Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

These Swedish meatballs are the best you'll ever have. Gently warmed with spices and covered in a heavenly creamy gravy sauce, then served with fluffy mashed potatoes!

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    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (1)

    Swedish Meatballs Served Up: At Home.

    Swedish meatballs are everyone’s favorite IKEA menu item, and our recipe recreates that deliciousness at home—classed up, cleaned up and so. dang. good. We love that they are beginner chef level friendly, well seasoned and totally drool worthy! You will want to make this easy recipe again and again.

    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (2)

    This Swedish Meatball Dinner Sparks All The Joy!

    This time of year we're especially on the lookout for recipes that bring people together, can be served for multiple occasions, and most importantly, taste great. Like our Beef Stroganoff, Hamburger Helper and Salisbury Steak. We are big believers that when you’re gathered around delicious food—like these moist, warmly-spiced, perfect meatballs—with those you love, you can create moments of joy even amidst the busy and chaotic holiday season.

    All of these things—plus Simply Organic's array of warm and festive spices—inspired us to create this, the best Swedish meatballs recipe ever! We know that this is one both your picky kids and holiday guests alike will enjoy.

    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (3)

    A Weeknight Dinner That is Simple, Quick And Easy.

    This meatball recipe isn't just the best—it's also simple. This recipe comes together quickly enough for an easy weeknight dinner, or last-minute party snack.

    We’ve turned this classic Swedish recipe—warm with wintery Swedish spices like allspice and nutmeg—into a show-stopping dish that can be served as an appetizer for your next party, tonight for dinner with the family, or even a special occasion like Christmas!

    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (6)
    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (7)

    What is So Special About These Meatballs?

    It’s all about the Swedish spices, a buttery cream sauce, and the fact that they require just one pan! They are filled with wonderful warm spices and finished with a fragrant, heavenly cream sauce. Our Creamy Turkey Meatballs are a similarly cozy meatball recipe.

    There are many versions of these tasty morsels out there, but for the sake of ease we chose to use Simply Organicallspice and nutmeg. The result is meatballs that are perfectly seasoned with warm spices without being overpowered.

    How Do You Make Authentic Swedish Meatballs?

    There isn't necessarily one single defining recipe for Swedish meatballs—there is a fair amount of variation in terms of what qualifies as "classic". But, traditionally they include:

    • A mixture of pork and beef
    • Onion (we added garlic and parsley to make them even more flavorful.)
    • Warm spices such as Simply Organic nutmeg and allspice.
    • A cream-based light brown gravy.
    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (8)
    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (9)

    How Do You Make Easy Swedish Meatballs?

    The next time you are at IKEA, you should take a hard pass on their frozen, bagged, processed, and dare I say “American” version of Swedish meatballs and make them from scratch at home instead. Why? Because they are really easy, and a thousand percent better.

    You can pull the entire recipe together in a few simple steps (and only dirty one bowl and one pan in the process)!

    1. Mix your Swedish meatball ingredients in a large bowl and roll them out onto a sheet pan.
    2. Fry the meatballs in a large pan.
    3. Use the same pan to make your gravy.
    4. Add the meatballs back to the pan and serve in that creamy, spiced Swedish meatball sauce!
    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (10)
    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (11)

    Tips for Making Delicious Homemade Swedish Meatballs:

    1. Don’t make them too big. These meatballs are pan fried and contain pork. The last thing you want to do is undercook them. They should be about the size of a rounded tablespoon.
    2. Take care while forming the balls that they are tight so they don’t fall apart in the pan. We like to dip our hands in water as we roll them to make them nice and smooth. The breadcrumbs and eggs also help hold the mixture together.
    3. Fry the meatballs in batches. If you crowd the pan the meatballs will steam instead of brown.
    4. These meatballs and sauce reheat perfectly in a covered casserole dish. Heat oven to 350° and pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Cover with warmed sauce and you are good to go!

    Tools You'll Need

    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (12)

    What to Serve with the Best Swedish Meatballs?

    • Swedish meatballs are at the type of great recipe that can be served all by themselves!
    • Add some simple steamed veggies.
    • Go traditional and serve them with a dollop of lingonberry jam over mashed potatoes (just like at Ikea!)
    • Egg noodles are also always a good idea.
    • You can also just serve them on a platter for your guests to gobble up with toothpicks at your next co*cktail party.

    Are You a Meatball Fan? (I’ve got both hands raised over here!)

    Be sure to check out these other delicious weeknight dinner meatballs:

    • Mediterranean Meatballs with Tzatziki

    • Baked Teriyaki Meatballs with Roasted Broccoli

    • Turkey Meatballs in a creamy red curry sauce

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    How Good Did They Turn Out?

    If you make this dish, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories and tag us @themodernproper and #themodernproper if you do. Also, feel free to leave a comment on the post and tell your friends where you discovered the recipe.

    This sponsored post is written by TMP on behalf of Simply Organic in partnership with TheFeedFeed. The opinions and text are all ours. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.

    Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

    FAQs

    What are the main ingredients in Swedish meatballs? ›

    The meatballs themselves are made with a combination of ground beef and pork, along with a touch of allspice and nutmeg. Onions and garlic add flavor and texture, and milk, egg, and breadcrumbs act as a binder. Finally, Parmesan cheese is a little “Cozy” touch that adds a subtle pop of flavor.

    What makes Swedish meatballs different from regular meatballs? ›

    While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

    How do you keep Swedish meatballs from falling apart? ›

    Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

    What is the difference between Swedish style and Italian style meatballs? ›

    American meatballs are the biggest in size, with Italian and Swedish meatballs following on the depth chart. Italian meatballs call for seasonings like grated parmesan and oregano, while Swedish ones use seasonings like nutmeg and allspice. While it doesn't sound like a huge distinction, you'll notice it in the taste!

    What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

    The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

    What's the difference between Swedish and Norwegian meatballs? ›

    Norwegian recipes are made with all beef, while some Swedish recipes also use pork. Norwegian meatballs tend to be larger and flatter than their Swedish cousins.

    What can you use instead of breadcrumbs in Swedish meatballs? ›

    I have done them with panko, crusty bread, crushed Ritz crackers, and once a few packages of Cheese sandwich crackers because I didn't have anything else that night. All of them add different characteristics to the end product but all came out good and unique. Try both and see how you like it.

    Are homestyle meatballs the same as Swedish meatballs? ›

    The major difference between Swedish and Italian meatballs is what they're accompanied with. Swedish meatballs are traditionally topped with a creamy gravy and served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce to cut through the richness, similar to how they're cooked at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Aquavit.

    Why are Ikea Swedish meatballs so good? ›

    They're made with all-natural ingredients

    The Ikea website lists the ingredients of their meatballs (which Ikea calls ALLEMANSRÄTTEN), and the rundown is surprisingly simple: Meat (a combination of pork and beef, for texture, flavor, and juiciness), onion, breadcrumbs, egg, water, salt, and pepper.

    What not to do when making meatballs? ›

    5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
    1. Not seasoning the meat.
    2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
    3. Over-mixing the meat.
    4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
    5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
    May 1, 2019

    What is the secret to making tender meatballs? ›

    Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

    How do Swedes eat Swedish meatballs? ›

    Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

    What ethnicity is Swedish meatballs? ›

    Last week, Sweden's official Twitter account tweeted out a brief but momentous statement: “Swedish meatballs are actually based on a recipe King Charles XII brought home from Turkey in the early 18th century.

    What are Sicilian meatballs made of? ›

    Raisins and pignoli nuts are combined with ground chuck, Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, parsley, and breadcrumbs and cooked in a tomato sauce until tender. These meatballs are perfect served alongside pasta and sauteed greens, and freeze well so they can definitely be made ahead!

    What are Swedish meatballs made of in Sweden? ›

    Meatballs are as quintessentially Swedish as it gets. In their most traditional form Swedish meatballs ('köttbullar') are made of ground pork and beef, cream, egg and onion, and are served with creamy mashed potatoes, a thick, brown gravy, lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber.

    What are the components of a meatball? ›

    The main ingredients of an Italian meatball are beef and/or pork and sometimes poultry or sausage, salt, black pepper, chopped garlic, olive oil, Romano cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley, mixed and rolled by hand to a golf ball size.

    What ingredient binds meatballs together? ›

    For this reason, many recipes will include a binding ingredient like egg, and a filler like breadcrumbs. You only need a small amount of egg – it's there only to help the cooked meatball retain its shape, and shouldn't detract from the meat's flavour or texture.

    What are meatballs usually made of? ›

    Italian meatballs, also known as polpettes, are typically made with a mixture of ground meats such as beef, pork, and veal. They often contain breadcrumbs or soaked bread to keep them moist and tender.

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