Classic Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy

Quick facts

Ingredients

• Meatballs:
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 small onion, very finely grated or minced
• 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Gravy:
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Step-by-step method

1. In a large bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together and let them soak 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion 3–4 minutes until soft. Let it cool slightly.

2. Add the beef, pork, egg, cooked onion, salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg to the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix gently with your hands just until combined; overmixing makes the meatballs tough.

3. Roll into 1 1/4-inch balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking.

4. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in the skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches, turning, 6–8 minutes per batch, until browned all over and cooked to 160°F/71°C in the center. Transfer to a plate.

5. For the gravy, melt 3 tbsp butter in the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Whisk in the flour and cook 1–2 minutes until golden. Slowly whisk in the broth and simmer 3–4 minutes until thickened.

6. Stir in the cream, Worcestershire and Dijon. Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer gently 5 minutes, spooning the gravy over them. Season to taste and sprinkle with parsley.

Tips for the best result

• Grating the onion lets it melt into the meatballs, so you get flavor without chunks.
• All-beef works too, but the pork keeps the meatballs extra tender.
• If the gravy gets too thick while simmering, loosen it with a splash of broth.

Make ahead and storage

Brown the meatballs up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate, then finish them in fresh gravy. Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge. Cooked meatballs in gravy freeze well for up to 3 months; reheat gently, covered.

Approximate nutrition per serving

About 470 calories per serving (meatballs and gravy only). Nutrition is an estimate and varies with brands and portion size.