Swedish Meatballs Creamy Sauce (Printer-friendly)

Savory spiced meatballs served in a rich and creamy brown sauce, perfect for cozy family meals.

# What You Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 8.8 oz ground beef
02 - 8.8 oz ground pork
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 garlic clove, minced
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk
06 - 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for frying)

→ Creamy Brown Sauce

13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
15 - 2 cups beef broth
16 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
17 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
19 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve (Optional)

20 - Mashed potatoes
21 - Lingonberry jam
22 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes in a small bowl until softened.
02 - Gently mix ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, egg, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until just combined.
03 - Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs using damp hands and set aside.
04 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs in batches, turning regularly, for 6–8 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
05 - In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
06 - Gradually whisk in beef broth, scraping browned bits from the pan, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Return meatballs to the skillet and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until cooked through and sauce is creamy.
09 - Serve warm with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is impossibly creamy without feeling heavy, a balance that seems simple until you taste it.
  • Meatballs this tender somehow make a weeknight dinner feel like you've put in real effort.
  • Lingonberry jam as a condiment sounds strange until it hits your tongue alongside the savory richness.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the meatball mixture or they'll be dense and bouncy instead of tender; mix until just combined and walk away.
  • The brown bits stuck to the pan after frying aren't mess—they're your sauce's foundation, so deglaze that skillet.
03 -
  • Chill your meatball mixture for 30 minutes before shaping if you have time; cold mixture rolls more easily and browns more evenly.
  • Make the whole dish ahead and reheat gently—meatballs actually taste better the next day after the flavors have settled into each other.
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