Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
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Easy peasy Swedish meatballs made in your pressure cooker! The meatballs are so tender and the gravy is so rich and creamy!
I just love love love a good Swedish meatball. Well, come to think of it, I like the bad ones too. I mean, hello, they’re meatballs smothered in a creamy meatball gravy.
There’s no downside here.
But don’t worry. This is a good Swedish meatball. I would never steer you wrong.
And it’s also made in the Instant Pot so there’s another win for you there.
Not to mention, the meatballs are made with a combination of beef and pork, and they come out amazingly tender. They just fall apart in your mouth.
The gravy is also just perfect – so rich, so creamy, and well, not enough to drink from a bowl. But hey, we can’t get them all, can we?
Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- ½ cup Panko
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Panko, milk, egg yolks, shallot, garlic, thyme, allspice and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 30-32 meatballs.
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Heat canola oil; working in two batches, add meatballs and cook until all sides are browned, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in beef stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Return meatballs to the Instant Pot®. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 8 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Set meatballs aside. Select high sauté setting; simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately with meatballs, garnished with dill and parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Absolutely delicious. Didn’t have shallots or fresh dill- just added some onion powder and extra parsley. Sauce didn’t thicken much- next time will add a cornstarch slurry. But definitely will make again.
Yummy! Crowd pleasing recipe. Thank you! I followed the recipe as is the only change I made because I don’t usually have sour cream. I used half greek yogurt and half table cream. My family loved it, no left overs!!!
Tastes good. Meatballs did not cook all the way. Cook longer. 8 min is not enough time for just browning then in the pan. Needs to be 10-12 min
Delicious, but any tips for avoiding the sour cream curdling?
Made this last night and my boys and I loved it! Halved the meatball recipe, used ground turkey (still got 30 1″ meatballs) and made the full gravy recipe and had almost no leftovers. The fam asked me to add this to our regular rotation. Another Damn Delicious go-to!
These meatballs were delicious! I mixed all ingredients, except meat, together first and then added 2lbs of ground turkey (93/7, not breast, it’s too lean) and the meatballs came out moist and flavorful. An 1/8 cup measure cup works well for portioning out the meat. I dipped it in water between scoops to prevent sticking. I’ve added this recipe to my list of go-to dinners!
Family of 7, many of us are picky eaters. Our preferences clash often. Matter of fact, I only have one kid who eats nearly everything.
I had only 1 LB of ground beef on hand, so I halved the recipe, made 2″ meatballs (used crumbled toast instead of Panko), and scrambled the egg white to mix in with the 3 cups of brown rice I served the meatballs over. I didn’t have any parsley or dill on hand, and these were still outta the ballpark scrumptious! I also used 1/8 cup whole milk in place of the sour cream because mine had gone bad.
Definitely need to double the sauce!
My ENTIRE family ate this until each one was stuffed full.
Miracle? We had enough for everybody to eat, even though I forgot to do up a veggie.
Great recipe! I saw this on your Instagram and knew I needed to make it for Sunday dinner. Really enjoyed the gravy!
These were a huge hit, and I will definitely make again. I had to brown in 3 separate batches, but it wasn’t too bad. The gravy sauce is sooo delicious.
These came out PERFECT! My whole family loved it. Definitely a keeper.
I’m deleting my other swedish meatball recipe. This was super tasty!
Like other reviewers, I made my meatballs bigger (1.5 – 2 inches) so I didn’t have to brown so many batches. I was skeptical that the two cups of broth would not be enough to pressure cook the meatballs (was afraid of burn notification), but it was just the right amount. I forgot the milk in the meatballs and they still turned out really *moist*. I did add a splash of white wine and cooked it off, then a splash of worcestershire and about a tsp of Dijon before adding the sour cream. Served o we egg noodles. 10/10 would make these again.
Made these tonight. I made the meatballs bigger (2”) and I am glad I did as the recommended 1” sized meatballs would have been very tough when cooked for 8 minutes in the Instant Pot. The sauce is delicious.
Will make this again.
Would not change a thing! I got a bit nervous when trying to roll over the meatballs in the first batch while cooking. I was using long kitchen thongs and some of the meatballs were tearing apart when flipping them over. A spatula made quick work of this. I will definitely make this recipe again – going into my recipe collection as “keeper”…
So delicious. Somehow I ended up with 45 meatballs so decided to freeze half after the browning stage. The gravy was incredible and I served everything over egg noodles. My kids asked for seconds and thirds! Thanks for a keeper.
This is a keeper! My entire family loved it!
Can these be cooked on the stove top?
Great recipe. been cooking for 72 years never saw this one. but please no CANOLA OIL. it is a GMO created by MONSANTO maker of ROUND UP otherwise a SUPER Great Recipe
What is a good substitute in this recipe for the pork? I can’t have pork and I’m wondering what other ground meat would mix well with the beef? And what percentages of lean vs fat?
Loved it! I added white wine to the sauce, little spoon of mustard and a hint of soy sauce. To gave the sauce some more depth.
I don’t usually do reviews mainly because I always flavor recipes to my own taste….. changing ingredients…. spices…etc… made this for dinner and it was great! Simple and delicious. No leftovers…. next time I’m going to have to double the recipe!
Delicious! This tastes the most like something I would get at a restaurant. It was very popular with guests and even great served with a few slices of bread as an entree.
Amazing recipe so delicious and did not make my heartburn act up! Love the mix of spices, i have never use allspice and nutmeg, it was a good change. I served it over mashed potatoes.
Thank you! The recipe is good and we enjoyed it very much
Simple to make and very yummy. My hubby ranted and raved on how delicious they were.
The flavors of the gravy were fantastic. Warning: do not substitute the pork for turkey. It’s not good.
Love it! I made it with a few modifications since I didn’t have the necessary ingredients. I used 1 fresh garlic clove instead of shallots. I substituted paprika instead of all spice. I made beef broth from a beef bouillon cube. I served the meat balls on an open faced sliced of bread since I was out of potatoes. WOW! incredible.
My meatballs don’t look nearly as perfect but the flavors are damn delicious. I made some substitutions to make it gluten free, red meat free and dairy free and it still turned out great. Substitutions that worked really well for me~Dairy free tofutti sour cream, GF panko, and ground organic turkey. Next time I will be doubling the gravy. I made some noodles and threw in some fresh arugula and OMG. Yum. Thank you!!
Great recipe
This was a delight to make. Very easy and quick. My family loved it. We served it over brown rice and it was delicious. I did add the Worcestershire sauce as suggested by someone and it added a nice little zing. I was pleasantly surprised at how the dill worked with this dish. I will definitely make this again except next time I’ll be sure to make extra sauce!
I’m a cook who doesn’t like fussy-work and so mucking about with raw meat and eggs, and the idea of transferring meatballs in and out of my instantpot did not thrill me, but I gave it a shot.
I’d send a picture, but we gobbled everything up and licked the platter clean.
Could I prepare this whole dish and leave on warm in the instant pot for a few hours or would you recommend going all the way through the step of cooking thr meatballs and then do the sauce when we are ready to eat? Sports night make things difficult with 3 kids!
We followed your recipe exactly as it is written. Turned out perfect. No substitutions needed. Thank you
This is absolutely delicious. Made it today for the first time and it was great. I forgot to buy egg noodles so I’ll be serving over rice.
OMG. You have knocked my socks off. This is SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD. Thank you thank you thank you! First time I’ve ever done meatballs in gravy. Wow! I must admit, I did add a splash of Worcestershire at the end. Sublime flavours. Thank you very much. I’ll be back!
Absolutely delish. The dill adds a layer of flavor that can’t be beat. I served with broad noodles and would make this again in a New York minute. The only problem I had was that the meatballs stuck to the IP liner a LOT despite using a good amount of oil. I think next time I’ll try using my non-stick IP liner instead. Other than that, this recipe is a total winner. Thank you.
I really loved this dish. It took longer than 25 minutes to prep, but perhaps the ice cream scoop trick will speed things along the next time. The only I wish this recipe listed was the nutritional value.
I agree it needs the nutritional value and that the ice cream scoop trick totally goes way faster than hand rolling the meatballs.
Oh my goodness!! Whole family LOVED this. Only thing I added was a bit of Worcestershire Even my picky 9 yr old loved it!! Seconds all around!
Made this tonight and it was great, but I have one question.. This cooks in an Instant Pot, yet the pictures seem to show…a skillet?
Double the sauce because it’s THAT GOOD! Made this quite a few times and it’s so delicious and simple
How do you double the sauce? Just add more sour cream?
Perfect as always. I added a splash of worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Only thing that I would add next time is some mustard.
Very easy and tasty. I was feeding a hungry toddler so I used frozen meatballs but everything else was the same. I really appreciate the simplicity of the ingredients which made a very yummy dish.
Super delicious. And this is from someone who lived in Sweden. The only notes I’d make are that it makes a lot more than 32 meatballs, and takes longer to put together than mentioned. But this is still completely worth the effort.
Made this last night. It was awesome, the whole family enjoyed it. Served with noodles; definitely going to be making this again. Think next time we’ll make it with mashed potatoes, to compare. This is one of my new favorite recipes.
I made these tonight and my family loved them. I doubled the sauce and I added some Worcestershire sauce and some low sodium soy sauce. I also added 2 teaspoons of better than bouillon veggie flavor. I tried to keep count of the meatballs—I think I made about 30. I used 2 1/2 lbs if hamburger meat, because I didn’t have any pork. My very very picky husband, said “Great job, Honey!” and gave me a kiss. I almost passed out! Lol! Try this recipe, it is very good. PS this was the first time that I have ever made homemade meatballs!!!!
My family loved this dish! The only thing I did different was to add a dash or 2 of Worcestershire sauce per the suggestion in a few of the reviews.
Did anyone else get more than 30-32 meatballs from this recipe? I used my 1” scoop and got 53 meatballs! Good thing I made extra sauce. I double and triple checked I had the correct measurements and amounts. Oh well, they did not go to waste.
I will definitely make this dish again.
LOVED IT!!! my husband and I loved this recipe!! Quite perfect on a cold evening. Came together quickly and tastes amazing!!
This turned out great. Even my 16 mth old boys ate it! The only thing is I wish there was more sauce to have the meatballs with pasta. I’ll try doubling that part next time
This recipe was AMAZING! My first time making swedish meatballs from scratch and only my third time using my Instant Pot! I didn’t use the pork but it was still so very yummy; will definitely make again!
I wanted to ask, what would happen if I didn’t use the Panko in this recipe? Is there a substitute? I am asking because I cannot have bread, as I have a yeast allergy. Thank you! Also, I absolutely love your work; I have yet to make one of your recipes that my family didn’t rave about!
We substitute crushed Rice Chex for my gluten-free neice.
I almost always use oats instead of breadcrumbs when making meatballs, and they always come out wonderfully! The same amount of oats as breadcrumbs always does great. 🙂
So delicious. My mother in law conceded and said these were better than hers
Made these Swedish meatballs last night and they were great! I prepped the meatballs in the afternoon and left them on a covered cookie sheet in the fridge until I was ready for them. Served them over egg noodles with a side of steamed broccoli. Only thing I didn’t do was add the dill – the store was out. Next time I’ll find dill to add with the parsley. Looking forward to eating the leftovers on this rainy day!
Not going to lie, I was a little skeptical about using panko as the panade, but I was pleasantly surprised as these meatballs were very tender and not tough at all. Prior to this recipe, I have only had Ikea Swedish meatballs and these are far more superior and will now be in my regular rotation. Perfect comfort food on a chilly winter evening. Well done!
you missed a step where do I add the sour cream and sauce seasonings. Are they added to the instapot or are they done separately
Geree, this is listed in step #5.
5. Set meatballs aside. Select high sauté setting; simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
What would be cooking method for conventional stove/oven?
The Swedish meatballs were delicious. As per other suggestions, I added a splash of Worcestershire sauce and low sodium soy sauce. Directions were perfect and easy to follow.
Made this last night and they were the best Swedish meatballs I’ve ever made (or had anywhere else)! The meatballs were a tad fragile but did hold together so next time I will add a bit more panko. I don’t understand the comments about the sauce being so bland since that was not my experience. I did add a splash of worchestershire. Maybe the quality of the beef broth? Anyway, served them over egg noodles and they were stupendous. Guests all went back for seconds. That was a yes/no good thing. Yes: Happy they liked it so much. No: The extra I made in order to have leftovers all disappeared.
This is good. I think the Worcestershire sauce suggestion would be great. I mentioned the same to my husband when we started eating. It was a pain to brown the meatballs and I almost gave up and threw it out, but I’m glad I didn’t. I will likely add more panko next time because they were so delicate.
Thank you for sharing. I will definitely make these again.
Made this tonight in my IP and it came out fantastic per my guest. Great recipe!
Hi! I have made Swedish meatballs since I was a kid, and just wanted to add a few tips/ tricks to beef up the flavor of the sauce. 1. Add a splash of soy sauce instead of salt (optional) and a Tbsp. of Worchestershire sauce (you’ll thank me later). The flavor shouldn’t be as bland for those commenting about it. Otherwise great recipe!
Thanks for the tip, Danielle!
This recipe is spectacular! Made it several times and always a hit. Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s so easy, right? 🙂
I’m going to be making this for the third time- so delicious! It’s my favorite Swedish meatballs recipe
My sister and I made these over the snowy April weekend in Milwaukee to break in her new IP and this recipe is delicious! Definitely a keeper! I might have to get myself an IP! 🙂
They’re the best!
Very tasty, however this is the 2nd time I have thickened a sauce with flour and caused IP to “burn”. After removal of content and cleaning pot out then represurrising everything came out fine.
After taking the meatballs out turn the sauté down to medium heat. The mix the entire time the flour is toasting. It shouldn’t burn then:) this is one of my favorites:)
Absolutely delicious! I wouldn’t change a single thing.
My daughter loves Swedish meatballs. Said they were the best she has had. Made it with egg noodles.
Oh that’s great!
Will be making this tomorrow! However, I just tried searing meatballs for another recipe and even though I used a lot of oil, they still stuck to the bottom of the instant pot. Do you have any suggestions?
When meatballs fall apart, the problem is most likely the binder (ex. breadcrumbs or eggs). Hope that helps, Brandy!
Our second recipe since buying the IP for Christmas. The Korean beef recipe, peerless. The Swedish meatballs, splendid. Sixty one and excited for cooking again. Thank you.
@stanleymcsploots mom and dad Chris and Pam
That’s awesome!
I love this recipe! I got an Instant Pot for Christmas and have been experimenting. I’m adding this recipe to my list!
These were so wonderful that I made two double batches in a row and ate them for a week. Any tips on getting them to come out perfectly round?
Several of your recipes are beloved in our house. Just started using Instant Pot and love your IP recipes!
You could use an ice cream scoop to get uniform meatballs – scooping, leveling, dislodging into your hand, and then rolling so they’re perfectly rounded out balls. I hope that helps, Melinda!
So yummy and easy with my instant pot butnif I didn’t have an instant pot, do you have a link to a stove top instructions….. Just kidding, I read all you posts. Thanks
This looks great! I’m wondering if anyone has tried cooking whole baby potatoes in with the Swedish meatballs?
I made this in the instant pot just today. It turned out pretty good! I doubled the amount of flour and broth I used so I could Pour over egg noodles. I also added a half teaspoon more of allspice 🙂 because I like the taste of allspice. One other substitution was Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, I added a cup since I doubled my sauce. It congealed somewhat and I don’t think that the sour cream would have done that, still rated great. Fresh dill and parsley were a perfect herb garnish.
Is there enough sauce to pour over egg noodles?
It really depends on how much sauce you like with your noodles. It may be best to double the sauce to ensure you have enough. Hope that helps!
I’m going to make these this weekend – they look delicious! Quick question…I’m thinking of doubling the recipe. Would the time under pressure be the same?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Can the meatballs be made ahead of time and refrigerated for a few hours?
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
My daughter loves Swedish meatballs and I had all the ingredients so tried this tonight. It was very good. Nice flavor. I only used the parsley at the end. We tried it with noodles and brown rice. We preferred the rice with it. The only negative being the time. I get home from work around 6:30 and and it was nearly 8 when we ate dinner.
I don’t know what I would do without you for our meals during the week! I always have the best luck with your recipes. You knocked this recipe out of the park, though! So, so good! My family of 5 inhaled it, and it’s a rare occurance when everyone likes the same thing! One tip I have would be to temper the sour cream by whisking in a separate bowl with some of the simmering liquid before adding to the electric pressure cooker (all of your Instant Pot recipes also work with the Breville Fast Slow Pro, which is what I use). This will thin the sour cream out some and keep it from curdling.
We love hearing that! Thanks for your feedback!
Thank you for your Instant Pot recipies. They are the best!
Can this recapie ve done in a slow cooker?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
This recipe looks great! Thanks for sharing. I don’t eat pork, can I substitute this?
Yes, of course!
What are the advantages of using an instant pot for this recipe over a traditional pan? Your pan recipe seems like it is a touch quicker. I just got an instant pot so I am new to the craze!
They are both great recipes but I find that the Instant Pot version is more convenient and quicker. 🙂
bookmarking for later! I LOVE Swedish meatballs <3
Then you’ll love this one! 🙂
I do not have an Instant Pot, can I use my slow cooker for the meatballs. They look delish.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
How to adapt this recipe for the small Instant Pot…? It looks wonderful.
When using a 3qt or “mini” Instant Pot, the general rule of thumb is to divide the recipe in half with the same cook time. But as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Thank you for Instant Pot recipes!!! I hate to buy whole milk just for this recipe as we don’t drink whole. Can 1% be used instead?
Yes, 1% can be substituted but whole milk is truly best for this recipe.
I can’t wait to try these!! I’ve been on a meatball binge as of late. Something I would love to see though is a recipe for Korean Beef meatballs. Please!!!!
How could I modify this if I don’t have an instanpot? Absolutely love your recipes by the way.
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
BEST BLOG E V E R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE INCREDIBLY AMAZING AND EACH AND EVERY RECIPE IS FABULOUS! THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR TALENT AND YOUR RECIPES!!!!
Instructions for non instant pot users?
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
So outside of the addition of thyme this looks pretty similar to your stovetop recipe-which my crew LOVES! Thanks for sharing an IP version!
Do you think greek yogurt instead of sour cream would be okay?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Definitely! I sub it pretty much all the time since I regularly have it on hand.
I’ve only ever used Greek yogurt and not sour cream because we always have plain Greek yogurt. A little tip I have is to measure out the yogurt in a measuring cup or a small bowl and then ladling in a bit of the broth and mixing it up before adding it to the pot. I usually have trouble breaking up all the yogurt when I add it into the broth last and this saves me the trouble of whisking for a long time.
Chungah, your recipes are amazing and this looks delicious! I try to avoid cooking with beef and pork…I am wondering if it would work with soy “meat”. What do you think?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Hi! I don’t have an instant pot. How would you recommend making these in a crock pot? Or even dutch oven?
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
can you give directions to adapt swedish meatball recipe to stove top or crock pot? many thanks.
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
Swedish meatballs! My favorite! I was looking for this recipe for years! I have to try it!
Can this be made in something other than instant pot? It looks yummy, but no instant pot here.
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
If you don’t have an instant, can you make this recipe using a slow cooker instead?
Thanks!
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/
If one does not have instant pot, how else can this recipe be made, ie, crockpot, on stove, etc? This recipe looks yummy.
You can try this stovetop version instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/