamy and delicious. You can use heavy cream for an even richer sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce – Deepens the flavor. You can also use coconut aminos if sensitive to soy.
Stone House Seasoning – My favorite house seasoning, hence the name Stone House Seasoning, is a blend of garlic, salt, and pepper.
Fresh Parsley – Use freshly chopped for the best flavor.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Mix the ingredients for the meatballs, then form them into meatballs with a scoop or spoon.
Cook the meatballs in a skillet with olive oil until browned, according to the recipe, for about 7 to 10 minutes. Once done, drain the meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate.
Melt the butter according to the directions and then whisk in the flour until golden brown.
Next, slowly whisk in broth and cook until thickened. Add milk or cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir the sauce until it is creamy and well combined. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce.
Finally, coat the meatballs in the creamy Swedish meatball sauce by turning them gently in the sauce-filled skillet. Add fresh parsley, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
How to Serve Swedish Meatballs
We always love our Swedish Meatballs served over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
When we hosted a Rotary student from Sweden several years ago, she made sure that we served it with a bit of Lingonberry Jam that she’d brought with her from home. It was a delicious variation for us!
Variations
- Meat: Use a mixture of ground beef and ground pork or substitute with ground chicken or ground turkey, if you prefer.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute your favorite gluten-free crackers, bread, or Panko for a gluten-free meatball, and use gluten-free flour for making the sauce.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favorite dairy-free milk instead of the milk used in this recipe.
- Egg-Free: If you are sensitive or allergic to eggs, you can use a flax egg replacement. Combine one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Onion-Free: You can omit the onions from the meatballs if you prefer.
- Seasonings: Use 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper in place of Stone House Seasoning if you do not have it on hand. Nutmeg and allspice were not in my Mama’s original recipe. You can omit them from the recipe and still have a delicious dish!
Tips for the Best Swedish Meatballs
- Ground chuck is my favorite for this recipe as it gives the meatballs a deeper flavor.
- Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to form the meatballs so they will be a consistent size.
- Make sure to use whole milk or heavy cream for the sauce. Using low-fat dairy is not suggested. You want the richness and creaminess that using full-fat dairy will give the Swedish meatball sauce
Storage Tips
To Store: Allow the Swedish Meatballs to cool. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: After the meatballs are cool, place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and into the freezer for 2 to 3 hours. Make sure the meatballs are not touching, as they will freeze together. Once the meatballs have frozen, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag. Place in freezer for up to 3 months. Do not freeze the creamy sauce, as it will not do well. Make the sauce fresh.
To Serve: When ready to serve, allow frozen meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or partially reheat frozen meatballs in the microwave or oven, then add them to the sauce over low-medium heat.
More Delicious Ground Beef Recipes
Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs
Skillet Lasagna or Best Lasagna Recipe
FOR THE CREAMIEST SAUCE
Use whole-fat dairy for the sauce (as included in the recipe). It gives the sauce a rich, creamy texture.
If you tried this Swedish Meatballs Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Stone House Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 2 tablespoons bread or cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- olive oil
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Stone House Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Mix together all ingredients for the meatballs. Set aside.
- Using a tablespoon scoop or spoon, form meatballs from the ground beef mixture. Heat 12-inch skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle in enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the skillet to prevent meatballs from sticking. Drop formed meatballs into the heated skillet, turning occasionally to ensure that all sides of the meatball have been browned, about 7-10 minutes. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165º F. Remove the meatballs from the skillet or saute pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
For the sauce:
- Reduce the heat on the skillet or saute pan to medium-low heat. Melt butter and whisk in flour until it has turned golden brown. Slowly whisk in beef broth and cook until thickened, then add in milk or cream, worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt. Continue to stir until well-combined. Add meatballs back into the skillet, turning to coat well. Add fresh parsley, if using.
Notes
- Meat: Use a mixture of ground beef and ground pork or substitute with ground chicken or ground turkey, if you prefer.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute your favorite gluten-free crackers, bread, or Panko for a gluten-free meatball, and use gluten-free flour for making the sauce.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favorite dairy-free milk instead of the milk used in this recipe.
- Egg-Free: If you are sensitive or allergic to eggs, you can use a flax egg replacement. Combine one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Onion-Free: You can omit the onions from the meatballs if you prefer.
- Seasonings: Use 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper in place of Stone House Seasoning if you do not have it on hand. Nutmeg and allspice were not in my Mama’s original recipe. You can omit them from the recipe and still have a delicious dish!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2014.
Bought the meatballs from IKEA. Made this sauce and it’s so easy and delicious! I’m going to make the meatballs from this recipe next time!
Thanks, Nanette. I hope you do try it with the meatballs in the recipe.
Can’t wait!
I hope you enjoy, Andrea!
Swedish meatballs is one of my favorite meals. I used frozen meatballs but made the sauce. If was delicious!!! Thank you!!!
Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
We had this last night for dinner. Confession: We had a bag of Ikea Meatballs in our freezer, so we used those with a doubled recipe of the sauce from this recipe and it was very good. (And we froze a container of leftovers for another meal!) Next time we’ll have to try both meatballs and sauce. Thank you for a great recipe!
Has anyone tried this with skimmed milk?
Best recipe for Swedish meatballs sauce. I did one teaspoon of stone ground Dijon mustard for a smudge more tang.
Definitely a “keeper”.
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
what can i substitute for the beef broth?
LOVE this on the stove. Has anyone made it in an instant pot??
I was wondering if anyone has made this in a slow cooker? If so, did it come out just as good and how long did you cook it for? Thanks!
This such an easy and delicious sweedish meatmall recipe. I highly recommend trying this. I did use frozen meatballs but followed the gravy recipe. Everyone loved it!
Thanks, Kim. I’m so glad you liked it.