Swedish Meatballs

This recipe for Swedish Meatballs screams comfort food.  Soft, chewy meatballs smothered in a rich creamy sauce all sitting on top of tender egg noodles. Need I say more?

Save yourself the trip, and forget Ikea meatballs, this recipe for homemade Swedish meatballs is absolutely delicious and easy to pull together.  Nicely seasoned with warm spices like allspice and nutmeg, the tender beef and pork meatballs melt in your mouth. And the Swedish meatball sauce recipe is so rich and creamy that the combination of the two together is absolutely divine.

Swedish Meatball Recipe

This easy Swedish meatball recipe is perfect for a chilly night or whenever you are craving something nourishing and comforting. 

Though I made this recipe on the stove, you can also make Swedish meatballs in the crockpot or slow cooker by preparing the meatballs and sauce and then placing them in the crockpot for a few hours to cook and heat through. 

I like to make a double batch of this Swedish meatballs recipe and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover homemade meatballs will keep for 4 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer. Freeze the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and once frozen place them in a container or freezer bag. This way they won’t all stick together. 

Looking for more meatball recipes? I’ve got loads of them. Try these Porcupine Meatballs, these Sticky Asian Meatballs, or these Salisbury Steak Meatballs.  

What are Swedish Meatballs?

Swedish meatballs are traditionally smaller than regular meatballs and made with a combination of beef and pork. They are seasoned with allspice and nutmeg and served with usually served in a bechamel sauce.

What are Swedish Meatballs served with?

Swedish meatballs are traditionally served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Of course, they are perfect all on their own!

Swedish Meatball Appetizer

We love to serve these meatballs as a starter for dinner parties, but they also make hearty tailgate food, too! I recommend preparing them in the crock pot, so they stay piping hot. Plus, they are a totally hands-off recipe for the host, so they can enjoy the festivities too!

Ingredients Needed To Make This Swedish Meatball Recipe

For the Meatballs:

Ground beef/ground pork – I used a combination of ground beef and pork but you can also use all beef or all pork if you wish. No need to follow a 50-50 ratio of ground pork to ground beef either. 

Panko – I used Panko breadcrumbs but any kind of breadcrumb will work.

Onion – I used a yellow onion, diced, but any kind of onion will work. 

Egg yolks – I only used egg yolks but kept the whites to use in an omelet the next day!

Spices – I used a combination of allspice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

For the Swedish Meatball Sauce:

Butter – I used unsalted butter for the creamy sauce but you can also use olive oil. 

All-purpose flour –Flour thickens the creamy gravy sauce.

Beef broth – I used beef broth but you can use chicken or vegetable if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

Sour cream – I prefer to use full-fat sour cream for a rich sauce. 

Salt & Pepper

Wide egg noodles – for serving, prepared according to the package instructions. Alternatively, serve these over fluffy mashed potatoes or as an appetizer on toothpicks.

How to cook Swedish meatballs

First, In a large skillet or pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Next, In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg yolks, panko, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the cooled onion.

Roll the meatball mixture into 1 1/2-inch-sized balls.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan the onion was cooked in and brown the meatballs. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Then, To make the Swedish meatball sauce, melt the butter in the same pan, add in the flour, and whisk into a paste. 

Gradually whisk in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add in the sour cream, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. 

Finally, Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

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FAQs About Swedish Meatballs

What makes Swedish meatballs different? Swedish meatballs often contain allspice and nutmeg and they are served with a white sauce as opposed to a tomato or marinara-like sauce that traditionally goes with Italian meatballs.

What is Swedish meatball sauce made of? In this Swedish meatball sauce recipe, I have used beef broth, flour, butter, and sour cream. 

Why do IKEA meatballs taste so good? Everyone seems to love Ikea meatballs as they taste as if they are made fresh restaurant style. 

 Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have any sour cream on hand you can use heavy cream for the cream sauce though your sauce will not be as thick. 

Any combination of ground meat will work for the meatballs; ground turkey or chicken are also options. 

Change up the flavor of the meatballs and use onion powder, garlic powder, and a touch of brown sugar.

Tips & Tricks

If you want to add some flavor to the sauce add a touch of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. 

Uncooked meatballs can be made in advance and frozen until you are ready to serve them. 

More Meatball Recipes to Love

• Homemade Italian Meatballs (pictured above)
• Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs
• Dorothy’s Cranberry Meatballs
• Stuffed Pepper Meatballs
• Mexican Meatballs

My hubby has always loved Swedish Meatballs and I will admit, that aside from my Porcupine Meatballs, I really don’t make meatballs all that often. Not quite sure why but I’ll have to change that and add this recipe to my weekly meal-planning list.

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Print Recipe

Swedish Meatballs

Traditional Swedish Meatballs served over wide egg noodles or mashed potatoes are a perfect comfort food meal but make a great appetizer too!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Swedish/American

Keyword: best Swedish meatballs, easy Swedish meatball recipe, recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Swedish meatball sauce recipe, sauce for Swedish meatballs, Swedish Meatball appetizer, Swedish meatball gravy, Swedish meatball recipe, Swedish meatballs, Swedish meatballs in the crockpot

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 805kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Crock-Pot Cook & Carry 6-Quart Oval Portable Manual Slow Cooker 
• 12-Piece Black Sharp Knife Set with Covers, Cutting Board and Sharpener
• Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet With Assist Handle, 10.25", Black

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• For the Meatballs:
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 onion diced
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• For the Swedish Meatball Sauce:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 12 ounce package of wide egg noodles prepared, for serving

Instructions

• In a large pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg yolks, panko, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper and the cooled onion. Roll into 1 1/2 inch sized balls.
• Add a Tablespoon of oil to the pan the onion was cooked in and brown the meatballs. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in the same pan, add in the flour and whisk into a paste. Gradually whisk in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add in the sour cream, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Notes

Though I made this recipe on the stove, you can also make Swedish meatballs in the crockpot or slow cooker by preparing the meatballs and sauce and then placing them in the crockpot for a few hours to cook and heat through. 

I like to make a double batch of this Swedish meatballs recipe and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover homemade meatballs will keep for 4 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.

Freeze the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and once frozen place them in a container or freezer bag. This way they won’t all stick together. 

Make a great appetizer, too! I suggest preparing them in the slow cooker for this. Serve on toothpicks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 805kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 305mg | Sodium: 1243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

This recipe was originally posted on December 13, 2015. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on April 20, 2023.