Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (2024)

You are here: Home / Dinner / Swedish Meatballs and Sauce

by Janel 14 Comments

A simple dinner that packs a punch, everyone loves these Swedish meatballs with sauce! Serve on rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles for a filling, flavorful dinner recipe.

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (1)

Affiliate links are used in this post.

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce

Need something fresh on your weekly menu?

This is it!

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (2)

Swedish meatballs is an easy and inexpensive meal, but has so much flavor.

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (3)

It completely breaks up your boringdinner rotation with a pop of something new and exciting.

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (4)

There is so much flavor packed into the meatballs and the sauce completes the meal.

We like to serve Swedish meatballs on rice, but you can also serve your meatballs and sauce on a bed of noodles or on top of mashed or creamed potatoes.

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (5)

Try this recipe this week. You’ll be glad you did.

Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (6)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A simple dinner that packs a punch, everyone loves these Swedish meatballs with sauce! Serve on rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles for a filling, flavorful dinner recipe.

Ingredients

  • Swedish Meatballs Ingredients:
  • 1 lb Hot italian sausage
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 tbls red cooking wine
  • 1 tbls oregano
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sauce Ingredients:
  • 2 tbls butter
  • 2 tbls flour
  • 1.5 tsp better than bullion beef base
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Combine hot Italian sausage, ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, red cooking wine, and seasonings to create your meatball mixture.
  2. Scoop a spoonful of meatball mixture and roll into a 1" ball. Continue making meatballs out of all meat mixture.
  3. Cook the meatballs in acast iron skillet, roll the meatballs about every minute to a different side until every side is cooked. While your meatballs are cooking, begin creating the roux
  4. Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet. Add flour and whisk until smooth to create your roux.
  5. Stir in beef base, water, and Worcestershire sauce, and heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, until gravy thickens.
  6. Add meatballs into gravy and serve.

Sauce recipe adapted from: Almost-Famous Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (7)
Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (8)

About Janel

I'm a sweets addict that enjoys eating yummy treats and good food! I'm also the mom of five beautiful boys from 4-12.

Previous Post: « Pizza Pasta Bake

Next Post: Cream Cheese Banana Bread »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. kristi says

    Yum, my husband loves to make those for holidays when we have family over. Something a little different than the typical ham dinner

    Reply

  2. Mel says

    This sounds and looks so delicious. I will certainly have to try to make it up for the family! Swedish meatball recipes are usually a great idea for dinner!

    Reply

  3. lisalisa says

    Yesss, look who’s coming to dinner, lol I love Swedish meatballs and so do my kids! They make me think of my sister who use to make them for our parties!

    Reply

  4. Scott says

    Definitely trying this out! Swedish Meatballs is my all-time favorite and usually the only time I get to have it any more is buying it frozen at the store or going to an IKEA.

    Reply

  5. Jon says

    Currently making this for dinner this evening, I love Swedish meatballs. Will serve over sour cream mashed potatoes. Can’t wait!

    Reply

  6. Laura says

    Can you make the sweedish meatballs without the wine

    Reply

    • Janel says

      Yup! You can try substituting with a balsamic vinegar or a little olive oil, or just skip it completely. It’s such a small amount it won’t make much difference in consistency. Let us know what you try!

      Reply

  7. Crystal says

    Awesome recipe,and thanks! It was a hit with the kids and a quicker recipe than our usual swedish meatballs. We appreciate your version so much and the texture! Hope u continue to post your awesome tastes.

    Reply

  8. Erlene says

    My kids love meatballs and it’s something I need to make more often. Pinned this and will give it a try.

    Reply

  9. Donna @ Modern on Monticello says

    I think these look so delicious. I have pinned this and will give it a try. #HomeMattersParty

    Reply

  10. Greta J says

    Cannot imagine Italian sausage in Swedish meatballs. Would that be like adding lutefisk to your linguini?

    Reply

  11. Dennis says

    Just confirming that you are using one tablespoon of pepper?

    Reply

  12. Kate D. says

    I just wanted to say that this recipe is a hit! I have made it three times. I don’t usually make the meatballs, but throw in frozen meatballs in the sauce recipe you provide. We serve over rice, and it is great. Thank you so much.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Swedish Meatballs and Sauce ~ Simple Sweet Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

What is a good side dish for Swedish meatballs? ›

As mentioned above, They are usually served in a creamy gravy with lingonberry jam or Lingonberry Sauce and Fresh Pickled Cucumbers. Swedish meatballs are usually served on top of mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles. Both are delicious!

What is the secret to firm meatballs? ›

Massage your meat

Get your hands into your mixing bowl and combine the ingredients for your meatballs using your fingers. The heat from your hands will help release the proteins in the meat which will in turn help the mixture stick together when it cooks. Don't overmix, just a few minutes will do.

Why is my Swedish meatball sauce not thickening? ›

How to Thicken Swedish Meatball Sauce. The all-purpose flour in this recipe should do the trick to thicken your Swedish meatball sauce to the right consistency. But if it doesn't, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water) to thicken it up.

How do you keep Swedish meatballs from falling apart? ›

Eggs: Eggs help bind the meatballs together so they don't fall apart. They also help keep the meatballs soft and tender. Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs are almost always used in meatball recipes because they absorb the fat and, along with the eggs, serve as a binder.

What is the difference between Swedish and Norwegian meatballs? ›

Norwegian recipes are made with all beef, while some Swedish recipes also use pork. Norwegian meatballs tend to be larger and flatter than their Swedish cousins.

What's the difference between meatballs and Swedish meatballs? ›

Italian Meatballs vs Swedish Meatballs: Swedish Meatballs are typically smaller in size than Italian meatballs and they are usually made with a 50-50 ratio of ground pork and ground beef.

What is special about Swedish meatballs? ›

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

What does adding milk to meatballs do? ›

Milk: Milk adds moisture, ensuring the meatballs don't dry out during the cooking process. Onion: An onion lends bold flavor. Meat: You'll need a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground pork. Egg: An egg adds moisture and helps bind the meatballs together.

What keeps meatballs moist? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

Do you drain meatballs before adding sauce? ›

5: Simmer the Meatballs

Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the sauce.

How do you make meatball sauce less sweet? ›

The solution: unsweetened cocoa powder. If you're working with two quarts of sauce, start with 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder and work your way up. This can help the dish taste less sweet even though it has the same amount of sweetener. Don't add too much or your dish will have a chocolatey taste.

Is there a premade Swedish meatball sauce? ›

McCormick Sweedish Meatballs Sauce Mix (2.11 oz Packets) 4 Pack.

What is Ikea meatball gravy made of? ›

Iconic Swedish cream sauce: Melt 40g of butter in a pan. Whisk in 40g of plain flour and stir for 2 mins. Add 300ml of bouillon (or consommé) and continue to stir. Add 150ml double cream, 2 tsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of (Dijon) mustard.

Is Swedish meatball sauce the same as stroganoff? ›

Stroganoff sauce has mushrooms, while Swedish meatball sauce does not. Another key difference is the seasoning for each sauce. Swedish meatballs are typically seasoned with spices like nutmeg and ginger, while Stroganoff sauce includes paprika, onion powder, and thyme.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste so good? ›

The Seasoning

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Melvina Ondricka

Last Updated:

Views: 6006

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (68 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Melvina Ondricka

Birthday: 2000-12-23

Address: Suite 382 139 Shaniqua Locks, Paulaborough, UT 90498

Phone: +636383657021

Job: Dynamic Government Specialist

Hobby: Kite flying, Watching movies, Knitting, Model building, Reading, Wood carving, Paintball

Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.