Best Swedish Meatballs

Best Swedish Meatballs

homemade Ikea meatballs

Recipe by
Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 10m
Cook Time: 25m
Total Time: 35m
Servings: 5
Difficulty: Easy
5.0 (13 Reviews)
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Ingredients

Adjust servings:

For meatballs:

For gravy:

Nutritional Information

475
calories
35g
fat
11g
carbohydrates
28g
protein
163mg
cholesterol
727mg
sodium
Best Swedish Meatballs

Recipe Description

Experience the ultimate comfort food recipe with the Best Swedish Meatballs! These meatballs are incredibly tender and juicy, made with a combination of minced pork and beef, and soaked white bread instead of breadcrumbs. They are lightly spiced with just a touch of nutmeg and allspice to give them the authentic Ikea meatball flavor. The meatballs are smothered in a creamy gravy that is truly mouthwateringly delicious. These are the meatballs you want to serve with creamy mashed potato, generous lashings of rich gravy and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. 

Start by mixing the bread cubes with grated onion. Add in the minced meat, egg, spices, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands. Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, portion the mixture out into meatballs. Brown the meatballs all over (in batches) and remove to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for a minute. Then, gradually add the beef broth (or stock) and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add in the meatballs and cook until the sauce thickens into a thin gravy, about 10 minutes. Finally, add in the heavy cream and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a dollop of lingonberry jam for a maximally authentic experience. 

To make the Best Swedish Meatballs, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients for Best Swedish Meatballs

Recipe Features

No specific features for this recipe

Steps to make

  1. 1

    Grate onion

    2 min
    Step 1 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Use a standard box grater to grate 1 onion.

  2. 2

    Combine grated onion and bread

    1 min
    Step 2 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Transfer the onion along with its juices to a bowl. Add the bread cubes and mix well. The onion juice should moisten the bread. If not, add a splash of milk. Let the bread soak for 1 minute.

  3. 3

    Add meat mince and spices

    2 min
    Step 3 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Add in 10 ounces beef mince, 10 ounces pork mince, 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¾ teaspoon salt and mix well.

  4. 4

    Prepare meatballs

    5 min
    Step 4 - Best Swedish MeatballsStep 4 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Using a small scoop, scoop and roll the mixture into 25-30 meatballs.

  5. 5

    Brown meatballs

    10 min
    Step 5 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add half the meatballs. Brown the meatballs all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a plate, then brown the remaining batch.

  6. 6

    Prepare sauce: Melt butter

    2 min
    Step 6 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Pour off excess oil from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter.

  7. 7

    Add flour

    1 min
    Step 7 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Once the butter is melted, stir in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

  8. 8

    Add beef broth

    3 min
    Step 8 - Best Swedish MeatballsStep 8 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    While stirring, add about ½ cup beef broth, then gradually pour in the remaining beef broth, stirring constantly. Use a whisk, if required, to make the sauce lump-free.

  9. 9

    Add meatballs to sauce

    8 min
    Step 9 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Once the sauce is at a simmer, add the meatballs and juices pooled on the plate. Increase the heat slightly and keep it at a rapid simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens into a thin gravy, 8 to 10 minutes.

  10. 10

    Add cream

    2 min
    Step 10 - Best Swedish MeatballsStep 10 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Add ½ cup heavy cream and simmer for 2 more minutes, then remove from the stove.

  11. 11

    Serve

    Step 11 - Best Swedish Meatballs

    Serve with mashed potato or your side of choice. Enjoy!

We have a recipe for the Best Swedish Meatballs we’ve ever tasted, and you won’t believe how easy they are to make at home! Incredibly tender and juicy, these meatballs are smothered in a creamy gravy that is comforting and delicious. Made these? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

About the author

Lilly Mathuse

Lilly is an enthusiastic and cheerful young mom. She knows as well as any parent that children can be really picky when it comes to food. And she’s had plenty of experience trying to cook meals that are both tasty and nutritious, and able to satisfy the tastes of a fussy kid right away! To save you some precious time, Lilly's going to share with you all the tricks she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! She has a wealth of recipes for quick and easy meals for kids and families on a budget.

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
5.0 out of 5 (13 reviews)
Fiona
June 13, 2025
Verified

Absolutely delicious meatballs. Made them for the family and they were a huge hit. Love how simple the recipe is too. Will definitely be making these again for our next gathering.

Jennifer
April 30, 2025
Verified

So easy and delicious, felt like a pro!

Ulysses Peterson
April 20, 2025
Verified

Simply the best

Tom Johnson
February 12, 2025
Verified

Amazing!

Bethany Rogers
December 12, 2024
Verified

Superb

Andy
September 23, 2024
Verified

Made these meatballs last Sunday. My wife loved them! Reminded us of our trip to Ikea. Super cozy and simple to make.

Steven Parker
September 11, 2024
Verified

I made these Swedish meatballs last week and they were a hit! The texture was so tender and juicy. I remember my grandmother used to make meatballs for family gatherings, and these brought back those wonderful memories. Thanks for the recipe!

Ethan
August 6, 2024
Verified

Superb. I made these meatballs for a friends night, and they were a hit. Everyone thought I was a master chef. Adding a dollop of lingonberry jam was a game changer! Defintely making them again soon.

Olivia Johnson
June 10, 2024
Verified

Delicious. I made these meatballs for my husband's birthday, and they were a huge hit. The creamy gravy took me back to our trip to Sweden. This recipe is so simple and full of flavor. Definitely a keeper for our family meals.

Chris
February 17, 2024
Verified

Simply the best!

Samantha
February 6, 2024
Verified

Superb. I made these meatballs for my husband's birthday. He loved them and said they reminded him of the ones his mom used to make. Definitely a family favorite now.

Paul
December 16, 2023
Verified

Absolutely delicious meatballs.

Athina
November 27, 2023
Verified

One of my favorite meatball recipe. Thanks for sharing!

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