Description
This classic Swedish Meatball recipe combines tender beef and pork meatballs seasoned with warm spices and baked in a rich, creamy gravy made with beef broth, sour cream, and a hint of Dijon mustard. Perfect served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, these meatballs are browned to perfection and simmered in a flavorful sauce for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ lb. ground beef, 80% lean
- ½ lb. ground pork
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat half of the olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced onions and minced garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onions and garlic, salt, oregano, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, and pepper. Gently mix in ground beef and pork until just combined without overworking the mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Roll the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs using your hands or a small cookie scoop for uniform size. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, covered.
- Prepare Sauce Base: While the meatballs chill, mix together beef broth, chicken bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and dried parsley in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, giving them plenty of space to brown on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove meatballs and set aside. Drain excess oil from the skillet if necessary.
- Make Roux: Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the bottom to loosen browned bits. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until it begins to brown slightly.
- Add Broth to Roux: Gradually add the beef broth mixture in small splashes while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Incorporate Sour Cream: Place sour cream in a medium bowl and add about ¼ cup of the hot sauce, stirring until smooth. Slowly stir the sour cream mixture back into the skillet with the sauce over low heat until fully combined.
- Simmer Meatballs: Return the browned meatballs and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over them and let cook on low heat, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes until heated through and meatballs are fully cooked.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve the Swedish meatballs over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Use full-fat sour cream to prevent curdling in the sauce.
- Chicken bouillon adds depth of flavor; beef bouillon can be substituted if preferred.
- Heavy cream can be used instead of sour cream for a richer sauce.
- You can vary the meat ratio using beef, pork, and veal for different flavors.
- A 12-inch high-walled skillet is ideal for cooking this amount of meatballs.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For reheating, use a double boiler or low heat to avoid breaking the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
