Name: Swedish Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground pork; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 large egg; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon salt; Pepper (to taste); 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying); 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick); 1/3 cup flour; 3 cups beef broth; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 cup sour cream (full-fat); 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

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This Swedish meatballs recipe has tender, perfectly seasoned homemade meatballs smothered in a deliciously creamy and buttery gravy. Making this IKEA favorite at home is easier than you think!

The best Swedish meatballs

Sometimes meatballs are the only thing that will hit the spot, and these can be on your table in only 45 minutes. That's not long at all, right!? Homemade Swedish meatballs are so cozy and the ultimate comfort food dinner for your family.

These are more like the Americanized version that you'd get at IKEA than truly authentic Swedish ones. I'll go ahead and say it, though... these bad boys are better than IKEA meatballs! The sauce is SO good. You could eat it on just about anything. And you totally can since this recipe makes plenty of leftovers!

How to make them

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

mixing ingredients in a glass bowl to make swedish meatballs

Add the meatball ingredients to a bowl, and mix with your hands.

forming swedish meatballs and frying them in a skillet

Shape into 1 ¼ to 1 ½-inch meatballs (it makes about 25-30), and add them one-by-one to a parchment-lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up; we're not baking these). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then cook them in two batches until they're browned all over. Transfer meatballs to a plate.

making a roux for swedish meatball sauce

Drain the excess oil from the skillet. Add the butter and then the flour to make a roux.

adding meatballs back into the swedish meatball sauce

Whisk in the beef broth until smooth, then add the seasonings. Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.

finishing swedish meatball sauce by adding in sour cream

Stir in the sour cream, and season with salt & pepper as needed. Enjoy!

Can I use pre-made meatballs?

Yes, if you're in a rush! However, I recommend adding a pinch of allspice and nutmeg to the gravy since that's what gives Swedish meatballs their signature flavor.

Meatball success tips

A delicate touch is best. Don't over-handle the mixture, and use your hands to mix it. You want to be able to still see individual components of the meatballs. When forming them, don't pack them together too tightly.
More fat is better. Low fat meatballs will be drier, less flavorful, and are likely to overcook faster. I avoid using extra lean ground meats.
Brown them! That sear adds so much flavor and also helps them hold together better and seal in the juices. You can bake them if you prefer, but they won't be quite the same, and the browned bits from frying make the gravy taste even better!

close-up of a spoon with a swedish meatballs over a skillet

Tools for this recipe

Meatballs are cooked when they're 165F in the middle. Use an instant read thermometer to quickly test.
Use cooking tongs to quickly and easily turn them when you're browning them.
Use a large/deep skillet for this recipe or a Dutch oven. My 12" Le Creuset skillet is pictured. A regular 10.25" skillet will be a bit small (I tested it!)

Substitutions and variations

I recommend using the suggested mix of beef and pork for the best flavor and moisture, but you could use all beef. Turkey is much leaner, so if you want to go that route, add some olive oil to the mixture (a tablespoon or two).
You can use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko.
Try subbing the allspice for cardamom if needed.
You could use heavy cream instead of sour cream if you prefer, but the tanginess of the sour cream really makes the Swedish meatball sauce special, so you may need to add a bit of lemon juice to compensate if you use heavy cream and feel the sauce is lacking something.
You could leave the sour cream out entirely if you need to.

a bowl with mashed potatoes, broccolini, lingonberry sauce, and swedish meatballs

Leftovers and storage

Swedish meatballs will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Reheat slowly in a covered pan over a low heat. The cream sauce may separate if it's heated too high.
I freeze leftovers in Tupperware containers and then thaw from frozen in a covered saucepan over low heat, or thaw in the fridge overnight. Since there's sour cream in the sauce, there's a chance it can separate a bit, but it'll still taste good. You could always make the sauce without the sour cream if you're planning on freezing the whole batch, then simply stir the sour cream in just prior to serving.

What to serve with Swedish meatballs

Traditionally, Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jelly on the side. I've seen it available to buy at IKEA. You could also try cranberry sauce or raspberry jelly.
These are amazing with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
For a veggie side dish, try my Easy Roasted Green Beans or these Easy Glazed Carrots.

More tasty meatball recipes

Questions about these easy Swedish meatballs? Made them? Leave me a comment/review below!

Swedish Meatballs