The Best Swedish Meatballs
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(737)
Ingredients
5-6 servings
- 4 slices white bread, no crusts
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef (I use 85/15)
- 1 pound ground pork (you can also sub with another pound of ground beef instead)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- a few shakes of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter (you can also use some drippings from the 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 – I recommend adding it last so you can taste and adjust for how much you want)
- Very slight dash of nutmeg (optional)
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Preparation
Step 1
In a small bowl, soak the white bread in the heavy cream for 5-10 minutes. Mash with a spoon or your hands. Mix the bread paste in a large bowl with the garlic and onion powder, beef and pork, egg, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. When it’s all well-mixed, roll into smallish meatballs. If the mixture is too wet to handle, add a bit of panko or a tablespoon of cornstarch.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a sheet pan or baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
Step 3
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour; let it bubble for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef broth, slowly, stirring after each addition. Gradually a smooth gravy should start to form. Stir in the heavy cream and season with Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and nutmeg if desired. Taste and adjust for flavor.
Step 4
Add meatballs in with the gravy. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve, or transfer the pan to the oven on low/warm heat to continue tenderizing. Serve over mashed potatoes, with a cucumber salad and lingonberries.
Step 5
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Chef's notes
You can use all ground beef instead of half beef, half pork.
The gravy thickens and the meatballs become more tender as they rest in the sauce. Make in the afternoon for a few hours to settle in before serving.
A make-ahead option is to make the meatballs, and either bake and freeze them, or freeze them raw and bake on the day of serving.
Using store-bought meatballs is an easy alternative.
The cucumber salad is important for balancing the meal!
