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Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy

These Swedish Meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of warm spices like nutmeg and allspice, smothered in a silky, creamy gravy. Perfect for pairing with mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice, this cozy comfort food is better than any store-bought version and comes together in under an hour.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Swedish
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 2 slices soft white bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes
  • 1 small onion, finely grated with juices
  • 300 g ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground allspice
  • 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
For the Gravy
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth (or chicken broth)
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream (or thickened cream)

Method
 

  1. Grate the onion and mix with bread cubes until soft and soggy. Add a splash of milk if needed.
  2. Mix beef, pork, egg, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, and salt into the onion-bread mixture. Combine gently.
  3. Shape into 25–30 meatballs using damp hands or a scoop.
  4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown meatballs in batches for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  5. In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux. Cook 1 minute.
  6. Whisk in 1/4 of the broth, then gradually add the rest. Simmer until thickened.
  7. Return meatballs and juices to the skillet. Simmer 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
  8. Stir in cream and simmer 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread and replace flour with cornstarch. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of cream. Add Dijon mustard or garlic powder for extra flavor. Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or rice—and don’t forget lingonberry jam for authenticity.