I got this recipe for Swedish meatballs from our neighbor. She made them for one of her daughter’s high school graduation party. I knew as soon as the aroma hit me that I needed the recipe. It’s a family recipe and those are always the best. Hopefully I did it justice.
I decided to serve these Swedish meatballs as a main dish but they certainly are just as fantastic as appetizers. The meatballs are packed with warm flavors: nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. I made a beef mushroom sauce and served the meatballs over egg noodles. It definitely was a delicious meal.
Great Appetizers. That Don’t Last.
If you plan on serving these Swedish meatballs as appetizers just toss them into a slow cooker along with some gravy and keep on low heat, stirring every so often. Well, actually you probably won’t have to stir them because they won’t last that long at all.
I ran across this little gadget the other day. I don’t have one (yet). But everyone seems to love it and it sure would make making a ton of meatballs easier!
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- Durable Design: crafted from metal, they are…
I think lean ground beef is best for making the meatballs. You end up with a firmer meatball, and you end up with less yuck in the pot. You know what I mean. Specially if you’re going to keep them in a slow cooker for a long time.
Also try my Salisbury meatballs and my copycat Old Spaghetti Factory meatballs.
Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef lean for best results
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 large sweet onion halved and sliced thin
- 2 ½ cups beef broth plus more if needed, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or brown or Creole
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms or use 1 cup fresh sauteed with the onion
Instructions
For the meatballs
- Combine all ingredients. Form into 1-2 ounce meatballs depending on how large you want them.
- Transfer to baking sheets and place under your oven broiler, rotating every few minutes, until browned.
- Make the sauce (see below).
- Transfer the meatballs to the skillet containing the sauce. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, or if serving as an appetizer transfer the meatballs and gravy to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- If the gravy gets too thick while the meatballs are cooking stir in a bit more beef broth.
For the sauce
- Add the onion to a large skillet over medium heat and sauté for 2-3 minutes until starting to turn golden.
- Add 2 cups of the beef broth, the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and mustard and whisk to combine.
- In a small bowl or cup combine the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of beef broth. Slowly pour into the gravy while whisking.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
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