Homemade Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy Recipe
Classic Swedish Meatballs made from a mix of ground beef and pork, soaked bread with grated onion for extra tenderness, pan-fried until golden, and served smothered in a rich, creamy, nutmeg and allspice flavored gravy. Perfectly juicy meatballs with authentic Nordic flavors, ideal to serve over mashed potatoes with a dollop of lingonberry jam for a true Swedish experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 25-30 meatballs (serves 5)
- Category: Mains
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, chopped into small cubes
- 1 small onion (brown, white, or yellow)
- 300g / 10 oz ground beef (mince)
- 300g / 10 oz ground pork (mince) or substitute with more beef
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp allspice powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Gravy
- 40g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups beef broth/stock (salt reduced) or substitute with chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy/thickened cream
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and bread: Grate the onion using a standard box grater and scrape the onion and juices into a bowl. Add the chopped bread pieces and mix thoroughly so the bread soaks up the onion juice. If the bread isn’t soggy enough, add a tiny splash of milk. Let this mixture soak for 1 minute.
- Make the meatball mixture: Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, ground nutmeg, allspice powder, black pepper, and salt to the soaked bread and onion mixture. Mix everything well together until combined thoroughly.
- Form the meatballs: Using a heaped tablespoon or an ice cream scooper, measure out portions of the meat mixture and place them on your work surface. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. You should get about 25 to 30 meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides but still raw inside, about 3 minutes. Remove onto a plate and brown the remaining batch similarly. If there is excess oil, discard it by pouring it off. Lower heat to medium.
- Make the gravy base: In the same skillet, add the butter and melt it. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook this mixture for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add broth and simmer: Gradually add the beef broth while stirring continuously to avoid lumps—start by adding about 1/4 of the broth to thicken quickly, then add the remaining broth slowly. When the liquid begins to simmer, add the browned meatballs along with any juices that have pooled on the plate.
- Simmer meatballs in gravy: Increase the heat slightly to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook the meatballs for 8 to 10 minutes until the gravy thickens to a thin, creamy consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish with cream: Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve the Swedish meatballs hot over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash for a low-carb option. For authenticity, add a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side.
Notes
- Use plain white sandwich bread or wholemeal bread without grains or seeds to avoid seeds in the meatballs.
- The mix of pork and beef adds authenticity and juiciness, but you can substitute with all beef, all pork, chicken, or turkey if desired.
- Allspice powder provides a classic aromatic flavor. Substitute with mixed spice or a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves if unavailable.
- The gravy is traditionally made with heavy cream, but sour cream or yogurt can be used for tangier or lighter versions; cooking time may be slightly longer to thicken.
- Nutrition values do not include fat discarded during cooking.
