Classic Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Craving meatballs but sick of Italian? If so, this recipe is a must-make. According to Visit Sweden, Swedish meatballs are the most popular dish in the country and they are distinguishable by their creamy sauce. And you know they're good when everyone in the country raves about them. Recipe developer Ting Dalton came up with this wonderful recipe for Swedish meatballs and one of the best parts about it is that you whip them up in advance. "The meatballs can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours if you want to finish them off at the last moment," Dalton notes.

Dalton shares all the reasons why she loves this dish so much and it will make you want to dig in! "There's no denying that going to Ikea can be quite painful. It's busy and crowded, which is why we always reward ourselves with some Swedish meatballs. It's impossible not to eat the lot really quickly," Dalton shares. "My children absolutely adore them, so I wanted to recreate the taste at home — which is why this Swedish meatball recipe is one of their favorites."

The first thing you will need to do is make a list and head to the store. Pick up ground beef, ground pork, white onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, salt, black pepper, allspice, oil, butter, plain flour, chicken stock, beef stock, cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard.

Once you have those items, you can make these classic Swedish meatballs.

Take out a large bowl and add both types of meat — the beef and the pork mince. Use your hands to mix the two ingredients together, as this is easier to incorporate the meat together than a spoon.

Next, toss in the chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix again before adding the milk. To add a little flavor, season with salt and pepper.

Now, the meatballs are good to go, so you can get rolling. For each ball, try to use the same amount of meat, rolling in the palm of your hand to make it into a meatball shape. You can always use an ice cream scoop to measure it out if it's easier. Place the meatballs in a dish or on a plate, cover, and pop in the fridge for one hour.

This recipe requires the use of an oven, so go ahead and preheat yours to 350 F. Then, select a large skillet and place it on your stove. Turn the heat to medium and add the oil, which will help cook the meatballs. Once the oil is heated, add the meatballs and brown them on all sides. This should only take about 1 to 2 minutes.

Place the meatballs in an ovenproof dish and pop them into the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking in the oven, go ahead and make the signature Swedish meatball sauce. Add three tablespoons of butter to a skillet and turn the heat to medium. Then, toss in three tablespoons of flour, stirring continuously, to get a nice paste.

Add ⅔ cup chicken broth and ⅔ cup beef broth to the mix and continue stirring to get all of the lumps out. Next, toss in the cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard and stir. The sauce should start to thicken, indicating that it's done. "The sauce has a salty, creamy taste with a tang from the mustard, but it really pairs wonderfully with the juicy meatballs," Dalton shares.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and spoon over the sauce before serving. "You can sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the top before serving," Dalton notes. There are plenty of different ways to serve these meatballs, but Dalton shares her go-to. "Served over lots of buttery mashed potato, it's comfort food at its best. And you can achieve the same flavors with very few ingredients," Dalton says.

If you make extra or have some left, be sure to wrap up and save. "You can freeze these Swedish meatballs and sauce for up to two months," Dalton suggests. "Just make sure to defrost thoroughly before heating."