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4.96 from 22 votes

Swedish Meatballs

Ikea's signature Swedish Meatballs are easy to make at home! These beef (or beef and pork if you prefer) Swedish meatballs are soft, juicy, and seasoned with a unique blend of sweet and savory spices.
Author Diana
Servings 4 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 1 ½ pounds (680 g) 80% lean ground beef or a mix or ground beef and ground pork
  • ½ cup dried breadcrumbs panko or regular
  • ½ medium yellow onion grated or very finely diced
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • teaspoon ground ginger
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil not extra virgin

For the Cream Gravy

  • 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (360 g) beef broth or chicken stock, low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef (and pork if using) with breadcrumbs, grated onion, egg, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined but do not overwork the mixture.
  • Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out meatballs onto a tray, then roll each between your palms to create balls.
  • In a skillet over medium high heat, heat oil until it’s hot. Then add the meatballs, and sear for 3 minutes per side or until they’re brown (the meatballs won’t be cooked through, and will be cooked later, we are just searing).
  • Remove the meatballs onto a plate and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, then to the same skillet, add butter and melt it, then add flour and whisk it with the butter and cook for 1 minute.
  • Then add the broth, and scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and whisk until well combined. Whisk in the dijon mustard.
  • Return the meatballs to the skillet and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 6-8 minutes stirring regularly so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. To check the doneness of the meatballs, check the internal temperature and aim for 165°F (74°C) so they’re fully cooked.
  • Add the heavy cream to the gravy, and stir it in with a spatula. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your preference (salt and pepper). Remove from heat, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve with mashed potatoes, peas or broccoli, and lingonberry jam if you have it.

Notes

  • Instead of heavy cream, try this recipe with sour cream stirred in at the end. The flavor of the sauce will be a bit tangier, similar to a stroganoff.
  • If you want the gravy to be extra thick, you can add a bit more heavy cream. In my testing, I found that ¼ cup of cream was perfect, and more than that seemed like too much.
  • To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs, and all-purpose gluten-free flour in the sauce.
  • Be sure to deglaze the pan! The bits of browned beef left after searing the meatballs contain all of the flavor.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 416mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 638IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg