Swedish Meatballs
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These savory homemade Swedish Meatballs are not only delicious but incredibly easy to make. Just combine the ingredients, pop them in the oven, simmer a quick sauce on the stovetop, and you have the most craveable weeknight dinner you can imagine!
Who else loves to hit up the cafeteria on their trips to IKEA? Me, me, me! I always order the flavorful Swedish meatballs with extra gravy and a heap of mashed potatoes. And don’t forget the lingonberry jam!
This easy recipe teaches you to make the best Swedish meatballs in the comfort of your own home. We’ve tested this recipe countless times to ensure it turns out perfectly for you!
My juicy and flavorful Swedish meatballs are little bites of heaven. They are absolutely delicious, foolproof, and always a crowd-pleaser.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I LOVE IKEA meatballs and these are delicious!
–Vanessa
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are the most important tips for making Swedish meatballs! Follow this advice and they’ll turn out perfectly every time.
- Mix gently. When combining the meatball ingredients, use your hands or a spatula and stop as soon as everything comes together. Over-mixing can make them tough.
- Keep the size even. Roll the meatballs about the size of a golf ball. This ensures they cook evenly in the oven without drying out.
- Don’t waste the juices. When you transfer the meatballs into the sauce, pour the pan juices in too. It enhances the flavor of the gravy!
Swedish Meatball Ingredients
Meatballs
- Ground pork: Adds richness and fat for tender, juicy meatballs.
- Ground beef: Balances the pork with deep, savory flavor.
- Eggs: Help to bind everything together.
- Garlic: For savory aroma and flavor.
- Dried dill: A traditional herb that adds freshness to the meal.
- Onion powder: Layers in a sweet, subtle onion flavor without any chopping needed.
- Nutmeg: Just a little bit adds warm, nutty flavor and aroma.
- Salt and black pepper: Bring out and balance the flavors.
Cream Sauce
- Coconut milk: An authentic Swedish meatball recipe is made with heavy cream, but my version is lighter and dairy-free, subbing in coconut milk instead!
- Beef broth: Builds a savory, rich base for the sauce.
- Cornstarch and water: Makes a slurry that thickens the sauce to a silky texture.
How to make Swedish Meatballs
- Measure all of your ingredients into a medium glass bowl.
- Give the mixture a gentle mix together to get everything incorporated. Your hands will do a bit more of the mixing as you form meatballs.
- Form golf ball size meatballs with your hands.
- Place onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Internal temperature should be at least 150°F.
Make the Sauce
While your meatballs are baking, make your quick pan sauce. If you prefer more of a classic Swedish meatball cream sauce, feel free to use more coconut milk instead of broth and it’ll be nice and creamy!
Add coconut milk, broth and spices into your pan and simmer. Make a cornstarch slurry in a small bowl combining the corn starch and water to make a thin paste. This helps it not seize up in the hot liquid!
Combine and Serve
Once the meatballs are ready, transfer them into the pan of sauce. Don’t forget to scrape in the juices from the baking sheet. They’re flavor gold! Stir to coat the meatballs, and let everything simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors meld.
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, with green beans on the side and plenty of extra sauce spooned over the top.
What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs
These meatballs make a delicious main dish, appetizer, or snack. Serve with:
- Potatoes: You can serve Swedish meatballs the classic IKEA way, with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.
- Noodles: You could also try a base of egg noodles with a dollop of sour cream!
- Swedish Dishes: Try adding some other Swedish dishes to the menu, like Limpa bread or a lingonberry cocktail.
FAQ
Yes, please do! Wait until they’re cool, then freeze them in an airtight or sealed container. They’ll store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Yes, definitely! You can make the entire meal in advance, then just warm before you’re ready to eat them or you can form the meatballs in advance, then cook them just before you’re ready to eat.
Transfer your meatballs to an airtight container or bag. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat, warm leftovers gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth or coconut milk to loosen the sauce if it has thickened. You can also reheat them in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between until heated through.
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup beef broth
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Video
Instructions
Mix & Shape the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
- Add 1 pound ground pork, 1 pound ground beef, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon garlic, ⅔ cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper to a large bowl and gently mix together by hand or with a spatula.
- Use your hands to form the meat mixture into meatballs, using about two tablespoons of the mixture per meatball. They’ll be roughly the size of a golf ball. Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes. Internal temperature should be at least 150°F (65.5°C).
Make the Sauce
- While meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce by adding ½ cup coconut milk and ½ cup beef broth to a sauce pan. Then add ½ teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the coconut milk. Let coconut milk simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water to make a cornstarch slurry. Then pour that into the coconut cream mixture to help it thicken. It's technically optional, so don't worry if you don't have corn starch.
- Remove the meatballs from the oven and use tongs to carefully put them into the sauce. Feel free to pour any of meatball juices on the pan into the sauce as well! It adds a ton of flavor.
- Serve the meatballs over white rice with steamed green beans. Spoon additional gravy over meatballs and rice.
Can you clarify that you don’t add the broth until AFTER you mix the other ingredients!? FAIL.
Hi Erica, the 1/4 cup of broth does in fact go into the meatball mixture as written. Almond flour absorbs a ton of liquid (although it takes a few minutes) and so the meatballs need it or they’ll get super dry and fall apart. If you added the 2 cups of broth listed under the gravy ingredients to the meatballs, that would definitely lead to issues. Hope that helps! -Laura
I’m missing my instant pot cord right now! Any advice? The meatballs are rolled out and everything!
Hi Miranda! Oh no, I’m so sorry! You can cook the meatballs in a skillet over medium heat, turning to brown them. Set them aside while you make the gravy, then put everything together in a large skillet or sauce pan and cover. Simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Good luck, and please let me know how it turns out!
I LOVE IKEA meatballs and these are delicious!
Hi Vanessa! Thank you so much for this kind feedback! I’m thrilled your family liked this recipe!! -Laura
wow
I now need an instant pot just so I can make this recipe!
It’s my favorite kitchen appliance of all time!