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Pan of swedish meatballs with a spoon lifting one out.

Swedish Meatballs

Course: Main, Main Dish
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Countryside Cravings
Swedish Meatballs- made with a combination of pork and beef then simmered in a creamy brown gravy.
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Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 small onion, grated or finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup (20g) dry bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch allspice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 pound (250g) lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound (250g) ground pork
  • olive oil (for frying)

Gravy:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all purpose flour
  • 2 cups (475ml) beef broth
  • 3/4 cup (180g) sour cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Hot cooked egg noodles

Instructions

Meatballs:

  • In a large mixing bowl combine the first eight ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes.  Add ground beef and pork and mix just until combined.  Form into 1 inch meatballs and place in hot skillet with olive oil.  Fry on all sides until cooked through (about 10-15 minutes).  
  • Remove from skillet and cover loosely with foil to keep warm, set aside. 

Gravy:

  • Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium to medium low heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the beef broth scraping up the bits stuck at the bottom of the pan (there's a lot of flavor there!).  
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the sour cream.  Add meatballs and simmer covered for 5 minutes.  

Notes

  1. In this recipe, I pan fry the meatballs but you can also bake them.  Just form the meatballs as usual and place them on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes.  Then add them to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Make ahead tips:
    • Make the meatballs and either fry them or bake them and place on a baking sheet and freeze them for later!  Just freeze them on a baking sheet for 30 minutes to 1 hour so they don't stick together.  Place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.  To use: add them to the sauce, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
    • Another option is to mix up the meat according to directions and keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
  3. What to serve with Swedish Meatballs:
    • We serve them with hot cooked and buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
    • Traditionally Swedish Meatballs are also served with Lingonberries but I haven't tried them with it.  I know they are hard to find but a close substitute would be to use fresh cranberries and make a cranberry sauce.
    • Simple Roasted Green Beans or any steamed vegetable.