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There’s nothing better than homemade meatballs and my version of Swedish Meatballs is the ultimate comfort food. Bathed in the best Swedish Meatball Sauce that’s a rich, creamy gravy and perched on a pile of buttery egg noodles, these are WAY better than IKEA!
IKEA. Home of the famous IKEA Swedish Meatballs. Step inside this giant warehouse, head upstairs on the escalator and you weave through a maze like arrangement of modernly decorated mini abodes. Like room after room is a perfectly showcased urban oasis that you could just pull a tag off the wall and, basically, buy the whole room.
There are accessories, tons of them, like a sea of plate, posters, and fuzzy rugs. And finally, the cafeteria, with their famous Swedish Meatballs with cream sauce, which are really good but not as good as mine. IKEA meatballs make the whole journey through this sea of home decor almost worth it.
I created this classic Swedish Meatballs recipe for busy weeknights when my usual Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy needs a little break. It’s a great meal prep idea since you can make the meatballs in advance and reheat in the microwave or in a skillet. And you don’t even have to leave the house.
Ingredients for Swedish Meatballs
- Ground Beef – I use a lean ground beef, 80/20 is best for juicy homemade meatballs. You can also use a blend of ground beef and ground pork which is much more like an authentic swedish meatball recipe.
- Onion – A sweet onion like a vidalia onion or yellow onion gives a mild flavor that’s not overpowering.
- Egg – The binder of the meatball is one large egg. You can substitute with a flax egg if you’re egg-free or have an egg allergy making this little meatball even healthier.
- Bread crumbs – I like to use panko breadcrumbs for a lighter texture and less dense meatball. You can use traditional bread crumbs but the meatball will be a little more dense.
- Milk – To make a tender meatball, use milk. You can substitute with a non-dairy alternative or use half and half.
- Seasoning – A blend of ground nutmeg, allspice, kosher salt and black pepper add a hint of spice that’s classic in swedish meatballs.
- Flour – Used as a thickener for the gravy, all-purpose flour works best but you can use cornstarch for a gluten-free alternative.
- Beef Stock – The base of the gravy is made with beef stock, you can substitute with beef broth or chicken stock.
- Heavy Cream – To make the gravy smooth and creamy, I use heavy cream. If you want to shave some calories off you can substitute with half and half.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Our favorite Swedish Meatball recipe is super simple to make in less than 30 minutes. The Swedish Meatball sauce recipe is just a basic pan sauce that is made flavorful with the drippings and brown bits from the meatballs themselves.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened. Allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients, ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg and allspice, until combined.
- Form the meatball mixture into 1 inch balls using a cookie scoop or your hands.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the meatballs to the pan.
- Saute the meatballs until golden brown on all sides, about 7-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a platter or cookie sheet.
- Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of pan drippings from the skillet and return to the heat.
- Add the flour to the pan and whisk until golden brown, approximately 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the beef stock and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. Be sure to continue whisking to ensure lump-free gravy
- Whisk in the cream and continue to cook until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
These Swedish Meatballs are really easy to make and come together pretty quickly. I like to pile them high on a mountain of wide egg noodles tossed with a bit of chopped parsley. The blend of the two together is like nothing else.
This Cast Iron Skillet from Lodge is my favorite cookware. A true workhorse in the kitchen, this pan is priced under $30. A must have in your cooking arsenal.
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What Are Swedish Meatballs
Unlike Italian Meatballs that are stuffed with garlic, parmesan and Italian seasoning, Swedish Meatballs are made with spices like nutmeg and allspice. They’re then cooked in a rich, brown gravy that’s velvety smooth and served with lingonberry jam on the side.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftover meatballs and gravy to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
You can freeze swedish meatballs in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs
Other than a pile of buttery egg noodles as the best thing to serve with these easy Swedish Meatballs, these are a few more of our favorites:
- The VERY BEST Mashed Potatoes EVER!
- Super Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin
- Make it low carb with Cauliflower Rice
- Brown Butter Peas with Mint
- Easy Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
More Easy Meatball Recipes
- Teriyaki Meatballs
- Greek Chicken Meatball Recipe
- The Best Italian Meatballs
- Turkey Meatballs
- The Best Oven Baked Meatballs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Easy Porcupine Meatballs Recipe
- Chicken Marsala Meatballs Recipe
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Swedish Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened. Allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg and allspice until combined. Form the mixture into 1 inch balls.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the meatballs to the pan. Saute the meatballs until golden brown on all sides, about 7-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a platter. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet and return to the heat. Add the flour to the pan and whisk until golden brown, approximately 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the beef stock and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. Whisk in the cream and continue to cook until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m with you, the thought of IKEA beings on anxiety but their meatballs (and $1 ice cream cones) get me every time. All about making my own at home instead 🙂
Hahahaha! I had to laugh at your very accurate descriptions of IKEA. I am a huge fan of the place. My hubby and I just went on Friday and packed a mini van full of home and office furniture. I’m pretty sure he won’t let me go back for many, many years after that one! Those meatballs there get me every time! I love making them at home too, but I’ll have to try this version for sure. They look amazing!!!
Just don’t serve them over noodles or rice. Plain boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes, that’s what swedish people eat. It’ would be like putting Bolognese with rice…
Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either…..sometimes it’s good to break the “rules.” 🙂
I love Swedish Meatballs and can’t wait to try your version! I can totally relate to your feelings about IKEA. We moved our son into a new apartment in a new city recently and spent (way too much) time in IKEA – very stressful place.
Swedish Meatballs are soooo freaking delicious. I tend to buy the little mix from IKEA. I know. Lazy. Now I’ll be trying it from scratch at home 🙂
These look so good! Gorgeous lighting in your photographs!
Thanks so much, Lauren!
My family always got the frozen meatballs from Ikea when I was younger– we loved them! BUT I have a feeling that yours taste a million x better! That first picture had my mouth watering immediately! I can’t wait to try these! Pinned!
Thank you, Stacey! We used to get the frozen too…not anymore! 🙂
I didn’t know that my favorite Ikea treat were this easy!! Best day!
Neither did I…until I tackled it! Now if I can figure out how to build cabinetry in the swedish style. 🙂
These look so tasty. Just the kind of simply. homey dinner I love when it’s cold and raining.
Me too. Thanks, Susan!
I used to eat these all the time growing up and I have never been able to find a recipe that is close to my mom’s. This is going to be the one, I can just feel it! What great Winter comfort food!
I love Swedish meatballs! Growing up it was one of my favorite meals. I love the simplicity of these and that gravy is perfection!
Since I am of Norwegian descent I call them Norwegian meatballs…the recipe is the same. They are delicious!
Thank you for the tidbit! 🙂