Swedish Meatballs

4.92 from 12 votes

You don't have to visit Ikea for the perfect Swedish meatballs! Easy to make at home and a million times tastier – the perfect family meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Meatballs

Cuisine: Swedish

Keyword: Copycat Ikea Meatballs, Swedish meatball recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 lb (450g) ground beef (mince)
1 lb (450g) ground pork (mince)
1 cup (60g) breadcrumbs two slices wholemeal bread
5 tbsp milk or single cream
1 tbsp honey mustard (sweet Swedish mustard)
2 eggs
2 tsp onion powder (or granules)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cardamom or grated nutmeg
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp butter, to fry
1 tbsp vegetable oil, to fry

For the sauce

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour (= plain flour)
2 cups (480ml) hot beef broth (from a stock cube)
1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream or a mix of single cream and sour cream
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 tsp soft brown sugar or lingonberry jam (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to serve
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill to serve (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Instructions

Prepare the meatballs

Whizz the bread in a food processor until you have fine breadcrumbs.
Put the cream (or milk), mustard, seasoning, spices, onion powder and herbs in a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Mix in the eggs and leave for 10 minutes.
Add the pork and beef mince and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Roll the meatballs with slightly damp hands – they should be about the size of a walnut. You will have about 50 meatballs.
Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Fry the meatballs, in batches, for about 10 minutes or until firm and golden and no pink remains inside.

Prepare the Swedish meatball sauce

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan or a saucepan until foamy.
Add the flour and mix to create a paste. Gradually stir in the beef stock, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, sugar and cider (if using) and cook for two minutes. Add the cream and stir to combine (do not let it boil). Taste and make any adjustments if needed.
Add the meatballs and simmer gently until they are coated in the gravy (alternatively you can serve the gravy on the side). Sprinkle with the herbs.
Serve your meatballs with mashed or boiled potatoes with lingonberry jam.

Video

Notes

Getting the mixture right: chill the shaped meatballs for 20–30 minutes before cooking – they'll be firmer and hold their shape when you brown them.

Swedish meatballs tips and tricks

Place the mince in the palm of your hand and use your other hand to roll into a small ball. Place the rolled meatballs in the fridge for half an hour to help them keep their shape.
Make sure you fry the meatballs in batches, allowing room in the frying pan so that they color well. Use tongs to turn them over at first, until they have firmed up sufficiently.
To keep the meatballs warm: preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and place the cooked meatballs in a baking dish, cover with foil and place in the oven while you prepare the sauce.

Slimming World friendly variation: use milk instead of cream, wholemeal breadcrumbs, and pan-fry the meatballs in low-calorie cooking spray.

For a slimming-friendly sauce: heat 2 cups (500ml) of beef stock in a pan with 1 tbsp cornflour diluted in 1 tbsp cold water. Simmer until slightly thickened, then stir in 8 tbsp fat-free creme fraiche (or fromage frais), 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1 tsp soy sauce. Serve the meatballs over pasta or boiled potatoes with the sauce spooned over.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Slimming World. Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on the ingredients you choose and serving sizes.

Nutrition