Swedish Tender Spiced Meatballs (Printable)

Savory Swedish spiced meatballs with creamy brown sauce and traditional accompaniments perfect for family meals.

# What You Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 8.8 oz ground beef
02 - 8.8 oz ground pork
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 garlic clove, minced
05 - ½ cup whole milk
06 - ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
07 - 1 large egg
08 - ½ tsp ground allspice
09 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for frying)

→ Creamy Brown Sauce

13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
14 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
15 - 2 cups beef broth
16 - ½ cup heavy cream
17 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ To Serve (Optional)

20 - Mashed potatoes
21 - Lingonberry jam
22 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Soak the breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - In a large bowl, gently mix ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, egg, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper until just combined.
03 - With damp hands, shape the mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs and set aside.
04 - Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then fry the meatballs in batches for 6 to 8 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove and keep warm.
05 - Melt butter in the same skillet, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to form a roux.
06 - Gradually whisk in beef broth, scraping up browned bits, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and season with salt and pepper.
08 - Return meatballs to the sauce and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is creamy.
09 - Serve meatballs hot with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're tender and spiced perfectly—the kind of meatballs that fall apart on your tongue instead of being dense.
  • The sauce is the secret weapon; it's creamy and savory without tasting heavy.
  • They come together in under an hour, which means you can impress people on a weeknight without stress.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks curdled when you add the cream, don't panic—just let it simmer for another minute and whisk it; it usually comes back together as it heats through.
  • Overmixing the meatball mixture is the number-one reason they turn out dense instead of light—mix until just combined and resist the urge to make them uniform.
  • The meatballs continue cooking in the sauce, so they'll be slightly underdone when you remove them from the skillet; this ensures they end up tender instead of hard.
03 -
  • Brown the meatballs in batches and resist crowding the pan; this gives them a proper crust instead of steaming them into gray disappointment.
  • The Worcestershire sauce and mustard might seem small, but they're what prevent this dish from tasting like plain cream sauce—don't skimp or leave them out.
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