Swedish Meatballs (CRAZY JUICY!)

Swedish Meatballs made from scratch that are so juicy and tender your jaw will drop in amazement bathed in a rich, creamy, dreamy gravy that tastes 1000X better than the Ikea version!

Swedish Meatballs are the ultimate comfort food and possibly the best meatballs you will ever devour.  These from-scratch meatballs are baked and not fried for extra ease and time efficiency and I’ve included instructions how to freeze them as well!  Serve you Swedish Meatballs with egg noodles, potatoes or rice for a new family favorite without the winding trip through Ikea!   

I looooove Meatballs from my Honey Buffalo Meatballs to my Italian Meatballs to my Cranberry Meatballs to my Korean Meatballs to Parmesan Meatballs but these Swedish Meatballs have to be the most tender meatballs I’ve ever made. You and your family are going to go crazy over them!

I grew up devouring Swedish Meatballs and actually didn’t even know Ikea Swedish Meatballs were a “thing” until college.  I’m happy Ikea has popularized this favorite but I promise once you try my recipe with from scratch meatballs and from scratch creamy beef gravy, you will be ruined and never be able to go back – sorry!

What makes Swedish Meatballs different?

Swedish Meatballs are different than standard meatball for a few main reasons:

1. Swedish meatballs are made with a mixture of beef and pork.
2. Swedish meatballs are made with a panade, which is a paste made of bread and milk or cream instead of breadcrumbs or panko.
3. Swedish meatballs are seasoned with nutmeg and allspice.
4. Swedish meatballs are served in a rich, roux-based beef gravy creamified with heavy cream or sour cream.

What makes this Swedish Meatball recipe the best?

My Swedish Meatball recipe is unique (can I say better?) for a few reasons:

1. The panade is made in the food processor so it’s super easy.
2. The meatballs are baked and not fried. I have tried them both ways and found there is nothing gained from frying but several advantages to baking: 1) you don’t have to stand in front of your stove and babysit them, 2) you don’t have to cook them in batches 3) you don’t have to worry about them sticking or falling apart, the meatballs brown evenly all over and above all:
3. By baking the meatballs, we can achieve the juiciest, most tender meatballs because we can infuse them with more moisture and they won’t fall apart when rotating in the skillet.
4. The creamy gravy is made while the meatballs are baking so you don’t have to wait to cook your meatballs before you make your Swedish Meatball Sauce.
5. The meatballs and gravy are seasoned to perfection.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALLS?

Swedish Meatballs are very easy to make with pantry friendly ingredients of beef, pork, onions, cream, milk and spices.  The most time consuming part is rolling the meatballs but even that is easy and can even be done and refrigerated beforehand!

All authentic Swedish Meatball Recipes should start with a panade as mentioned above. A panade is a mixture of bread and cream that binds the meatballs together.  As meatballs cook, the proteins tighten which squeezes out a significant amount of moisture.  The panade keeps the moisture from being lost and is the key to tender meatballs.

1. Make Panade. Add roughly torn white bread to your food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces about the size of peas. Add milk, heavy cream, egg, egg yolk, minced onion and salt, garlic powder, dried parsley, pepper, nutmeg and allspice and pulse 3-5 times until completely combined.  How easy was that? It will be a moist paste-like consistency.

2. Mix Meatballs: We add this mixture to a bowl with ground beef and ground pork.  Using your hands, mix just until combined. You never want to overmix meatballs because overmixing is what causes meatballs to become tough.  And be warned – the mixture will seem quite wet – which is a good thing.

3. Roll Meatballs: Roll your meatballs into approximately 24 meatballs.  I use a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop and it makes scooping meatballs super quick.  Place meatballs on a lightly greased, foil lined baking sheet and bake for meatballs for 15-20 minutes or just until meatballs are cooked through.

4. Check for Doneness: I recommend cutting a meatball in half to make sure they are done. You don’t, however want to overcook your meatballs because then they won’t be as tender.

5. DON’T try and cook your meatballs in a skillet because they are so tender they will fall apart. By baking them, they stay intact because you don’t touch them until they have baked into a tighter meatball.

HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Once your meatballs are baked and still lined on your baking sheet you can either move on to making your gravy OR freeze the meatballs.  To freeze your Swedish Meatballs:

1. Bake Swedish Meatballs according to directions.
2. Let meatballs cool to room temperature.
3. Place entire baking tray with the meatballs in the freezer. You will want to make sure the meatballs are not touching so they don’t freezer together.  If your freezer can’t accommodate your baking tray then use a small tray and freeze in batches.  Freeze for 1-2 hours.
4. When your meatballs are frozen enough that they won’t stick together, then transfer meatballs to freezer safe bags or containers.
5. Label meatballs and store meatballs in the freezer for up to 3 months.
6. I DO NOT recommend freezing the sauce. Flour based sauce do not freeze well.
7. To defrost meatballs, bake at 350 degrees F  for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through. 

HOW DO YOU MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALL SAUCE?

Oh the sauce!  Swedish Meatballs + Swedish Meatball Sauce = out of this world deliciousness!  This luxuriously rich and creamy sauce is actually beef gravy with splashes of Worcestershire, Dijon and a healthy dose of heavy cream.

Some Swedish Meatball Sauces use sour cream instead of heavy cream so feel free to experiment to your liking or simply stir in a dollop of sour cream in addition to the heavy cream if you want a little extra tang.  I was expecting to finish my Swedish Meatballs sauce off with sour cream but I thought it was perfect as written.

The Swedish Meatball Sauce comes together super quickly while the meatballs are baking so when they come out of oven it’s eating time!.  To make the creamy gravy, simply create a roux by melting 4 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. The olive oil helps the butter not burn.  If you would like to replace some of the butter with equal amounts olive oil, you are welcome to do so.

Next, sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute, which gets rid of the raw flour taste. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in beef broth and heavy cream followed, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, dried parsley, paprika, allspice and pepper.

Bring Sauce to a to simmer until thickened (approximate 5-7 minutes) into a rich and creamy, intoxicatingly delicious sauce you are going to want to drink – no joke.   Add your meatballs, coat in sauce and EAT!!!

Crockpot Swedish meatballs

To make Crockpot Swedish Meatballs, you will follow the recipe as written except bake the meatballs for only 10 minutes then add them to your lightly greased slow cooker. Add the Gravy and continue to cook 1-2 hours until the meatballs are all the way cooked through.

WHAT IS A GOOD SIDE DISH FOR SWEDISH MEATBALLS?

Authentic Swedish Meatballs are traditionally served with potatoes (plain or mashed) or macaroni.  Our Americanized Swedish Meatballs are most often served with egg noodles but they are also delicious with any pasta, mashed potatoes and rice.  To complete the meal, they would be fabulous with Cranberry Apple Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, and/or roasted broccoli, roasted carrots, roasted asparagus, fruit salad, and a big slice of crusty bread. Lingonberry jam is also a traditional accompaniment to Swedish Meatballs.

What is Lingonberry Jam?

If you have never heard of Lingonberry jam, it tastes like cranberry sauce but with kiss of balancing tartness.  It’s brightness cuts through the richness of the Swedish Meatballs and is a fabulous side.  If you can’t find Lingonberry jam then feel free to crack open a can of cranberry sauce for a more authentic Swedish Meatball experience.

Tips and Tricks to Swedish Meatballs

• I recommend the mixture of ground beef and ground pork as written for authentically delicious Swedish Meatballs but you may substitute the pork with lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey.
• You can substitute the white bread for what bread you have on hand.
• You can substitute the ¼ cup milk and ¼ cup heavy cream for half and half if you have it on hand. I chose to use both milk and heavy cream because we are already using heavy cream in the sauce and this keeps you from having to buy an extra ingredient.
• You can roll your meatballs and refrigerate them and then bake them when it’s dinner time.
• Don’t overmix your meatball ingredients – overmixing results in tougher meatballs.
• The meatball mixture will be WET – don’t worry. Shape the meatballs the best you can and they will firm up when cooked but emerge crazy soft and juicy.
• DON’T try and cook your meatballs in a skillet because they are so tender they will fall apart. By baking them, they stay intact because you don’t touch them until they have baked into a tighter meatball.
• Do NOT use half and half in your Swedish Meatball Sauce or it can separate.
• You can omit the heavy cream in the Swedish Meatball Sauce and stir in room temperature sour cream to taste.
• You could also leave in the heavy cream and add sour cream for more of a rich tangy flavor.

Looking for more comforting Meat recipes?

• Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
• Cheesy Italian Meatball Sliders
• Mom’s  Crazy Tender Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
• Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
• Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

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Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs made from scratch that are so juicy and tender your jaw will drop in amazement bathed in a rich, creamy, dreamy gravy that tastes 1000X better than the Ikea version! These meatballs are baked and not fried for extra ease and time efficiency and I’ve included instructions how to freeze them as well!  Serve you Swedish Meatballs with egg noodles, potatoes or rice for a new family favorite without the winding trip through Ikea!   

Servings: 6 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

Meatballs

• 2 slices white bread roughly torn into pieces
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup fresh minced onion
• 1 tsp EACH salt, garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp EACH pepper, ground nutmeg, ground allspice
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork

Creamy Gravy

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups reduced sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp EACH paprika, allspice, pepper,

Instructions

Meatballs

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Add bread to food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces (pea size). Add all remaining Meatball Ingredients EXCEPT beef and pork and pulse 3-5 times until completely combined. It will be paste-like consistency.
• Add this mixture to ground beef and pork in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix just until combined. It will seem very wet which is good. Roll into approximately 24 meatballs using a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop and space evenly on prepared baking sheet. If your meatballs are too wet to form for whatever reason then add some breadcrumbs to firm up. *If you are making your meatballs in advance, you can cover your meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Bake meatballs for 15-20 minute at 400 degrees F or just until meatballs are cooked through (take care not to over cook your meatballs so they remain super tender).

Gravy

• The last 10 minutes or so of baking, make Gravy. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in beef broth and heavy cream followed by all remaining Sauce ingredients.
• Bring Sauce to a to simmer until thickened, approximate 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Taste and add salt to taste. Add meatballs (I dab off any extra grease from baking sheet), coat in sauce and continue to gently simmer until meatballs are heated through, approximately 1 minute.
• Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Notes

• I recommend the mixture of ground beef and ground pork as written for authentically delicious Swedish Meatballs but you may substitute the pork with lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey (they won't be as juicy with the latter two).
• You can substitute the white bread for what bread you have on hand.
• You can substitute the ¼ cup milk and ¼ cup heavy cream for half and half if you have it on hand. I chose to use both milk and heavy cream because we are already using heavy cream in the sauce and this keeps you from having to buy an extra ingredient.
• You can roll your meatballs, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate them and then bake them when it’s dinner time.
• Don’t overmix your meatball ingredients – overmixing results in tougher meatballs.
• The meatball mixture will WET – don’t worry. Shape the meatballs the best you can and they will firm up when cooked but emerge crazy soft and juicy.
• DON’T try and cook your meatballs in a skillet because they are so tender they will fall apart. By baking them, they stay intact because you don’t touch them until they have baked into a tighter meatball.
• Do NOT use half and half in your Swedish Meatball Sauce or it can separate.
• You can omit the heavy cream in the Swedish Meatball Sauce and stir in room temperature sour cream to taste.
• You could also leave in the heavy cream and add sour cream for more of a rich tangy flavor.

HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE SWEDISH MEATBALLS (NOT SAUCE)

The Gravy does not freeze well.  You will want to make fresh gravy at the time you defrost your meatballs.

1. Bake Swedish Meatballs according to directions.
2. Let meatballs cool to room temperature.
3. Place entire baking tray with the meatballs in the freezer. You will want to make sure the meatballs are not touching so they don’t freezer together.  If your freezer can’t accommodate your baking tray then use a small tray and freeze in batches.  Freeze for 1-2 hours.
4. When your meatballs are frozen enough that they won’t stick together, then transfer meatballs to freezer safe bags or containers.
5. Label meatballs and store meatballs in the freezer for up to 3 months.
6. I DO NOT recommend freezing the sauce. Flour based sauce do not freeze well.
7. TO DEFROST:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place meatballs on a foil lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup) so they are not touching. Heat meatballs 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.   

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