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This easy Swedish meatballs and sauce recipe features tender, juicy meatballs seasoned with a hint of white pepper, allspice, and nutmeg, swimming in creamy Swedish meatball sauce. It’s a gorgeous 30 minute dinner that’s even better than at IKEA!
If you’ve never had Swedish meatballs and you’re wondering what they taste like, the answer is bliss. And if you’re already a fan of them (or have had meatballs at IKEA), you already know that they’re pretty special.
Soft, juicy meatballs with base notes of buttery onion are laced with a touch of warm spices like allspice and nutmeg, and served bathing in rich and creamy Swedish meatballs sauce.
Divine.
And in addition to the taste, there are a few more things to love about this recipe.
It’s made in just 30 minutes, including both the meatballs and the sauce.
Cleanup is minimal because we whip up the gravy in the same skillet that we cook the meatballs in. (Bonus, the meatball drippings add richness and depth of flavor that help makes the absolute best Swedish meatball gravy, which of course in turn makes the best Swedish meatballs.)
And this dish is easy to make into a full meal!
Add a side dish like egg noodles, fluffy mashed potatoes, or cauliflower mash to soak up the wonderful sauce.
Also, lingonberry jam (which has a sweet/tart flavor similar to cranberry sauce) is frequently served with Swedish meatballs.
And last but not least, I like to add a steamed green vegetable, such as green beans or broccoli to round out the meal.
Classic Swedish meatballs are a traditional Christmas food in Sweden, and I can see why! What a beautiful, festive, and flavorful meal this is.
What’s so Special About Swedish Meatballs?
They’re tender and juicy with complex flavor notes of onion married with unique warm spices like allspice and nutmeg. Plus the decadent, velvety sauce takes them over the top.
And if I’m being completely honest, the idea of a furniture store with a reasonably-priced cafeteria that has really great meatballs kind of sells itself. Thank you, IKEA, for making Swedish meatballs iconic!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Swedish Meatballs Ingredients
- White bread – this is filler for our meatballs and helps make them tender; any type of white bread will work here; you can cut off the crust if you want, but you don’t have to
- Heavy whipping cream – to moisten our meatballs and add richness
- Unsalted butter – we use some of this to sauté the onion and a little bit to cook the meatballs in
- Yellow onion – adds savory flavor
- Ground veal – or use ground sirloin (90% lean ground beef) instead
- Egg – this is the binder in our meatballs that helps them stick together
- Salt – to pull out the flavor of everything else
- White pepper – this seasoning adds earthy, peppery flavor with notes of ginger
- Allspice and nutmeg – these warm spices are a classic addition to Swedish meatballs, and help create a unique flavor profile
- Vegetable oil – for cooking the meatballs
Swedish Meatball Sauce Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – we make a roux with butter and flour to thicken the sauce
- All-purpose flour – this is cooked briefly in butter to make the roux
- Beef stock – use homemade stock or your favorite store-bought stock
- Whole milk – along with the cream, this adds creamy texture to the gravy
- Soy sauce – adds salty flavor and complexity
- Salt – to season the flavor of everything else
- White pepper – ties the flavor of the sauce in with the flavor of the meatballs
- Heavy whipping cream – for rich, creamy texture and decadent flavor
Instructions
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
To start, sauté the onion. Add 1 tablespoon butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Cut the bread into small cubes. Add the bread and cream to a large bowl and stir well to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the sautéed onion/garlic mixture to the soaked bread along with the veal, egg, salt, white pepper, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg. Use your hands to mix everything together, but try not to over-mix.
- Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop to measure out the meat mixture and roll it into balls (you should get around 20 meatballs).
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the meatballs. Let them sear for about 2 minutes, and then turn the heat down to medium. Continue cooking until they’re cooked throughout, about 8 minutes more, flipping them over once about halfway through. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside for now.
How to Make Swedish Meatball Sauce
- Make the gravy in the same skillet you cooked the meatballs in (no need to wipe it out). To do so, turn the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Add the beef stock, milk, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper. Cook until thickened, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Whisk in the cream.
- Remove from the heat.
Add the meatballs to the hot gravy, spooning the gravy on top to coat the meatballs. Sprinkle the parsley on top.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Store leftover meatballs with their sauce in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can freeze Swedish meatballs for up to 6 months. To do so, flash freeze the meatballs on a baking tray and them pop them into a freezer-safe bag labeled with the date and the contents. I recommend freezing the sauce separately so you can add a bit more flour if it separates after freezing.
You can use the microwave to reheat the meatballs, or reheat them covered with foil in a 350F oven until warm (about 15 to 20 minutes if they aren’t frozen, and about 20 to 25 minutes if they are frozen). However, I recommend reheating the sauce over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir it frequently, and if it separates or looks curdled, whisk in a 1:1 slurry of flour:water a little bit at a time. Let the sauce come up to a simmer, whisking constantly until smooth.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the allspice and nutmeg! They might sound like strange spices to add to meatballs, but they’re classic here. And they’re how we get the iconic Swedish meatball flavor.
- For a tangier sauce, use sour cream instead of heavy whipping cream.
- To make meatballs that are all the same size, use a cookie scoop to measure out the meat mixture and then roll it into balls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Italian meatballs are frequently flavored with Parmesan cheese, garlic, and herbs, like oregano, basil, thyme, and/or rosemary. Breadcrumbs and milk are commonly used as a filler. And it’s common to serve Italian meatballs with tomato sauce.
However, Swedish meatballs feature warm aromatic spices like nutmeg and allspice with savory notes of onion. Bread mixed with cream is a classic filler, which adds richness and helps keep these meatballs soft and tender. Lastly, Swedish meatballs are served with a sauce that’s similar to a creamy beef gravy.
If you’ve tasted this sauce, you’ve probably wondered what’s in Swedish meatball sauce and what makes it so good!
It starts with a roux (butter cooked with flour) for richness and to thicken the sauce to a gravy-like consistency. Beef stock is the base along with a touch of milk, and we add a touch of soy sauce and white pepper to season it. A splash of cream adds creaminess and makes it decadent.
The best part is, Swedish meatball gravy takes less than 5 minutes to make!
Yes! These freeze well for to 3 months, which makes them a good option for meal prep. However, I like to freeze the meatballs and sauce separately.
To freeze them, let the meatballs cool to room temperature, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Then put them in a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag or storage container labeled with the contents and date.
Freeze the meatball sauce in a separate freezer-safe container, or wait to make the sauce when you want to serve the meatballs.
They have two types of meat-based huvudroll available: classic meatballs (which is a combination of beef and pork), and chicken meatballs. IKEA also sells vegan vegetable balls (with visible pieces of vegetables) and vegan plant balls (that have a classic meatball-like texture).
For this IKEA Swedish meatballs copycat recipe, we use veal or lean ground beef.
What to Serve with This Easy Swedish Meatballs and Sauce Recipe
The first necessary addition to a meal of Swedish meatballs is the gravy. It’s creamy, rich, and ties in perfectly with the flavor of meatballs.
Lingonberry jam is a classic condiment for Swedish meatballs. It has a pleasant fruity sweet/tart flavor, similar to homemade cranberry sauce. It cuts through the richness of the meatballs and sauce, and helps balance the flavor. And it adds a lovely pop of red to the meal.
You’ll need a side dish to help soak up some of the glorious gravy. You can go with mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower to cut the carbs a little, or classic egg noodles.
And then I like to serve this meal with a steamed green vegetable, such as green beans, asparagus, or broccoli. It bumps up the nutrition and rounds out the meal!
More Meatballs Recipes to Make
- Classic Meatball Recipe
- Chicken Meatball Satay Curry
- Tomato-Simmered Lemon and Oregano-Scented Bison Meatballs
- Greek Meatballs Served Gyro-Style
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Easy Swedish Meatballs and Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 cup fresh white bread cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 1 pound ground veal or use lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
Gravy:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
Other:
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley for garnish
- Prepared egg noodles for serving
- Steamed green beans or broccoli or asparagus, for serving
- Lingonberry jam for serving
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- Add the bread and cream to a large bowl and stir well to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onion. To do so, add 1 tablespoon butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Add the onion/garlic mixture to the soaked bread along with the veal, egg, salt, white pepper, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg. Use your hands to mix everything together, but try not to over-mix.
- Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop to measure out the meat mixture and roll it into balls (you should get around 20 meatballs).
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the meatballs. Let them sear for about 2 minutes, and then turn the heat down to medium. Continue cooking until they’re cooked throughout, about 8 minutes more, flipping them over once about halfway through. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside for now.
For the Gravy:
- Make the gravy in the same skillet you cooked the meatballs in (no need to wipe it out). To do so, turn the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Add the beef stock, milk, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper, and cook until thickened, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Whisk in the cream and remove from the heat.
To Serve:
- Add the meatballs to the hot gravy, spooning the gravy on top to coat the meatballs. Sprinkle the parsley on top.
- Serve the meatballs and gravy along with prepared egg noodles and lingonberry jam.
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes around 20 meatballs. Each serving is 4 meatballs, for a total of 5 servings.
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the egg noodles, green beans, and lingonberry jam.
- Storage: You can store Swedish meatballs with their sauce in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Swedish meatballs and sauce freeze well for to 3 months. However, I like to freeze them separately. To freeze, let the meatballs cool to room temperature, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Then put them in a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag or storage container labeled with the contents and date. Freeze the meatball sauce in a separate freezer-safe container, or wait to make the sauce when you want to serve the meatballs.
- What Can I Use Instead of Lingonberry Jam for Serving? Homemade cranberry sauce is a lovely alternative with a similar sweet/tart fruity flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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