Description
These homemade Swedish Meatballs replicate the classic Ikea favorite with a rich, creamy sauce. Made from a blend of ground beef and pork, seasoned with nutmeg and allspice, and served in a luscious cream-based gravy, this dish is a comforting and satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, chopped into small cubes
- 1 small onion (brown, white or yellow)
- 300g / 10 oz ground beef (mince)
- 300g / 10 oz ground pork (mince) (or substitute with more beef)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp allspice powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
For Cooking
- 1 tbsp oil
- 40g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
Sauce
- 2 cups beef broth/stock (salt reduced, or substitute with chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup heavy / thickened cream
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and bread: Grate the onion using a standard box grater. Scrape the grated onion and its juices into a bowl. Add the chopped bread cubes and mix well so the bread becomes soggy with the onion juice. If the mixture seems dry, add a tiny splash of milk. Set aside to soak for 1 minute.
- Make the meatball mixture: Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, ground nutmeg, allspice powder, black pepper, and salt to the bread and onion mixture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until evenly combined.
- Shape the meatballs: Use a heaped tablespoon or an ice cream scooper to portion the meat mixture, forming about 25-30 meatballs. Roll each portion into a smooth, round shape with your hands.
- Cook the meatballs: Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches, cooking until browned on all sides and cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes per batch. Remove cooked meatballs and set aside.
- Make the sauce roux: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is golden and bubbling.
- Prepare the creamy sauce: Gradually whisk in the beef broth, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue to stir and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Return the cooked meatballs to the pan and simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes to combine flavors and heat through.
Notes
- Note 1: Removing the crusts from the bread helps the bread soak up the onion juice better, resulting in tender meatballs.
- Note 2: You can substitute ground pork with extra ground beef if preferred, but the pork adds extra flavor and moisture.
- Note 3: Using freshly grated nutmeg and quality allspice powder enhances the authentic Swedish flavor.
- Note 4: Heavy cream adds richness to the sauce; for a lighter option, use half-and-half but the sauce won’t be as creamy.
