These heavenly Swedish Meatballs are the homemade version of the iconic Ikea meatballs. They’re a whole lot easier than assembling flat-pack furniture, that’s for sure!!!
Extra soft and juicy, with the signature hint of nutmeg and All Spice, smothered with the traditional Swedish Meatball sauce – a creamy gravy that’s absolutely to die for.
Swedish Meatballs
I’m that person who goes into Ikea just to pick up tea lights, only to emerge 2 hours later with all sorts of useful organisation solutions, looking for a problem to solve.
I’m also that person who confidently puts together Ikea furniture (I’m a chartered accountant! I can do this!), only to worryingly end up with one leftover screw or bracket. Thankfully, none of my Ikea furniture has come tumbling down (yet), so now I have a theory that Ikea throws an extra piece into every flatpack just to mess with us.😂
As for their meatballs? Flatpack shopping is hard work. I can’t blame anyone who needs a pick-me-up after making it out the other end of the Ikea maze.
But once you’ve tried homemade Swedish Meatballs, you’ll never order these at the Ikea cafe ever again!
What’s so special about Swedish Meatballs?
If you’re wondering what’s so special about Swedish Meatballs, or what they taste like, close your eyes and imagine this: incredibly soft meatballs, made extra juicy by using a combination of both pork and beef and soaked bread instead of breadcrumbs, lightly spiced with just a touch of nutmeg and all spice that gives it the signature Swedish flavour, smothered in a creamy gravy that is absolutely to-die-for.
These are meatballs unlike any other – and regular readers know I have a very big soft spot for my favourite Italian Meatballs.
But I’d go as far to say that if you aren’t a regular maker of meatballs for whatever reason (pain to roll them, don’t like mixing meat with your hands etc etc), but you have the inclination to make ONE meatball recipe, make it these Swedish Meatballs.
You won’t regret it. I promise.
What goes in Swedish Meatballs
Here’s what you need to make the Swedish Meatballs.
- Beef AND pork – the beef gives it flavour, the pork gives it juiciness and tenderness;
- Bread – the secret to extra soft meatballs! Far more effective than breadcrumbs;
- Nutmeg and All Spice – the signature spicing, just a small, subtle amount. All Spice is a particular type of spice made from a plant called Pimenta dioica. It smells like cloves. It’s a common spice found in normal supermarkets, and costs no more than usual spices. Best substitute is Mixed Spice.
- Beef stock/broth and cream – for the creamy gravy;
- Flour – to thicken the gravy;
- Egg – for binding the meatballs together.
How to make Swedish Meatballs
Here’s how to make them:
FIRST, chop up sandwich bread, the soak in grated onion. This is a secret tip for ultra soft, extra tasty meatballs. Grating onion = no need to pan fry chopped onion AND extracts onion juices which soaks the bread, which later puffs up inside the meatballs as they cook, creating ultra soft meatballs!
How I roll meatballs
And here’s how I roll meatballs. It’s the fastest method I’ve been able to come up with!
- Use an ice cream scooper with a lever to scoop up the mixture. Standard size is 3 tablespoons – I use slightly less than the scoop (3 tablespoons is quite large);
- Scoop and dollop all the mixture;
- THEN roll them all;
- Voila! Even size meatballs, rolled relatively quickly!
Sauce for Swedish Meatballs
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. All the brown stuff left in the pan after browning the meatballs adds incredible flavour into the gravy, which is why baking these meatballs is not an option!!!
What to serve with Swedish Meatballs
The Swedish Meatball eating experience is incomplete without creamy Mashed Potato. You need the mash so you can savour every last drop of that wickedly delicious creamy gravy.
Having said that though, rice, noodles or pasta are adequate fall backs, or some bread for mopping up the sauce (try this easy Artisan bread, or emergency No Yeast Sandwich Bread). And if you’re really trying to cut down on carbs, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower is your answer!
If you start now, you’ll have these on the table in less than hour. Are you ready for the most sinfully delectable meatballs you’ve ever had in your life?? – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 slices white sandwich bread , crusts removed, chopped into small cubes (Note 1)
- 1 onion , small (brown, white or yellow)
- 300g / 10 oz ground beef (mince)
- 300g / 10 oz ground pork (mince) , or sub with more beef (Note 2)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg , preferably freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp All Spice powder (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Gravy
- 40g / 3 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups beef broth/stock (salt reduced), or sub with chicken
- 1/2 cup heavy / thickened cream (Note 4)
Instructions
- Grate onion using a standard box grater (see video).
- Scrape onion and juices into bowl. Add bread and mix well - onion juice should make bread soggy (if not, add a tiny splash of milk). Set aside to soak for 1 minute.
- Add remaining Meatball ingredients EXCEPT oil. Mix well.
- Using a tablespoon measure and measure out a heaped tablespoon (or use ice cream scooper which is what I do), dollop on work surface. Repeat with remaining mixture: 25 - 30 meatballs. Then roll into shape.
Cooking
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add half the meatballs and brown all over (but raw inside still) - about 3 minutes. Remove onto plate, then brown the remaining batch.
- If there is lots of oil, pour off excess and discard. Lower heat to medium.
Gravy
- Add butter into skillet and melt. Add flour and stir in. Cook for 1 minute.
- While mixing, add about 1/4 of the beef broth - it will thicken quickly. Then gradually add remaining beef broth, stirring as you go. Switch to whisk if required to make it lump free.
- When the liquid is simmering, add meatball and juices pooled on plate.
- Turn up heat slightly to keep it at a rapid simmer. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until the liquid thickens into a thin gravy, stirring occasionally.
- Add cream, simmer for a further 2 minutes then remove from stove.
- Serve over mashed potato (or Cauliflower Mash for low carb). For a truly authentic experience, add a dollop of ligonberry jam on the side!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2017. Post updated 13 May 2020 with improved videos, plus ingredients and step photos added. No change to recipe, it’s perfect as is!!!
Life of Dozer
Dozer – I love you, but if you bump that tripod while I’m filming, you will be in a LOT of trouble!!
And from the original publication date:
Trying to negotiate with Dozer using a Swedish Meatball…..
AmazeBalls! 🙂 Have been looking for that authentic tasting recipe for a while. This absolutely filled the bill. Wasn’t even in to biting the second meatball when DH declared, “This is a keeper!” He loved it and so did I. Didn’t differ from the recipe at all, but did serve on egg noodles. Thank you for this.
Hi Nagi. Is it okay to use pork and veal mince? Thank you
Yes definitely! N x
These were absolutely divine, I didn’t change a thing as I’ve never had to with any of your recipes. My hubby wolfed them down- I was lucky to get any at all! I served alongside with your make-ahead mash which also surprised me! They tasted just like restaurant mash! Thanks Nagi this is another winner! X
Hello my meatballs are very fragile and some fall apart. Does anyone else have this issue or tips to share?
Hi Bill,
I did have this problem, and concluded that it was because my husband had chopped the end of the onion that he couldn’t grate. The slightly larger bits of onion just didn’t hold together so well, and bits fell off.
However, I tried to be gentle when turning the meatballs, and only had a couple completely fall apart. I kept the ‘bits’ (scraped out as much as possible from the frying pan between frying), and they added some extra body to the sauce at the end.
Next time, I’ll keep the end of the onion that can’t be grated for a different recipe 🙂
Love the recipe, the whole family does. Really appreciate how you can adjust the recipe for how many people you want to cook for. Love it..
Thanks so much Ada! N x
Another amazing dish Nagi,I replaced the bread with 1/2
cup panko.
wow! So good! I will definitely make these at least once a week. Thank you for all the recipes and the videos too!
I have made this recipe twice this week!!! Delicious and was enjoyed by all, thank you.
First words out of my husband’s mouth: “Holy cow….these taste just like Ikea meatballs”.
Everyone wolfed them down. No leftovers at the table. And request to make them again.
I used turkey mince.
I omitted nutmeg (as I can’t stand it).
In the absence of Ligonberry jam I served with cranberry sauce. Yum.
Another hit, Nagi. Thank you.
Wahoo! That’s great Naomi! N x
Same reaction from my family Naomi!! We made a really big batch for two dinners and it was just sublime. So, so yummy! The second time round, I didn’t have potatoes but I served the gravy and meatballs with some air fried chips – a bit naughty but so delicious!
Nagi another amazing recipe.. thankyou
Rich, creamy and delicious… these Swedish meatballs are to die for and were absolutely demolished by everyone! (Sadly no leftovers for lunch). Thanks Nagi for another hit recipe xx
I’m so glad you loved them Jo! N x
Hi Nagi – do you have any tips for grating the onion? My hubbie is doing that bit, and has just complained about the end bits pinging off everywhere, falling on the floor, and risking his knuckles… Obviously too late for this time round, but it would be good to have some tips for next time!
Thanks 🙂
(Different Jo from the poster at 5.00!)
Just adding – these were definitely worth it. I had a few challenges – my husband chopped the end of the onion, which meant that the meatballs fell apart a bit when I started frying them; my icecream scoop is about twice the size of yours (I didn’t spot your direction to use a tablespoon or the icecream scoop which should have given me an indication…), so I had to then halve the meatballs once I’d rolled them, and I couldn’t stir the frying pan once I reput the meatballs in with the gravy (mine must be smaller than yours – my meatballs were crammed in with no gaps between them)
BUT the end result was *totally* worth the stress that I had done something wrong! They came out fine and juicy, with the gravy to die for (even without stirring). Will definitely add to the ‘to make again’ list.
Hi Jo, keep one end in tact without chopping off the butt and grate away – I like that hubby has this job 😉
Awesome – thanks 🙂
Yes – hubby does the veg prep and I get to throw it all together afterwards 🙂
I also want to add for this – i froze the second half of the meatballs and sauce (it’s not easy to divide the recipe below making enough for four).
I froze the meatballs and sauce separately, and then fully defrosted in the fridge prior to cooking.
I reheated the sauce first, stirring it as it had slightly separated when it defrosted. Once it had come back together again, I added the meatballs and simmered gently for about 10 minutes to heat through (enough time for the potatoes to cook for mashing…)
It reheated perfectly – tasted just as good as the first time round! (and bonus of having food on the table so quickly…)
At the risk of sounding ridiculous, we are already rugging up for winter here on the Gold Coast so I made these this morning before work – Trying to get everyone to leave my house with out eating dinner for breakfast was a mission! We loved our samplers and are excited for dinner 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Nagi, I’m going to make the meatballs tomorrow. I note you mentioned soaking bread in onion, onion juice and milk. How much milk do I use? I can’t see the amount of milk needed in the ingredients list.
Sonja
Hi Sonja, all the ingredients are listed there in the recipe, I’ve only suggested adding milk if needed (if there isn’t enough juice form the onion – just a splash) 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, thank you for that. I do owe you an apology though. I didn’t read the recipe properly when I asked you the question.
It wasn’t until I sat down to write out necessary shopping list that I saw you had added “a splash of milk”.
They were scrummo, thank you xxx
These are phenomenal! The best I’ve ever made..much better than Ikea’s own recipe.
Holy cow these were good. 😀
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Joanna! N x
Hi Nagi. I am just ready to make your Swedish meatballs. I read a comment from someone freezing the meatballs. Can you advise me please if the gravy can be frozen with the meatballs or separately please. I want to make this asap. Cheers, and thanks so much for your wonderful inspirational recipes and fun site. You are my first point of call when searching recipes and help.
Hi Robyn, I would freeze them separately 🙂 N x
Wow. What a quick response Nagi. Thankyou so much. I making them now. Will Let you and followers know. Cheers, Robyn