Easy Swedish Meatballs with Gravy (Köttbullar)
An easy and streamlined recipe for classic Swedish Meatballs. Tiny spiced meatballs blanketed in a creamy, savory gravy and served alongside lingonberry jam and fresh pickled cucumbers. Easy enough for a cozy Nordic supper any night of the week!
Servings: 4 -6 servings (28 meatballs)
Calories: 564kcal
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs fresh white bread crumbs are also fine
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef 80-85% lean
- ¼ cup grated onion
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon packed brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
For the Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ cup cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley or chives for garnish
- Lingonberry jam or No Cook Lingonberry Sauce and Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers for serving
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and whip until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl from time to time. If you don't have a mixer, simply mix the ingredients in a large bowl with your hands until they come together.
- Using a tablespoon measure, transfer tablespoonfuls of the mixture to a sheet pan. With damp hands, roll into balls. Chill (up to 24 hours) until ready to bake.
- Transfer sheet pan to oven and bake until meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer meatballs to a plate. Pour ⅓ cup hot water onto the baking sheet and scrape up the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom using a metal spatula. Poor liquid and any bits into a measuring cup and set aside.
- Make the Gravy: Melt butter in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Slowly add reserved drippings from meatballs, chicken broth, beef broth and soy sauce, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cream and return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add meatballs to gravy and cook briefly to reheat. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired. Serve with lingonberry jam or No Cook Lingonberry Sauce and Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers..
Video
Notes
To make in advance: Roll out the meatballs, transfer them to the baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to baking. OR you can make the full recipe and store it in the refrigerator, tightly covered, once it has cooled down for up to two days. Simply reheat the meatballs and gravy over low heat on the stove when you are ready to serve. If you choose the second option, you may need to add a little water to loosen the gravy as you reheat the mixture.
To freeze: Bake the meatballs (omitting the gravy for now), allow them to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer bag or other freezer safe container before tightly sealing them and storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve, simply take out the number of meatballs you need, make a batch of the gravy (omitting the brown bits and maybe adding a little extra beef broth or water to make up for the difference in liquid) and add the meatballs to it. Simmer until they are heated through. There is no need to thaw the meatballs prior to adding them to the gravy, but they will take a little extra time to heat through from the frozen state.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
