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Swedish Meatballs
Tender pork-and-beef meatballs in a creamy gravy with a hint of allspice and nutmeg — Sweden's most beloved comfort food.
20 mins
25 mins
4 people
Swedish
Ground pork
300g
Ground beef
200g
Breadcrumbs
80g
Milk
To soak breadcrumbs
4 tbsp
Egg
1
Onion
Finely grated
1 small
Allspice
1/2 tsp
Nutmeg
1/4 tsp
Butter
3 tbsp
Plain flour
For gravy
2 tbsp
Beef stock
400ml
Heavy cream
150ml
Soy sauce
Secret ingredient for depth
1 tsp
Lingonberry jam
to serve
🍽️ Lingonberry jam
→ Cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly
Similar sweet-tart berry profile
Soak breadcrumbs in milk. Mix with meats, egg, grated onion, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
💡 Pro Tip: Soaked breadcrumbs (panade) keep meatballs tender. Dry breadcrumbs make them dense.
Roll into small, even balls (about 3cm).
💡 Pro Tip: Smaller meatballs cook faster and more evenly than large ones.
Fry in butter, turning until browned all over. Remove.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't move them too early — wait until they release easily from the pan.
In same pan, whisk flour into butter, cook 1 minute. Add stock and cream, whisk smooth. Add soy sauce.
💡 Pro Tip: The soy sauce adds umami depth without tasting obviously soy.
Return meatballs to gravy, simmer 5 minutes. Serve with mashed potato and lingonberry.
💡 Pro Tip: The meatballs should simmer in the gravy — not just be placed on top at serving.
- ✓Allspice and nutmeg define Swedish meatballs — don't substitute Italian spicing
- ✓Panade (soaked bread) is essential for tenderness
- ✓Soy sauce in the gravy is a modern Swedish culinary secret
- →With creamy mashed potato
- →With lingonberry jam
- →With pickled cucumber