This meatball is made from beef and cream gravy with beef stock, heavy cream, a splash of soy sauce, salt, and pepper with the meatballs added back into the pan to thicken and coat them. The ingredients for this Swedish meatballs are easy and quick with a mix of beef, pork, and milk-soaked bread. After browning in the pan, they are added to the pan of cream gravy to thicken and coat them.

Flavored with nutmeg and cardamom, these meatballs are best served with a traditional Swedish meatball sauce – a rich meat gravy spiked with sour cream and a little lingonberry jelly. You can either serve the jelly on the side or mixed right into the sauce.

Ingredients;

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 ¼ pound lean ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground all spice and garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon oil and worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 ¾ cup beef or chicken broth
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes for serving

Instructions;

  1. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and allow them to soften and become translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl and allow them to cool.
  2. In a small bowl, pour the milk over the bread and press down with a spoon or your fingers so that the bread soaks up all the milk, let sit 5 minutes.
  3. When the onions have cooled, add the ground beef, bread mixture, an egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and all spice to the bowl and mix until just combined.
  4. Don’t overmix the meat as it will result in tough meatballs. Shape into 18-22 meatballs that are about 1- 1 ¼ inch in diameter.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter along with oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 6-9 minutes, turn every couple of minutes to ensure even browning.
  6. Remove to a plate. If you don’t have a skillet large enough to hold all the meatballs, do it in batches, do not overcrowd the pan, you don’t want them to steam.
  7. Add the remaining 3 tbsp of butter to the skillet on the medium low heat. Sprinkle the flour in and whisk for 1-2 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Slowly pour the beef broth in while you whisk. Lower the heat, whisk in the sour cream until it dissolves completely.
  8. Add the garlic powder, mustard, and worcestershire sauce and let come to a gentle simmer before lowering the heat.
  9. Allow sauce to thicken for 6-10 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency. Add meatballs in when there are 4 minutes remaining.
  10. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken as it sits, so if you aren’t serving right away, consider leaving it a little thinner. Serve on top of buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Top with fresh parsley if desired