Swedish Meatballs are seriously so good! The meatballs are studded with pops of onion and then smothered in a beefy, creamy sauce for a flavor you’ll crave!
Swedish Meatballs are my favorite party appetizers to make! It does take time to get all the meatballs cooked, but they are worth it! I’d happily put this Swedish meatball recipe with against those IKEA Swedish meatballs any day of the week. They’re great for a small group or you can double or triple the recipe for a crowd. Just be sure to grab some while you can! They go fast!!
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How to make Swedish meatballs
- Add the meatball ingredient to a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined.
- Roll the ground beef mixture into golfball-sized meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs in a large skillet until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center. Drain on paper towels.
- Use the same skillet to make a roux, and then whisk in beef broth. Simmer to thicken the sauce.
- Add creamy, seasonings, and herbs. Stir to combine and then pour the sauce all over the meatballs.
The star of this recipe is the Swedish meatball sauce. Yes, the meatballs themselves are delicious. But the sauce is what gives them that signature Swedish meatball taste!
If you want to serve these meatballs as a meal, they go great with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. I double the sauce when we serve Swedish meatballs with egg noodles so there’s enough for the meatballs and pasta. In Sweden, these meatballs are frequently served with mashed potatoes, pickles, and lingonberry jam. I’m not into pickles, so I don’t go that route, but I have been known to throw some cranberry sauce into the mix since it’s similar to the lingonberry flavor.
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Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or half-n-half)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Meatballs
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and translucent, about 7 to 10 mins.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and evaporated milk. Add the ground beef, cooked onions, egg, salt, parsley, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. (I usually use my hands for this part.)
- For the ground beef mixture into golfball-sized meatballs. (You can roll as you go, or pre-roll all the meatballs before cooking.)
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Add meatballs, working in batches as to not overcrowd the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes. Be sure to turn the meatballs so they browned on all sides.
- Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and repeat with remaining meatballs.
Sauce
- Once the meatballs are done cooking, add butter to the skillet to deglaze. Be sure to scrape all those brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in flour and allow to cook for 1 minute before whisking in the beef broth. Simmer until thickened slightly.
- Add in cream, dried parsley, pepper, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine.
- Transfer the meatballs to a serving bowl and pour the sauce all over the meatballs. (Use all the sauce!) garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer to use raw onion, substitute 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced and add it to the ground beef as directed.
- You can freeze the meatballs once you've cooked them. Place meatballs on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a ziploc freezer bag for long-term storage. Defrost in the fridge before warming in the sauce.
- When I make these meatballs to serve with egg noodles, I double the sauce recipe so there's enough for the meatballs and pasta. We get about 6 servings from the recipe.
- You can make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time, pop everything into a slow cooker and keep on the WARM setting. I do this for parties and potlucks all the time.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Jen says
Love this recipe! It’s my go to for Swedish Meatballs and I use it every fall and winter. So tasty!