The short answer: Swedish meatballs are small, warmly spiced meatballs simmered in a creamy brown gravy. **Mix 1 pound of ground beef and ½ pound of ground pork with ½ cup of breadcrumbs soaked in ⅓ cup of milk, 1 egg, ¼ grated onion, ½ teaspoon of allspice, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, salt and pepper.
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Roll 1-inch balls, brown them in butter, then simmer them for 10 minutes in a gravy of 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour, 2 cups of beef broth and ½ cup of heavy cream, until they reach 160°F.** Serve them over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Below are the amounts, a party slow cooker version, sides and safe temperatures.
I love cooking, especially the cozy dinners of fall and winter, and Swedish meatballs work two ways: a weeknight dinner or a slow cooker full of party food.
Swedish meatball ingredients
| For the meatballs | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ground beef (80/20 or 85/15) | 1 pound |
| Ground pork | ½ pound (or all beef) |
| Plain breadcrumbs | ½ cup |
| Milk | ⅓ cup |
| Egg | 1 large |
| Onion, finely grated | ¼ medium |
| Ground allspice | ½ teaspoon |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ teaspoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Black pepper | ½ teaspoon |
| Butter, for browning | 2 tablespoons |
| For the gravy | Amount |
|---|---|
| Butter | 3 tablespoons |
| All-purpose flour | 3 tablespoons |
| Beef broth | 2 cups |
| Heavy cream | ½ cup |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 teaspoon |
| Dijon mustard | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt and pepper | To taste |
How to make Swedish meatballs, step by step
- Soak the crumbs. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and let them sit for 5 minutes. This keeps the meatballs tender.
- Mix. Add the beef, pork, egg, onion, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined; overmixing makes them dense.
- Roll. Shape 1-inch balls, about 40 in all. Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking.
- Brown. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs in batches, about 6 minutes per batch. Move them to a plate; they'll finish cooking in the gravy.
- Make the gravy. In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, then the cream, Worcestershire and mustard.
- Simmer. Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the gravy thickens and the meatballs reach 160°F in the center.
- Season the gravy with salt and pepper and finish with chopped parsley.
Slow cooker party version
For a holiday open house or a potluck, this is the easy route.
- Put a 2-pound bag of fully cooked frozen meatballs, or one batch of browned homemade meatballs, in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Make the gravy on the stove as above and pour it over them.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, stirring once.
- Switch to warm, set out toothpicks and a small dish of lingonberry or cranberry sauce.
The USDA's danger zone guidance says hot food on a buffet should stay at 140°F or warmer, and the warm setting on most slow cookers does that. More tips are in our guide to how to keep food warm, and more crowd dishes are in our Christmas potluck ideas.
What to serve with Swedish meatballs
| Side | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Mashed potatoes | The classic pairing; soaks up the gravy |
| Buttered egg noodles | Fastest weeknight option |
| Lingonberry or cranberry sauce | Sweet-tart contrast; leftover cranberry sauce works |
| Quick cucumber pickles | Cuts the richness |
| Green beans or peas | An easy green on the plate |
Doneness and storage
Ground meat needs to reach 160°F, according to FoodSafety.gov's safe minimum internal temperature chart. Color isn't a reliable sign, so check the largest meatball with a thermometer. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Cooked meatballs in gravy freeze for up to 3 months for best quality; see our freezer meals list for more make-ahead dinners.
Plan the batch
One pound and a half of ground meat turns into a dinner and a freezer meal, or a party tray, when it's planned ahead. Put both meals on the calendar the same day you buy the meat.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly dinner planner and an aisle-sorted grocery list, so the meatball night and the freezer night share one shopping trip.
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Looking for a lighter weeknight version? Our baked turkey meatballs are ready in about 30 minutes and work with six different sauces.
Want a classic Italian-style version? Our easy baked meatball recipe makes about 24 meatballs for spaghetti, subs or a party slow cooker. For the complete tomato-sauce pasta dinner, make spaghetti and meatballs. If you want more ways to use ground pork, compare these ground pork recipes before choosing another meatball or skillet dinner.
Prefer a lighter poultry batch? Try chicken meatballs.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make Swedish meatballs? To make Swedish meatballs, mix 1 pound of ground beef and ½ pound of ground pork with milk-soaked breadcrumbs, an egg, grated onion, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Roll 1-inch balls, brown them in butter, then simmer them in a gravy of butter, flour, beef broth and cream until they reach 160°F.
What makes Swedish meatballs different from Italian meatballs? Swedish meatballs are smaller, seasoned with allspice and nutmeg instead of garlic and Italian herbs, and served in a creamy brown gravy rather than tomato sauce. They're usually eaten with potatoes and lingonberry jam.
What is Swedish meatball sauce made of? Swedish meatball sauce is made of butter, flour, beef broth and heavy cream, seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Some recipes stir in sour cream at the end for tang.
What temperature should Swedish meatballs be cooked to? Cook Swedish meatballs made with beef and pork to 160°F in the center, the safe minimum for ground meat on FoodSafety.gov's chart. Check the biggest meatball with an instant-read thermometer.
Can you make Swedish meatballs in a slow cooker? Yes, put browned or fully cooked frozen meatballs in a slow cooker, pour the gravy over them and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Switch it to warm for a party.
Can I use frozen meatballs for Swedish meatballs? Yes, a 2-pound bag of fully cooked frozen meatballs works well with homemade gravy. Simmer them in the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes on the stove, or 4 hours on low in a slow cooker.
What do you serve with Swedish meatballs? Serve Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, lingonberry or cranberry sauce, quick cucumber pickles and green beans or peas.
Can you freeze Swedish meatballs? Yes, freeze cooked meatballs and gravy together for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if the gravy is thick.
How many Swedish meatballs per person for a party? Plan about 4 to 6 small meatballs per person as an appetizer and 10 to 12 as a main dish. One batch of this recipe makes about 40 one-inch meatballs.
How do I plan a week of dinners around one batch? Cook a double batch, serve half and freeze half for a busy night. The Meal Planner & Grocery List from HomeBase Paper Co. ($3.99) keeps the plan and the shopping list for both nights on one page.
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Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: Safe minimum internal temperatures foodsafety.gov
- USDA FSIS: Danger zone (40°F to 140°F) fsis.usda.gov