The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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My favorite recipe forSwedish meatballs nuzzled in a simple yet creamy brown gravy! Just like IKEA but only better. It’s so good you’ll wanna slurp it through a straw!

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)

Here it is. More comfort food. I hope you aren’t sick of it yet, because there’s soo much more where this ↑ came from. What, you didn’t get the memo?It’scomfort food FRIDAY my friend.

Gimme a big bowl of egg noodles topped with Swedish meatballs and a healthy drizzle of that brown gravy with a good show on Netflix and a cozy blankie. It’s all I ask for. I’ll be living that #blanketburrito life from now all the way into next year. Anyone with me? Next year. Yes, I said it. Guys it’s like, 3 months away. Where did this year go? And can December just not come around this time, pleaseandthankyou. Someone in the room is about to turn the big 3-0 and I really just don’t want it to be me. Speaking of turning thirty, I’m as old as the Oprah Winfrey show. Uh… well if I didn’t feel old before…Would youmind If I just stayed twenty-nine-and-some-change till the end of time?

I’ll just stay here in my sweat pants and drown my twenty-something self in a vat of the most comforting comfort food known to man.

My Swedish meatballs recipe is easy to make…

and they’re also possibly the best thing to come out of my kitchen, ever. That’s not saying I don’t love most of the food I share with you here on LSJ. It just means that this kinda recipe holds a big placein my heart. Perfectly browned little nuggets that aretender and juicy on the inside. Isn’t it amazing how many different ways there are to serve up meatballs? I’d have to say, my favorite is when they’re snuggled in atangy, creamy and rich gravy that’s so good you’ll wanna bathe in it.

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)

How to make the best Swedish meatballs:

In terms of flavor we’re using onions and a few spices. Keepin’ it simple yet flavorful. To make sure the onions don’t add too much additional moisture to the meatballs, we’re sautéing them in a little bit of butter to cook off some of that liquid. The spices used for my swedish meatballs are just a hint ofnutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper. Nutmeg and all spice are theheart and soul of a good swedish meatball recipe.

Now for that texture and moisture. I’m using an age-old trick to keep these meatballs nice and tender. This is something I learned from my mom and she from hers. You can never go wrong with a tip that’s been passed for generations. All you need is a couple slices of bread soaked in a 3tablespoons of milk for a few minutes and friends, i’m telling you, not a dry meatball in sight. The onions that we sautéedalso add moisture but just enough.

Too much moisture in a meatball is a BAD thing.

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)
The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (4)

I don’t like to use too much binder in my meatball recipes because it takes away from the actual MEAT-ball. You know? Just enough to get the job done. A coupleslices of bread soaked in milk, an egg, onions, and a fewspices.

Once we mix up the meatballs, we’re going to sear them in a skillet until all the sides brown up nicely. This helps hold all the juices inside the meatball while gently browning up the outside. Don’t worry if they don’t cook all the way through, we’re going to simmer them in the sauce a little later.

Now for the brown gravy. Since the meatballs bring the onions to the party, I like to flavor the gravy with a hint of garlic. Did you think i’d make meatballs without garlic? We’ve been friends for too long, you should know me better than that! I know, it’s not a traditional Swedish meatball recipe, but you know what?

It’s kinda better.

Along with garlic we’re using beef or chicken broth, a hint of mustard, worcestershire sauce, and sour cream. If you’re thinking it’s starting to sound a little likestroganoff, well, you’re right.

It kinda does.

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

These Swedish meatballs are perfect for busy weekdays and even better for lazy Sunday suppers. I’d double the recipe and serve them with egg noodles over the weekend and then again a couple of days later with mashed potatoes.

Because the only thing better than Swedish meatballs ingravy is meatballs and gravy on top of mashed potatoes.

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

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Yield: 5-7 people (makes 18-22 meatballs)

Seriously Amazing Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time50 minutes

My favorite recipe for Swedish meatballs nuzzled in a simple yet creamy brown gravy! Just like IKEA but only better. It's so good you'll wanna slurp it through a straw!

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (7)

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 slices of bread, torn into small pieces
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 ¼ pound lean ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon EACH ground allspice AND garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon EACH oil AND Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 ¾ cup beef or chicken broth,low sodium
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ - 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and allow them to soften and become translucent about 3-5 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl and allow them to cool.
  2. In a small bowl, pour the milk over the bread and press down with a spoon or your fingers so that the bread soaks up all the milk, let sit 5 minutes.
  3. When the onions have cooled, add the ground beef, bread mixture, an egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice to the bowl and mix until just combined. Don't overmix the meat as it will result in tough meatballs. Shape into 18-22 meatballs that are about 1- 1 ¼ inch in diameter.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter along with oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 6-9 minutes, turn every couple of minutes to ensure even browning. Remove to a plate. If you don't have a skillet large enough to hold all the meatballs, do it in batches, do not overcrowd the pan, you don't want them to steam as they won't develop that brown outer crust and as a result, the sauce will be very light in color.
  5. Add the remaining 3 tbsp of butter to the skillet on medium-low heat. Sprinkle the flour in and whisk for 1-2 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Slowly pour the beef broth in while you whisk. Lower the heat, whisk in the sour cream until it dissolves completely.
  6. Add the garlic powder, a ½ teaspoon of mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and let come to a gentle simmer before lowering the heat. Allow sauce to thicken for 6-10 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency. Taste and adjust with additional mustard as desired. Add meatballs in when there are 4 minutes remaining. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken as it sits, so if you aren't serving right away, consider leaving it a little thinner. Serve on top of buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Top with fresh parsley if desired!

Notes

    • Edit: 05/19/2019 some readers have mentioned that they thought the mustard flavor was a little strong in this recipe. The original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons, however, if this is your first time making this recipe, I suggest starting witha ½ teaspoon and then adjusting it as desired, up to 2 teaspoons.
    • I've only tested the recipe with sour cream so not sure if greek yogurt can be substituted. But really, it's Swedish meatballs, go with the sour cream, just this once.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (8)

if you like this recipe, you might also like:

  • Comforting french onion meatballs
  • Cozy Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini
  • Chicken piccata meatballs
  • Mongolian beef meatballs

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The BEST Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy Recipe | Little Spice Jar (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 the secret of a tender meatball? ›

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.

How to make meatballs that don t fall apart in sauce? ›

You can do a few things while preparing the meatballs to ensure they don't fall apart once they go into the tomato sauce.
  1. Don't add too much moisture: ...
  2. Keep the meat as cold as possible: ...
  3. Don't overwork the meat: ...
  4. Add meatballs to a simmering sauce, and don't over-stir:
Mar 15, 2019

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.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste different? ›

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.

What makes Swedish meatballs special? ›

Swedish meatballs are typically smaller than the Italian style. Seasonings are different for Swedish meatballs but every recipe for them has variations on spices. Both types of meatballs use a 50–50 of mixture of beef and pork. Many Italian meatballs use sweet Italian sausage.

Why do you put milk in meatballs? ›

When it comes to adding liquid to meatball mixtures, milk is often used for its versatility, depth of flavor, and richness. Without the use of milk, you may be faced with a plate of dry meatballs. Milk adds a certain level of moisture that helps produce perfectly tender meatballs.

What is the best binder for meatballs? ›

An egg is usually a good start, as that can help with the tenderness and texture, but the king of meatball binders is breadcrumbs soaked in milk (also known as a panade). Soaking the breadcrumbs first makes them pliable and soggy, which allows them to easily and evenly mix into the ground meat.

Why do you have to refrigerate meatballs before cooking? ›

Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.

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

How do you brown meatballs without them falling apart? ›

Roll them into a ball, allow to rest for a few minutes, then fry in the pan with a little oil. Shake the balls as they fry and do not overcrowd the pan – give them plenty of space.

Why are my Swedish meatballs falling apart? ›

ANSWER: Usually when meatballs fall apart, it's the binder that is the problem. Most meatball recipes call for using bread crumbs and eggs. But too much bread crumbs make them too loose, and not enough bread crumbs won't help them hold together either.

What do you eat with Swedish meatballs? ›

Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

What supermarket sells Swedish meatballs? ›

Smorgasbord The Original Swedish Meatballs 1Kg - Tesco Groceries.

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.

What is served with Swedish meatballs? ›

Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

Does Swedish meatballs contain sour cream? ›

It's All About the Sauce

Flavored with nutmeg and cardamom, these little beef-and-pork meatballs are best served with a Swedish meatball sauce—a rich roux-based and beef stock gravy, spiked with sour cream and a little lingonberry jelly.

Is bolognese sauce the same as meatball sauce? ›

Meatballs are not a sauce, they are balls of meat. A sauce has to be runny, or at least flowing. Done correctly, a bolognese sauce isn't particularly meaty. The meat is meant to be finely ground and incorporated into a standard spaghetti sauce, and the meat so fine it should stick onto the pasta in little specks.

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