This isn’t a complicated recipe, and you don’t need any fancy equipment. Everything comes together on the stovetop, and the ingredients are simple. If your only reference is the ones from IKEA, homemade will probably surprise you—they’re much softer, with more flavor, and the sauce is richer. You can make these for dinner on a weeknight or any time you want something a little bit different that’s still familiar.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter 

• 1.5 oz soft white bread (45 g; about 2 slices, crusts removed), pulsed into fine crumbs

• ¾ tsp fine salt

• ¼ tsp EACH: ground nutmeg, ground allspice, white pepper

• 3 Tbsp heavy cream 

• 1 large egg

• 9 oz ground beef, 20% fat (250 g)

• 9 oz ground pork, 20% fat (250 g)

• 1 Tbsp neutral oil, like vegetable or canola 

For the Creamy Swedish Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 

• 2 cups low-sodium beef stock (480 ml)

• ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)

• 2 tsp soy sauce, light or all-purpose 

• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce 

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard 

• ⅛ tsp white pepper, or more to taste

To Serve:

• ½ cup lingonberry jam (120 ml), OR cranberry sauce, red currant jelly, or tart cherry preserve

Instructions

1. Prep the Onion Two Ways
Slice your onion in half. Finely dice one half and gently sauté it in ½ Tbsp butter over low-medium heat for 8–10 minutes until it turns soft and golden. Let cool completely. Grate the other half on a box grater straight into a large bowl (this brings both sweet and fresh onion flavors to your meatballs).

2. Build the Meatball Mix
To the bowl with the grated onion, add the sautéed onion, breadcrumbs, cream, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and white pepper. Stir so the breadcrumbs soak up the liquid and spices. Mix in the egg. Add both ground meats and use your hands to gently mix everything until just combined. Don’t overwork it—just fold until it holds together.

3. Shape & Chill
Use a tablespoon or small scoop to portion the mixture (about 24–26 balls). Gently roll into balls with damp hands if it’s sticky. Arrange on a tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so they’ll keep their shape while cooking.

4. Brown the Meatballs
Heat the oil and remaining butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, turning often (about 5–6 minutes per batch). Don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove browned meatballs to a plate—don’t worry if they aren’t cooked through yet.

5. Make the Gravy
Pour off most of the fat, leaving about 3 Tbsp in the pan. Lower heat to medium. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the beef stock, scraping up any brown bits. Add cream, soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Dijon, and white pepper. Simmer, whisking, until smooth and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. Finish Cooking the Meatballs
Return all the meatballs (plus any juices) to the pan. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is glossy and thick.

7. Serve & Enjoy!
Serve your Swedish meatballs with plenty of creamy sauce over mashed potatoes or noodles. Spoon over a generous dollop of lingonberry jam (or cranberry, red currant, or tart cherry). The tart-sweet jam cuts through the richness—don’t skip it!

Enjoyed these Swedish meatballs? Save the photo below to your Pinterest board so you’ll have the recipe handy next time you’re craving them!

Swedish Meatballs Video Recipe

Tips & Tricks

• Don’t rush the onions. Take your time when softening them in butter—low heat and patience will bring out more sweetness, which makes a difference in the final flavor.

• Use the right fat content. Lean ground meat can make dry meatballs. Go for beef and pork with a bit of fat so everything stays soft and juicy.

• Mix gently. Overworking the meat mixture can turn the meatballs dense. Mix just until everything comes together—no more.

• Let them chill. If you have time, let the shaped meatballs rest in the fridge for half an hour before cooking. It helps them keep their shape and hold together in the pan.

• Brown, don’t cook through. Get some color on the meatballs in the pan, then let them finish cooking in the sauce. This keeps them moist and adds more flavor to the sauce itself.

• Jam on the side isn’t optional. It’s not just for show—the little bit of tart fruit with the rich sauce is what sets Swedish meatballs apart. If you can’t find lingonberry, cranberry sauce works just fine.

• Mashed potatoes or noodles work equally well. Use whatever you have—just make sure there’s something to soak up the sauce.

Swedish meatballs are usually made with rice or noodles, unlike Italian meatballs. The classic Swedish meatball recipe has plenty of sauce to add to the noodles. You can use fresh homemade or dried pasta from the store; the only difference is that the fresh homemade pasta will take less time to cook.

Ingredients

• ½ pound ground of ground beef
• ½ pound ground of ground pork
• ¼ cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon of fresh minced parsley
• ¼ teaspoon of allspice
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup of minced onion
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• A pinch of pepper
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 whole egg
• Tablespoon of olive oil
• 5 Tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 1 Cup of heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 16 ounces of pasta

How to make Swedish Meatballs with Noodles?

• Mix ground beef, pork, parsley, allspice, panko, onion, nutmeg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and egg in a medium size bowl. Mix until it’s combined well.
• Take the small amount in your hand and roll it into about 20 meatballs. Heat one tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and cook until they’re cooked through and brown on each side. Move them out of the skillet and cover with foil.
• Add flour and four tablespoons of butter to a skillet and mix until it turns brown. Stir in the heavy cream and beef broth. Add in dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce and lower the heat below the boiling point. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
• Place the meatballs into a skillet and continue to cook on low heat.
• To cook the noodles, boil the water in a pot and add two tablespoons of salt. Place the pasta in and cook for about 10 minutes or to your preferred doneness.
• Drain the noodles and add to Swedish meatballs. You can garnish it with parsley.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Hello there from Cooking Frog; we’re delighted to share this nice recipe for cooking Swedish meatballs with you. To make these juicy slow cooker meatballs, there are three key factors to know.

Choosing the right mixture of meat, cooking over a long period under controlled heat, and adding panade. I have experimented a lot of times with this meal to get the result so that every time you make them, you have the right balance of texture and taste.

The slow cooker is the perfect choice for braising meatballs for an extended period. It should never go above the boiling point to prevent them from overcooking. With a slow cooker, the heating will be consistent enough.

Meatballs are simmered in a light and thickened beef broth, and to provide a rich taste, the cream is added just at the end of cooking. It is a meal that requires almost no effort to make.

Ingredients for Swedish Meatballs

In order to get meatballs that can be easily sliced with a teaspoon but have a nice texture, you’ll need an equal amount of pork and ground beef. Pork adds a rich taste of sausage and a nice texture to them. Adding a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, cream, and eggs to the meat mixture helps to seal the delicious aromatic juices in each meatball. Adding grated onions in contrast to roughly chopped pieces provides savory notes without any crunch.

Compared to these traditional Italian meatballs, in this Swedish version, the warm spices that are commonly used in baking make almost all the difference. The allspice and grated nutmeg blend beautifully with the creamy sauce. The taste is very similar to the famous bechamel sauce. Emphasizing the taste of autumn and winter, it is a surprisingly appetizing meal.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 whole egg
• 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
• 8 ounces of ground pork
• 1 grated yellow onion
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• A pinch of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 8 ounces of ground beef
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 3 cups of beef broth, unsalted
• lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Prepare Egg and Cream Mixture:

   • In a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of egg and cream.

2. Make Panade:

   • Add panko breadcrumbs to the egg mixture.
   • Stir until well combined.

3. Combine Meatball Ingredients:

   • In a large bowl, mix pork, garlic, grated onion, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper.
   • Use your hands to mix for about 1 minute, ensuring even distribution.

4. Incorporate Panade into Meat:

   • Add the panade (breadcrumb mixture) to the meat.
   • Mix by hand until smooth, for about another minute.

5. Add Beef:

   • Mix in the beef with your hands until well combined (less than a minute).

6. Form Meatballs:

   • Roll the mixture into 18 spoon-sized balls.

7. Cook Meatballs:

   • Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
   • Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
   • Once oil is warm, add meatballs.
   • Cook for 5-6 minutes, turn them over, then cook for another 3-4 minutes.

8. Make Sauce:

   • In the same pan, add butter and flour. Whisk for 30-40 seconds.
   • Slowly add beef broth, scraping up any browned bits.
   • Bring to boil and whisk until thickened (about 1 minute).
   • Turn off heat, add 1½ tsp salt, and transfer sauce to a slow cooker.

9. Slow Cook:

   • Place meatballs in the slow cooker with the sauce.
   • Cover and cook on high for 100-120 minutes or on low for 4-5 hours.

10. Final Touches:

    • Squeeze lemon into ½ cup heavy cream, stir, and add to sauce.
    • Taste and season with salt and pepper.
    • Garnish meatballs with parsley before serving.

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