Easy Swedish Meatballs

These Swedish meatballs are tender, juicy, and swimming in a rich, creamy gravy that’ll make you forget all about basic pasta night.

The secret to these incredible meatballs lies in the perfect blend of warm spices like allspice and nutmeg, combined with a mix of beef and pork for the ideal texture. Trust me – once you try this homemade version, you’ll never look at frozen meatballs the same way again.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 small yellow onion, grated
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the Cream Gravy:

• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream

For Serving (Optional):

• Mashed potatoes
• Cooked egg noodles
• Lingonberry jam

Steps

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, grated onion, salt, pepper, garlic, panko, and eggs. Mix gently with your hands until just combined – overmixing will make tough meatballs. With wet hands, form into golf ball-sized portions (about 2 tablespoons each) for 30-35 meatballs. The mixture should feel slightly sticky but hold its shape.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering (but not smoking), add half the meatballs in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until deeply browned on bottom. Carefully turn and cook 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining meatballs. Pour off excess grease, leaving brown bits in pan.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and melt until bubbling. Sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in beef stock, salt, pepper, lemon juice, spices, and cream. Simmer, whisking frequently, until sauce starts to thicken (3-4 minutes).
4. Return meatballs to pan and coat with sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes or until meatballs reach 165°F (74°C) internal temperature. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
5. Serve hot over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Traditional lingonberry jam adds a perfect sweet-tart contrast.

Smart Swaps

• Replace heavy cream with 1 cup evaporated milk to reduce fat while maintaining creaminess
• Use ground turkey instead of pork for a lighter version (add 1 tablespoon olive oil to mixture)

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Substitute panko with ¾ cup almond flour (reduces carbs by 75%)
• Serve over cauliflower mash instead of potatoes (saves 30g carbs per serving)
• Use 2 cups beef stock + 2 cups chicken stock to reduce sodium

Pro Tips

• Chill formed meatballs for 30 minutes before cooking for better shape retention
• Use a cookie scoop for uniform meatball size
• Don’t skip the lemon juice – it balances the rich gravy perfectly