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    Swedish Meatballs

    Updated October 16, 2025 / By Holly Erickson

    My Swedish meatball recipe makes the best, juiciest meatballs in gravy you'll ever have. Warm with spices and simmered in heavenly creamy gravy sauce, they’re way better than Ikea’s. 

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    Homemade Swedish meatballs served over creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with parsley, a perfect comfort meal
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    I married a Norwegian and (even though these are Swedish), his Nordic family loves my homemade Swedish meatball recipe, so I feel comfortable saying that these really are the best! I use a combo of ground pork and beef so the little meatballs are rich and juicy. Seasoned with parsley, allspice, nutmeg, grated onion, and garlic and simmered in creamy, peppery gravy sauce, they’re SO good.  

    Homemade Swedish meatballs served over creamy mashed potatoes, topped with rich brown gravy and a sprinkle of parsley

    I love to serve them over mashed potatoes with broccoli on the side for a cozy dinner that can’t be beat! They’re yummy with buttered noodles, too. For more classic meatball recipes, you can’t go wrong with spaghetti and meatballs, or for more creamy comfort, don’t miss Beef Stroganoff. 

    Ingredients to make Swedish meatballs with a creamy rich brown gravy arranged on a countertop

    Homemade Swedish Meatball Ingredients

    • Meat! Ground pork and ground beef make the most tender, juicy Swedish meatballs, but sometimes I lighten this recipe up by using ground turkey and chicken instead.
    • Grated onions: Use a box grater or a food processor with the grating attachment. Grating the onion lets it melt smoothly into the meatball mixture. 
    • Parsley: Just a hint of fresh herbs brings a lot of homemade goodness to this recipe. 
    • Fresh garlic: Sharp, savory garlic, because of COURSE.
    • Panko: Airy panko breadcrumbs are my secret to tender Swedish meatballs! I often use gluten free panko and it works great. 
    • Eggs: Eggs help the meatballs stick together. 
    • Spices: Classic Swedish meatball spices are nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper. 

    For the creamy gravy sauce

    • Butter: Unsalted butter is best because there’s salt in the beef stock and the meatballs. 
    • Cream: Use regular heavy cream, no swaps. 
    • Flour: Flour thickens the gravy so it clings to every meatball. I often sub in gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free! 
    • Beef stock: Rich beef stock is really important to get that classic savory Swedish meatball flavor. 
    • Seasonings: Allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Same as in the meatballs!
    • Lemon: Just a touch of lemon brightens all that buttery richness up. 
    ground beef, ground pork, spices, grated onion, panko and eggs getting mixed in a bowl to make swedish meatballs
    raw meatballs on a baking sheet made with beef, pork, parsley, spices, grated onion, panko and eggs

    How To Make Swedish Meatballs

    1. Mix meatball ingredients in a large bowl.
    2. Roll out about 30 meatballs.
    3. Fry the meatballs in a large skillet, working in batches.
    4. Use the same skillet to make the greatest sauce for Swedish meatballs you’ve ever tasted.
    5. Simmer the meatballs in the gravy and simmer them in the creamy, spiced Swedish meatball sauce! 
    swedish meatballs made of tender beef and pork being browned in olive oil in a large pot

    Tips for the BEST Swedish Meatballs

    • Make small, evenly-sized meatballs. It’ll be easiest to cook them to perfection if they’re all about the same size. 
    • Don’t overmix the meatballs. The key to tender meatballs is gently mixing the meat mixture just until they look uniform. Then stop! 
    • Dip your hands in a bit of water as you roll the meatballs! It keeps the mixture from sticking to your hands. 
    • Fry the meatballs in small batches. If you crowd the pan, the meatballs will steam instead of brown. 
    butter and flour being stirred in a pan to make creamy gravy for easy homemade swedish meatballs
    homemade creamy brown gravy being cooked in a pot for swedish meatballs

    Serving Suggestions

    Swedish meatballs are traditionally served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, but you can do whatever you want, really. Swedish meatballs are actually one of my favorite Super Bowl and holiday party foods, too! Try serving them on little toothpicks. 

    homemade creamy brown gravy being cooked in a pot for swedish meatballs
    Homemade Swedish meatballs simmering in creamy brown gravy inside a large pot, a delicious comfort food recipe

    How To Store Leftover Meatballs

    Leftover Swedish meatballs and sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and they reheat perfectly in a covered casserole dish. Heat your oven to 350° and pop them in for 10-15 minutes. Cover with warmed sauce and you are good to go! 

    Homemade Swedish meatballs simmering in creamy brown gravy inside a large pot, a delicious comfort food recipe

    How To Freeze

    You’ve got options for freezing, too! Freeze the uncooked meatballs up to 3 months. I like to freeze them on a baking sheet, then the next day, I pop them off the sheet and store them in a zipper-top freezer bag. You can also freeze cooked Swedish meatballs and gravy for up to 2 months.

    Homemade Swedish meatballs simmering in creamy brown gravy inside a large pot, a delicious comfort food recipe
    Homemade Swedish meatballs simmering in creamy brown gravy inside a large pot, a delicious comfort food recipe

    Tips For Making Ahead

    Prep the meatballs a day ahead of time, and store them in the fridge. When it’s time for the party, just pop them in the oven and make the gravy. OR make the entire dish two days ahead of time. Then, let it cool and refrigerate it until you’re ready. To warm it up, gently warm the meatballs in the gravy over low heat on the stove top, or in an oven set to 350°F for about 15 minutes until it is warmed through. 

    Homemade Swedish meatballs served over creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with parsley, a perfect comfort meal

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    Homemade Swedish meatballs served over creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with parsley, a perfect comfort meal

    Swedish Meatballs Recipe

    Updated October 16, 2025

    By Holly Erickson

    • Serves:  8
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  40 min
    • Calories:  463

    Description

    These Swedish Meatballs are pure comfort! Tender beef & pork meatballs in a rich, creamy gravy with allspice & nutmeg. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Classic recipe ready in an hour!

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      Video

      Ingredients

      Meatballs

      • 1 pound​ 80/20 ground beef
      • 1 pound ground pork
      • ¼ cup minced flat leaf parsley
      • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
      • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
      • ⅓ cup grated yellow onion
      • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
      • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
      • 4 garlic cloves, minced
      • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
      • 2 large eggs
      • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

      Cream Gravy

      • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
      • ½ cup all-purpose flour
      • 4 cups beef stock
      • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
      • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
      • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, (from 1 lemon)
      • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
      • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
      • 1 cup heavy cream

      For Serving (optional)

      Method

      1. Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, grated onion, salt, pepper, garlic, panko and eggs. Mix well, then with wet hands, form golf ball–size balls (about 2 tablespoons each). You should have about 30 to 35 meatballs.

        raw meatballs on a baking sheet made with beef, pork, parsley, spices, grated onion, panko and eggs

      2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add half of the meatballs in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until the meatballs are just browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn them carefully and cook to brown the opposite side, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Pour any excess grease from the skillet into a heatproof vessel. 

        swedish meatballs made of tender beef and pork being browned in olive oil in a large pot

      3. Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, stirring until melted. When the butter begins to bubble, sprinkle in the flour and cook, whisking, until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in the beef stock, salt, pepper, lemon juice, allspice and nutmeg, and cream until fully incorporated. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking until smooth and slightly thickened.

        homemade creamy brown gravy being cooked in a pot for swedish meatballs

      4. Add the meatballs to the sauce and turn to coat. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the gravy has thickened and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. 

        Homemade Swedish meatballs simmering in creamy brown gravy inside a large pot, a delicious comfort food recipe

      5. Serve warm over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, with lingonberry jam on the side if using. 

        Homemade Swedish meatballs served over creamy mashed potatoes, topped with rich brown gravy and a sprinkle of parsley
      Related Recipes

      Nutrition Info

      • Per Serving
      • Amount
      • Calories 463
      • Protein 27 g
      • Carbohydrates 11 g
      • Total Fat 35 g
      • Dietary Fiber 1 g
      • Cholesterol 157 mg
      • Sodium 1050 mg
      • Total Sugars 1 g

      Swedish Meatballs

      Questions & Reviews

      Rated 5 stars by 97 readers

      or
      • Liz

        Can these be baked in the oven rather than fried?

        Totally! Bake on 400F for 15-20 minutes until baked through.

      • Robert

        Can I just bake them in the oven

        Sure! Baked them on 400F for about 15-20 minutes until baked through. Hope you enjoy Robert.

      • Deb

        You used to have a section in this recipe for making slurry with cornstarch instead of flour. I dont see it. Whats the ratio?
        Thanks!

        Gluten Free Version: if you want to keep this recipe gluten free, you can sub the breadcrumbs for a gluten-free version. To keep the gluten out of the gravy, you will want to reserve 1 cup of beef stock and mix it with ⅓ cup corn starch. Add it to the gravy at the end to thicken it up.

      • Rene

        Just saw someone's recipe for sweedish meatballs and they just dumped frozen regular meatballs in a crock with plain gravy and not a speck of nutmeg. It's great to see a good recipe done right

        Thanks Rene!

      • Stacy

        Can this be frozen with mashed potatoes?

        If you are freezing before adding the gravy lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet to freeze then you can add them to a freezer bag. We haven't tried freezing this with the gravy but if you do just put all contents in a freezer bag then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. We would freeze the mashed potatoes separately.

      • Karen

        Can you freeze the sweetish meatballs in the gravy?

        Yes, just thaw in the fridge before reheating.

      • Barry

        Looks yummy! How many people serving? 4 or 6 people

        This serves 8 people. It makes between 30-35 meatballs. Hope you enjoy Barry!

      • Tim

        This looks a LOT like grandma’s recipe (which I lost along with Mom’s Blueberry pie when they “cleaned” my house). A suggestion/tip on the mixing part though. I use a pastry/dough blender for the mix. Saw one at Target recently. Oxo Softworks Dough Blender with Blades. That’s not MY tool but it’s VERY close. Works GREAT with meat mixtures you don’t want to squish into submission. Do a search for the Oxo tool to get a visual then subtract the brand name to see what’s out there.

        Nice tip. Sorry to hear you lost your grandma's recipe.

      • Judy

        Can sliced mushrooms be added for a little more umph

        Sure! hope you enjoy Judy!

      • G

        I was wondering if I can bake these instead of pan fry?

        Sure!

      • Patrick

        5-star rating

        Love this recipe, it's a fall/winter staple at my place. I make it for the wife atleast 4 times during this time. I serve it over pasta or rice. Though I do up the nutmeg and allspice by an extra half tsp, we love the warm flavors.

        Thanks Patrick, we are so glad you love it!

      • Gloria

        5-star rating

        Can you freeze the meatballs in the sauce? I need to make this for 40 people and would love to make it ahead. This recipe is SO good.

        Hi Gloria, You can freeze them together. HOwever it might be best to freeze them separately so you can make sure the gravy comes back together nicely when reheating. Then toss the reheated meatballs in.

      • Diane

        5-star rating

        This recipe is so easy and SOOOO good. I will definitely be making it again and again. You ladies are making my life so much easier with these recipes. Your blog is my absolute favorite for dinner ideas.

        Thank you Diane! We are so happy you loved it and love to hear you love more of our dinner idea!!

      • Erin

        5-star rating

        These may be my favorite of MP meatball recipes. So good. Even my 2 year old was a big fan. I added a splash of whole milk to the meatball mixture but not sure if it really makes a difference. They turned out so good

        Thanks Erin, so happy you love them!

      • September

        5-star rating

        We used to only have these from restaurants/vendors during Syttende Mai. Once I found this recipe, I started making it for my family and it is a family favorite recipe! My youngest requests it for his birthday meal. Great recipe!

        Awww, wow! This is so wonderful to hear. Thanks for sharing September we are so glad your family loves this recipe!

      • Kristin

        5-star rating

        This is one of my family's favorite recipes. About halfway through grating the onion I'm sniffling and have tears running down my face and I start to question all my choices. When it's done, though, I remember it's worth it, lol. I make my meatballs on the smaller side and end up with about 60, which means pan frying them takes longer but the browned bits at the bottom of the pan make the gravy so much richer. I serve it with fluffy mashed potatoes, peas, and lingonberry or cranberry sauce. Other than doubling the spices in the gravy, I make no changes. I'm going to try lower sodium beef stock next time because it is a little salty, but that's a nitpick. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

        Thanks Kristin, we are so glad you loved it!

      • Angela

        5-star rating

        Made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit!! Honestly my favorite recipe I have tried!!

        Thanks Angela, we are so glad that you loved it!

      • Dana

        5-star rating

        This was so delicious! As others mentioned, I'm not even a big allspice/nutmeg fan, but I did double the spices in both the meatballs and the sauce as I thought they could use more flavor, and split the lemon juice in half with worcestershire. Otherwise everything is so spot on! Will be making again soon:)

        Thanks Dana, so glad you loved it!

      • Kristin

        5-star rating

        Everything about this was wonderful, and totally worth rolling meatballs (which I generally do not love doing!) I used ground turkey and ground pork because those are what I had on hand, and it worked very well. If my stomach would allow it, I would drink this sauce - ha! Thank you so much for this recipe, I will definitely make this again.

        Thanks Kristin, we are so glad you loved this recipe!

      • Sara

        4-star rating

        This came out good though I made some changes. I didn't have allspice on hand so I substituted with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. I'm not sure if I did something wrong but the taste of the sauce was a little off and bland for me. I had second thoughts about the lemon juice which I tested on small batch so I tried Worcestershire sauce which I thought was a good sub adding a little tang. I also added some Better than Bouillon chicken base. My picky kids who initially complained "why are we having meatballs" got seconds!

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