Best Homemade Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Beef & Pork)

25 minutes ago

3 min read

Swedish meatballs have been a staple in our home for many years, we absolutely love the richness and beauty of this hearty and comforting meal. When the weather is cooler and darkness comes a bit earlier, a piping hot dish of these tender meatballs welcome us like a warm hug. Their savory aroma wafts through the kitchen into the rest of the house, filling us with the promise of a delightful meal coming our way.

Simple ingredients for the meatballs take me back to my childhood where mama stood working a big bowl of ground beef, onions, breadcrumbs, milk, seasonings and eggs. I add pork to ours, making them the cat’s meow!

Kitchen counter with mixing bowl, ground meat, chopped onion, egg, breadcrumbs, spices, and measuring cups for meatloaf prep.

The combination of beef and pork gives these meatballs their deep, savory flavor, and bread soaked in milk keeps them sumptuously tender, boy howdy. When I bite into these meatballs, they are soft and sturdy, with a richness that makes any serving size seem substantial. When the meatballs are mixed, they’re lined up in a baking pan, ready to fry.

Raw meatballs arranged in neat rows on a foil-lined baking tray against a dark kitchen counter.

The real secret to them is not to overcrowd while frying, and do not fry them too hard or too long.

Browning meatballs sizzle in a red pot on a gas stove, with a greasy splattered backsplash in the kitchen.

These small details make a family recipe worth handing down, utilizing everyday ingredients that are melt-in-your mouth delicious! Even after so many years, the pleasure of that first bite’s intense flavor always makes me happy.

Pile of browned meatballs on a white rectangular plate, with a lightly greasy sheen on a dark kitchen counter.

It’s the heavy cream that pulls it together for a soothing, velvet-like sauce that surrounds the meatballs with that luxuriously rich gravy and savory flavor struck through every spoonful.

We usually serve ours over buttery noodles or whipped mashed potatoes, either choice is wonderful, but Mama served them with mashed potatoes; that’s my choice, hands down!

Swedish meatballs make a perfect main feature for a cold-weather supper. Often we make other holiday treasures, like serving it with our turkey, now how cool is that?

Two golden-brown roasted chickens in a metal oven rack, with crispy, charred skin and glossy juices.

As we sit and sup, I think of the dozens of relaxing, unhurried times we have enjoyed them with family and friends, marking the beginning of the holidays with other savory treats too. Meatballs always seem special and inviting; I think it’s their timeless, enduring savoriness.

Handheld plate with roasted chicken, mashed sides, and Brussels sprouts in a cozy living room, colorful couch pillows behind.

Over the holidays, these Swedish meatballs are that just right main dish; attractive and delectable. We eat them with fresh lettuces, greens, and carrots out of our garden.

Sunlit wooden table with fresh orange carrots, green lettuce, and scallions piled in a black tray, garden-fresh and vibrant

Snuggled with that creamy sauce in our pretty dish, they look lavish and tempting, both at home on a festive table or a supper bite as part of our celebration, always with sweets afterwards!

Twelve chocolate cupcakes with white frosting and blueberries in pastel wrappers on a dark baking tray on a kitchen counter.

The aren’t hard to make; giving us relief from the busy season, providing a bit of time to let our hair down, put our feet up, and just be. They are enticing tittle tidbits, peeking out from their welcoming delicious, succulent broth, we can’t wait to dig in. Enjoy this swedish meatball recipe below!

With love from our family to yours during this treasured holiday season. Stay warm!

Blue bowl of pasta topped with creamy meat sauce on a floral placemat, with a fork beside it.

Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Description: These incredibly tender pork-and-beef meatballs made with milk-soaked bread are gently browned and finished in a creamy gravy. This generous recipe for family dinners and holiday buffets has a mild, savory sauce that appeals to children and adults alike. It is especially comforting during cool weather, but beware, people love these; they’ll disappear from your plate in a flash!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 pound ground pork

• 2 slices soft bread

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 small onion, finely minced

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Soak bread in milk, then mash. Combine with meats, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and allspice.

2. Shape into small meatballs. Brown in butter in small batches and remove.

3. Whisk flour into drippings, then slowly add broth and cream. Simmer until smooth.

4. Return meatballs and simmer gently 10 minutes, until cooked through.

Serving Suggestions & Pairings

Serve over buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice with green peas or beans, garden vegetables, rolls and tea, coffee, beer, red wine, and prosecco.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 8-10