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Swedish Meatballs - Nothing beats homemade meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy sauce, and they taste much better than the IKEA version!

Nothing beats homemade meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy sauce, and yes, they taste so much better than the IKEA version!

Swedish Meatballs - Nothing beats homemade meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy sauce, and they taste much better than the IKEA version!

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Love, love, love this recipe! It’s on a frequent rotation in our home. I usually make it on a weekend as it’s a little labor intensive, but well worth it. Thank you fir another great recipe!
sherri romano
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Remember those trips to Ikea where the budget-friendly furniture finds are the last things on your mind but all you can think about are those amazing swedish meatballs? Well, that was always me. But since we’ve moved to the Bay Area, our nearest Ikea is in the middle of the most trafficked area in the entire city so it’s really hard to get my swedish meatball fix when needed. Thankfully, I’ve found a homemade version that tastes even better than the original.

Raw ingredients for Swedish Meat Balls in a glass mixing bowl.
Rolled meatballs in a skillet, ready for cooking.
Rolled Swedish meatballs browning in a hot skillet.
Butter melting in a hot skillet.
Melted butter and flour being whisked in a skillet.
Beef broth and sour cream, seasoned with salt and pepper, to taste.
Browned meatballs in a creamy gravy sauce.

These Swedish meatballs have been on my bucket list for nearly 3 years, and I’m so glad to finally cross this off my list. I don’t know why it took me so long to make it – it’s so easy to make, and it really tastes a million times better than the Ikea version. Plus, you can always make a huge batch of meatballs (by either doubling or tripling the recipe) and storing the uncooked meatballs in the freezer. When you have that Swedish meatball craving, you can just defrost these babies overnight. So simple and easy, right?

And the sauce – you can’t forget about that creamy, heavenly gravy sauce that these meatballs are smothered in with the browned up meatball bits. Those meatball bits stuck to the bottom of the pan really make the gravy what it is. I could practically drink it! Just be sure to make a little bit extra if you serve these over a bed of egg noodles – you’ll really want a portion to slurp down!

Swedish meatballs, in a creamy gravy sauce, garnished with parsley.
Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Nothing beats homemade meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy sauce, and they taste much better than the IKEA version!
4.9 stars (144 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • ½ cup Panko*
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the gravy

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Panko, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg and cooked onion; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.
  • Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • To make the gravy, melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Stir in meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Notes

*Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store.
Adapted from Jo Cooks

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