Description
This classic Swedish Meatball recipe features tender meatballs made from a blend of ground beef and pork, seasoned with fragrant spices, and cooked in a creamy, savory sauce enriched with sour cream. Perfectly browned and simmered to perfection, these meatballs are ideal served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a comforting and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ lb ground beef (80% lean)
- ½ lb ground pork
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
Instructions
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Heat half of the olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced onions and minced garlic, cooking gently for about 5 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onion and garlic mixture, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently fold in the ground beef and pork, mixing until evenly combined without overworking to maintain tenderness.
- Form and Chill Meatballs: Roll the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs using your hands or a small cookie scoop for uniform size. Place on a plate or tray and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, covered.
- Prepare Sauce Base: While chilling the meatballs, mix beef broth, chicken bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and dried parsley in a large measuring cup or bowl. Set aside.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, spacing them to ensure even browning, cooking each side about 1 minute until golden. Remove and set aside. Add more oil as needed.
- Make Roux: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Scrape up browned bits using a silicone spatula. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
- Add Broth Mixture: Gradually pour in the prepared beef broth mixture in small amounts, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Incorporate Sour Cream: Place sour cream in a medium bowl. Add about ¼ cup of hot sauce to the sour cream and stir until smooth. Slowly stir this mixture back into the skillet sauce over low heat until fully blended.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return the browned meatballs and any collected juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over them, cover partially, and simmer on low heat for 10–15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and heated properly.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a fulfilling meal.
Notes
- Use a small cookie scoop to ensure all meatballs are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Refrigerating the meatballs before cooking helps them hold their shape better during browning.
- Chicken bouillon cube adds depth to the broth; use low-sodium or substitute with beef broth if preferred.
- Make sure sour cream is at room temperature before adding to the sauce to prevent curdling.
- For a richer flavor, you can add fresh parsley to the meatball mixture as well.
