Published October 18, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Swedish Meatballs Recipe features juicy pan-fried beef meatballs smothered in a creamy, rich, savory gravy. It’s one of my family’s favorite cold-weather dinners, especially with a big helping of creamy mashed potatoes on the side.
Just like my Italian Meatballs and Meatball Sauce, this dish is the epitome of comfort food. Who can resist a batch of juicy homemade meatballs smothered in a fantastic sauce? If you ever find yourself craving IKEA Swedish meatballs, make this homemade version instead—you won’t regret it.
Homemade Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs, which gained international fame thanks to IKEA, are an iconic feel-good food. If you’re unfamiliar with the dish, imagine a delicious mash-up of juicy, tender beef meatballs and a luscious beef stroganoff-style sauce. The two are mouthwatering but get even better when served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
My homemade version of this famous dish features layers of elevated flavors thanks to juicy ground beef, saturated artisan bread, simple aromatics, homemade beef stock, and heavy cream. You can pan-fry the meatballs for a quick weeknight dinner or use the slow cooker when you have extra time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – Use 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef for a good fat-to-meat ratio that won’t make the meatballs overly greasy. If you’re not a fan of ground beef, you can use ground pork, turkey, chicken, or a mix of beef and pork to make your meatballs juicier and more flavorful.
- Bread — The meatballs use bread crumbs and thick slices of crustless bread for structure and moisture. Homemade, store-bought, or panko bread crumbs work well in homemade meatballs. For the bread, use any loaf of artisan bread, like Italian or French bread.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter, although salted also works. Just be mindful when adding any extra salt.
- Onions — Sautéed yellow onions provide a savory baseline flavor in the gravy and meatballs. You can substitute white or red onions if needed.
- Flour – The gravy is thickened with a roux made from all-purpose flour.
- Beef stock is the rich, savory base of the gravy. I used homemade beef stock, but any flavorful stock, such as chicken or vegetable stock, will do.
- Heavy whipping cream – Swedish meatballs are known for their ultra-creamy brown gravy, so heavy cream is a must. Half-and-half or whole milk will also work in a pinch, but the gravy will not be as luscious.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Melt some of the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Once hot, add half of the onions, season with salt, and sauté until lightly browned.
Reduce the heat and continue cooking until they turn darker brown.
Stir the flour into the pot to make a roux.
Pour in the beef stock and soy sauce, then heat to a boil.
Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the whipping cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Strain the gravy through a fine mesh sieve into a separate medium pot and keep warm over low heat.
Melt the butter in a medium non-stick pan. Add the remaining onions, season with salt, and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs, milk, and mustard together in a large bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs and bread cubes, then let sit until they’re saturated and the mixture has thickened.
Add the cooled onions, ground beef, salt, and pepper to the bread mixture and stir to combine.
Form the mixture into 18 golf ball-sized meatballs.
Add enough oil to a large, non-stick skillet to coat the bottom. Heat over medium heat and add the remaining butter. Once melted, add the meatballs and fry on all sides until they’re golden brown and cooked through.
Serve the Swedish meatballs with a generous drizzle of brown gravy over top and garnish with finely minced fresh parsley. For a more authentic Swedish meal, serve them over a bed of mashed potatoes or egg noodles with a side of lingonberry sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can form the meatballs and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Allow the frozen meatballs to thaw in the refrigerator 1 day before pan-frying as usual.
How to Store: The leftover Swedish meatballs and gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: Heat the meatballs and gravy in a non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of broth or water.
Chef Notes + Tips
- The consistency of the meatball mixture should be moist but not too wet. If it feels too wet or sticky, add more breadcrumbs. If it’s too dry, a splash of milk can help.
- For more comforting flavors, mix 1/4 teaspoon each of allspice, oregano, and nutmeg into the meatball mixture.
- Fry a small piece of the meat mixture before forming all your meatballs. Taste it to make sure the seasonings are just right. If the flavors aren’t balanced, you can adjust the salt and pepper before committing to the whole batch.
- Let the formed meatballs rest in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them hold their shape while frying.
- Practice multitasking to finish cooking even faster. Start preparing the meatball mixture while the sauce is simmering on the stove.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet when frying the meatballs. If they look crowded, cook the meatballs in two or three batches.
- To make Swedish meatballs in a crockpot, sear them as normal before transferring them to the slow cooker. Pour the prepared gravy over top, cover with the lid, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours.
More Meatball Recipes
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 peeled and small diced medium-sized yellow onions
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 thick slices of crustless bread, cut into 1” cubes
- 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
- cooking oil
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepot over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and then the other half of the onions, season with salt, and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Once lightly browned, turn the heat down to medium and cook for a further 10 minutes or until darker brown.
- Stir in the flour to make a roux.
- Pour in the beef stock, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil to thicken. Once thick, reduce the heat to low and finish it by stirring in the whipping cream. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Strain into a separate medium-sized pot and keep warm over low heat.
- In a medium-sized non-stick pan, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over low to medium heat. Once melted, add in ½ the onions, gently season with salt, and cook while constantly stirring for 10 minutes. Set it to the side to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and mustard until combined.
- Next, mix in the breadcrumbs and bread cubes and let it sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until saturated and the mixture thickens.
- Add the cooled onions, ground beef, salt, and pepper, and thoroughly mix. I recommend frying a small piece in oil to ensure it is properly seasoned.
- Form 18 golf-ball-sized meatballs.
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan along with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add in the meatballs and fry on all sides until they are golden brown and cooked throughout, which takes about 12 to 15 minutes total.
- Serve the meatballs with the brown gravy and garnish with optional finely minced fresh parsley.
Swedish Meatballs