Description
Classic Swedish Meatballs cooked in a creamy savory sauce blending beef and pork, served best over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ lb. ground beef, 80% lean
- ½ lb. ground pork
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced onions and minced garlic, cooking and softening them for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onions and garlic, salt, oregano, ground allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently fold in ground beef and pork until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat to keep meatballs tender.
- Form meatballs: Roll mixture into 1½-inch meatballs using your hands or a cookie scoop for uniform size. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to overnight, covered if chilling longer.
- Mix sauce base: In a large measuring cup, combine beef broth, chicken bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and dried parsley. Stir and set aside.
- Brown meatballs: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches without overcrowding, rotating to brown all sides for about 1 minute per side. Remove browned meatballs and set aside. Drain excess oil if necessary. Adjust heat as needed.
- Make roux: Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom, then stir in flour. Cook and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the flour turns a light brown color.
- Add broth mixture: Gradually add the beef broth mixture in small splashes while stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Incorporate sour cream: Place sour cream in a medium bowl and spoon about ¼ cup of the hot sauce into it. Stir until smooth, then gradually stir this mixture back into the skillet sauce over low heat until combined.
- Finish cooking meatballs: Return the browned meatballs along with any juices from the plate back into the skillet. Spoon sauce over them. Heat gently over low heat, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Notes
- The chicken bouillon adds depth of flavor and contrasts well with beef broth; beef bouillon can be substituted if needed.
- Use full-fat sour cream to prevent curdling in the sauce.
- Heavy cream can be used as a substitute for sour cream if preferred.
- The ground meat can be any combo of beef, pork, and veal depending on preference.
- Use a 12-inch high-walled skillet to fit 1¼ lbs. of meat comfortably.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.
- For reheating, use a double boiler or low heat to prevent sauce from breaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
