These heavenly Swedish Meatballs are a 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 a dash of classic spices like allspice, they’re smothered with the bread-mop-worthy sauce.
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
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Swedish Meatballs (homemade Ikea 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…..
Ball shaped foods are the best (tee hee) youre not wrong! These look seriously delicious Nagi x
I grin like a 5 yo every time someone writes in about ball shaped foods….
I’m so excited to try this recipe. True story……Was traveling from USA to Sweden in the 80’s with my son’s basketball team. We stayed in homes of Swedish basketball players. One evening my host served Swedish Meatballs and I asked for the recipe. She got all embarrassed and said “I bought these frozen at the market”. They were so yummy and I was so bummed not to get a recipe from her. Always love your recipes so I’m sure this will be a big hit. Thanks Nagi.
Ohhhh! She shouldn’t have felt bad, I can imagine that swedish meatballs in SWEDEN are much better than what we can get here! I do hope you try this, I really think it’s SO delish! N x
How do you get saliva off of a keyboard??? This made my mouth water like it hasn’t in a long time! Your Italian meatballs are my go-to meatball recipe, so I can’t wait to make these. It’s cold and snowing at the moment–what a great cold-weather recipe! Thank you!
BA HA HA! You crack me up Sherry! I’m glad these look appealing to you, I always seem to have trouble taking pretty photos of brown food even though it looks super tasty to ME! 🙂
I live in Finland, next to Sweden. We have the same meatballs as they do. Typical swedish meatballs use fresh crem not sour. There is no nutmeg (could be good but not typical swedish). Meatballs are eaten with lingonberries, either jam or crushed with little amount sugar. Lingonberries are as dollop at the plate, not mixed to the gravy. Anyway, your recipe was very swedish, I was suprised.
Well, I was born in Tallinn, Estonia just across the Gulf from you and have always wondered why these are called “Swedish’ meatballs . . . I mean you make them the same, as do Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Belarussians, Norwegians, Danes, Icelanders etc et al . . . why do they get the credit 🙂 ? We sure use nutmeg, but cannot remember allspice . . . .
EHA! You are so funny, and it is SO TRUE, why do the Swedes get all the credit?? 🙂 I am sure there are many dishes in this world that create the same contention!!! N xx
Nagi – always happy to be called ‘funny’ even if I do make the occasional idiot of myself:) ! Only coming back to say that I DID forget lingonberry jam . . . . Now, believe me, please believe me, ‘funny’ or not, there are NO meat’a’balls without lingonberrry jam 🙂 ! Incroyable!!! Impossible!! And Dozer, being a bright boy: how on earth he could say ‘no’ and why should he ???
Thanks for those tips Eija! And thanks for the reminder of Ligonberry jam, I’ve added that as a tip 🙂 I did some research on the spices and found that there was a range – All Spice seemed to be the common one, some had nutmeg and some didn’t. But actually, nutmeg is in all spice anyway so all it’s really doing is enhancing that. 🙂 I’m glad you approve of this recipe, appreciate that you took the time to leave feedback, thank you!
I did a similar recipe last year, and It was my first making them. I added Lingonberry into the sauce. As always, you make every recipe effortless and fun to read and to watch. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Ah I forgot to mention Ligonberry for the side for a truly authentic experience! Thanks for the reminder Carlos! N xx
I haven’t eaten Swedish meatballs in years, though it was once a favorite in my youth. Thank you for reminding me of this dish with this lovely version. I hope Dozer likes it as well.
You know, I am yet to come across a food that Dozer DOESN’T love….. 😉 N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you, soft meatballs are where it’s at. I know these are traditionally springy, but I like your way better. Not for nothing, but your advice about bread is spot on. It’s the best way to make meatballs and meatloaf. Rao’s meatballs, which are legendary, use fresh breadcrumbs (fresh and soft cannot be emphasized enough) with cheese, parsley eggs and spices mixed into the meat, then lukewarm water is added until the mix is quite soft and loose. No milk to dull the flavor. The resulting meatballs are soft and oh-so-tender. I can’t wait to see the rest of the Amaze-ball-shaped food that’s coming.
Give it up, we all know Dozer got the meatball. You can’t resist that face.
YES! I hear you!! This is how I make (most) of my meatloaf recipes too! (And yes….he got that meatball….and a couple more…… 😉 )
I am a Swedish meatball nut! Grew up having them (and now making them) every Christmas. This is actually a pretty good recipe! Definitely use cream/half and half over sour cream any day!!! Also we sometimes use leftover potato water in them as well. I’m definitely going to try the onion in the bread next time. Thanks for the tip, Nagi!!
Oooh! Input from a Swedish Meatball nut – yay! 🙂 Glad to get the vote on cream, it’s definitely how I usually make it. Hope you do try the onion and bread, interested to hear what a Swedish Meatball expert thinks! N xx
I can’t wait to make these. I love, love, LOVE all types of meatballs! So easy to just pop in your mouth!
And I KNOW that Dozer got that meatball. (probably another one too)
YES that’s exactly why I love them so much too!!! Do hope you try these Cheryl, they are insane good. INSANELY!!! N xx (3. He got THREE!!!!)
Hi Nagi,
I love your blogs n recipes. Have to test them one of these days.
Just to let u know onions can b deadly for dogs. You can read about it in the following article.
Thank you. Keep up the good work.
https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/onions_the_secret_killer/
Thank you for the tip Carolyn! I did know that onion is bad for dogs 🙂 I am usually very cautious, don’t give him bolognaise and things like that. The goldie breeders I regularly meet at the park tell me that it’s ok for large dogs like Dozer to eat it small cooked amounts in forms like meatballs, bologaise etc, but not, for example, a pile of onion rings etc. But you’re right, I do exercise caution around onions – and garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate etc!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Let’s hear it for round food — Italian meatballs, mini cream puffs, Mexican wedding cakes, etc. I’ve already been over at Jo’s at pinned her appetizer. OMG!! I can’t wait to make it. I had to write right away but I’m going back up and watching the video. You did give Dozer that meatball, didn’t you? Have a great day!!
Ba ha ha! You are so funny Marisa! Glad to hear you’re on board the ball-shaped-food-train! 😉 N x
Soaking breadcrumbs in onion, to me, is a unique idea. I’d never heard of doing that before (probably didn’t read your Italian meatball recipe).
I would most likely go with sour cream (or Greek yogurt) in place of heavy cream for the gravy, based on my long ago memory of eating Swedish meatballs. And I’m betting that Dozer did get the meatball, unless you were feeling really mean…
☺️ You know he got it….. how can I resist that face!!!
These look great. My boyfriend loves your Italian meatballs and he just made them again last night! So we will definitely try these as well. Soon!! 🙂
You’ve got a good one there, don’t let him go! 🙂 N x