Swedish Meatballs
- By Jennifer Segal
- Updated December 11, 2024
- 167 Comments
- Leave a Review

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A cocktail party classic that doubles as an easy weeknight dinner, Swedish meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser.
Swedish meatballs are tender, flavorful mini meatballs made from a mix of beef and pork, simmered in a creamy, savory sauce. They were a cocktail party classic in the 1970s and remain a crowd-pleaser today. They’re also a kid-friendly dinner when served over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
This Swedish meatball recipe, inspired by Cooks Illustrated, is reminiscent of the iconic Ikea version, known for its springy yet delicate texture. The secret? Blending the meatball mixture in an electric mixer with a surprising ingredient: baking powder. It may sound unconventional, but it makes all the difference. No mixer? No problem—hand-mixing works well, too.
“Made these on Christmas Eve and I can say they have instantly become a new tradition.”
What You’ll Need To Make Swedish Meatballs

- Eggs: Act as a binder to help hold the meatballs together.
- Heavy Cream: Adds moisture and richness to the meatball mixture, making them tender. Also used to thicken and add creaminess to the sauce.
- White Sandwich Bread: Soaked in heavy cream, it works as a panade to keep the meatballs tender.
- Ground Pork and Ground Beef: The foundation of the meatball mixture. You can use all ground beef if needed, but the meatballs won’t be quite as tender or flavorful.
- Garlic: Adds depth and flavor to the meatballs.
- Allspice: A key spice in Swedish meatballs.
- Baking Powder: Helps to lighten the texture of the meatballs.
- Butter and All-Purpose Flour: Together, they form the roux to thicken the sauce.
- Chicken Broth: The foundation of the sauce.
- Light Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce, and Lemon Juice: Together, they balance the sauce with sweetness, savory depth, and a hint of bright acidity.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Meatballs
Place the cubes of bread in a small bowl. Whisk together the eggs and cream, and add to the cubed bread.
Mash with a fork until the bread is dissolved into the liquid.

Next, combine the ground pork, garlic, baking powder and spices in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until the mixture is smooth and pale. Add the egg/cream mixture and beat until smooth, then add the ground beef.

Mix again until just combined.
Using moistened hands, form the mixture into meatballs and place on a rack over a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. At this point, the meatballs can be refrigerated for 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months.

Step 2: Make the Sauce
Melt the butter in a large skillet, then whisk in the flour.

Add the chicken broth and brown sugar.
Cook for about ten minutes, until slightly thickened and reduced, then add the cream, soy sauce, and pepper.

Let the cream sauce simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, then add the lemon juice and meatballs and simmer until heated through. Lingonberry jam on the side is traditional. You can find the mini bamboo forks pictured above on Amazon.

Video Tutorial
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Swedish Meatballs

A cocktail party classic that doubles as an easy weeknight dinner, Swedish meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups cubed white sandwich bread, crusts removed (you'll need about 4 slices)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, from one lemon
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up and place an ovenproof rack over top; spray the rack very generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the eggs and cream together in a medium bowl. Stir in the bread and mash until no large bread chunks remain. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pork, garlic, allspice, pepper, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the bread/cream mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until combined (so it doesn't splatter), then increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as necessary. Using wet hands, form the mixture into 1½-inch round meatballs and place on the prepared rack. (The mixture is very sticky and wet hands help; keep wetting your hands as you go). Bake for about 25 minutes, until just done.
- Note: You'll notice that the rack will leave little marks on the bottom of the meatballs but they will not be too noticeable once the meatballs are covered with sauce.
For the Sauce
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. (Careful not to burn; it goes from golden to burnt quickly.) Whisk in the chicken broth, getting rid of any lumps. Add the sugar and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, whisking and scraping down the sides of the pan occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the cream, soy sauce and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking and scraping down the sides occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer, turning occasionally to coat with the sauce, until heated through. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs/sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated separately. Additionally, the meatballs (without the sauce) can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, prepare the sauce and reheat the meatballs in the sauce until hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 89
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 121mg
- Cholesterol: 31mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’ve never had Swedish meatballs before this recipe so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but these are great and the recipe is easy to follow! The meatballs are tender and I especially love the sauce. I like to use a small cookie scoop to help form the meatballs (and dip the scoop in water as needed for the sticky batter). I’ve also tried this recipe with 1/2 pork and 1/2 venison and it’s fantastic!!
Jenn, these were delicious! I was trying to find a recipe that was similar to what my Mom used to make, these came very close to hers. I did half the meatball portion and then promptly froze 3/4 of them. Made 1/4 of your sauce recipe, and was just perfect. As all of your recipes are which I have made over the past few years. You are a wonderful chef. So easy to follow and understand! THANK YOU!!!! J
😊
Could I use gluten free flour?
Definitely!
I have never been unhappy with any of your recipes including this one. I made this according to the recipe but added a little powdered ginger and nutmeg to the sauce. Wow! Thank you for all of your interesting takes on various cuisines. Keep them coming!
Kathy
I really loved this recipe and I froze some of the meatballs. Now I’m ready to serve this meal again but I have a question. It says in your notes to heat the meatballs up in the sauce. Should I heat them straight from the freezer or should I defrost the meatballs in the fridge overnight first? Thanks, and I love your recipes!
Hi Jane, I’d defrost them first if possible.
Excellent dish over noodles for a cold, rainy night. Substituted ground turkey for the pork, could not tell the difference from when I made the normal version. Mild, delicate sauce that carries the spice and cream flavor nicely. Thank you.
Hi Jenn, I’m making the Swedish meatballs for Christmas Eve dinner. If I make up the meat mixture a day ahead, can I just store the mixture overnight and form the meatballs the next day?
Thanks so much,
Maura
Yep that’s fine 🙂
Can you make this dish ahead of time? Like the day before serving?
Thanks,
Anne
Sure, Anne, that’s fine. Enjoy!
Amazing flavour, best Swedish meatballs I have ever tasted! I took your suggestion and served them with your roasted carrots with thyme and added your creamy cucumber salad. What a delicious meal. Thank you.
Jenn, your recipes do not disappoint! I had to bring a hearty appetizer to a Holiday Party the other night. My first time making Swedish meatballs and everyone loved them. I used my own chicken bone broth which I think helped add flavor to the gravy. The gravy was a little bland and thin but I added a little bit of Lea & Perrins, grated nutmeg, white pepper and salt. Next time, a little more flour. I would absolutely make these again!
Another winner. Lick the plate good. Will make again soon.