Description
Classic Swedish Meatballs simmered in a rich and creamy sauce made from a savory beef broth roux with sour cream. This comforting dish combines tender meatballs made from a mixture of ground beef and pork, flavored with traditional spices and served best over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
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 (or mustard powder)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
Instructions
- Prepare onion and garlic: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced onions and minced garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes until softened without browning. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onion and garlic mixture, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Add ground beef and pork gently, mixing until evenly combined but not overworked to keep meatballs tender.
- Form meatballs and chill: Roll the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs using your hands or a small cookie scoop for uniform size. Place them on a plate or tray and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, covered.
- Prepare sauce base: While meatballs chill, in a large measuring cup or bowl, mix together beef broth, chicken bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and dried parsley. Set aside.
- Brown meatballs: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches without crowding, cooking each side for about 1 minute until nicely browned. Remove browned meatballs and set aside; add more oil if needed during cooking.
- Make roux and sauce: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Scrape up browned bits from the pan using a spatula. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until roux turns lightly brown.
- Incorporate broth mixture: Gradually add the prepared beef broth mixture to the skillet in small splashes while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Add sour cream: In a separate bowl, place sour cream. Spoon about ¼ cup of the hot sauce into the sour cream and stir until smooth. Slowly stir this sour cream mixture back into the skillet sauce over low heat until fully incorporated.
- Simmer meatballs: Return browned meatballs and any juices to the skillet with the sauce. Spoon sauce over meatballs. Partially cover and let simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through and heated well.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve the Swedish meatballs hot over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a traditional and satisfying meal.
Notes
- To keep meatballs tender, avoid overmixing the meat when combining ingredients.
- Using a cookie scoop helps create evenly sized meatballs for uniform cooking.
- The chicken bouillon cube intensifies the flavor of the beef broth; you can substitute beef bouillon if preferred.
- Simmering the meatballs in the sauce allows them to absorb additional flavor and stay moist.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the sour cream with a suitable non-dairy alternative.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or your favorite side to complete the meal.
