Best Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy
Tender beef and pork meatballs braised in a rich, creamy Worcestershire gravy. Bread soaked in heavy cream keeps them exceptionally moist. Quick oven-bake, then simmer in butter-flour sauce with beef broth and cream. Serve over mashed potatoes with cucumber salad and lingonberries for an authentic Swedish meal.
Ingredients
- 4 slice white bread, crusts removed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef, 85/15 blend
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper, a few shakes(optional)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 ½ cup beef broth, more as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon brown sugar(optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste, add last
- nutmeg, very slight dash(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Soak white bread without crusts in heavy cream for 5-10 minutes in a small bowl. Mash with a spoon or hands until paste forms.
- 2
Combine bread paste with garlic powder, onion powder, ground beef, ground pork, egg, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. If mixture is too wet to handle, stir in panko or cornstarch. Roll into meatballs.
- 3
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a sheet pan or baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
- 4
Melt butter over medium heat in a large pan. Whisk in flour and let bubble for 2-3 minutes.
- 5
Slowly add beef broth while stirring after each addition until smooth gravy forms.
- 6
Stir in heavy cream and season with Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 7
Add meatballs to gravy. Cover and keep warm, or transfer to oven on low heat. Meatballs become more tender the longer they soak in sauce.
- 8
Serve over mashed potatoes with cucumber salad and lingonberries.
Tips
Wet meatball mixture is normal and produces very tender results. Do not over-mix.
Use a large skillet, saute pan, or braiser casserole for the gravy step so meatballs fit comfortably.
Longer soaking in sauce makes meatballs progressively more tender. Keep warm on low oven heat if time allows.
Add salt last to gravy so you can taste and adjust to your preference.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze meatballs and gravy separately up to 2 months.
Prepare meatball mixture up to 12 hours ahead. Roll and bake meatballs ahead; reheat gently in gravy.
Over mashed potatoes with cucumber salad and lingonberries, as specified in source.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the bread soaking step to avoid dry meatballs.
Do not overmix dough to avoid dense meatballs.
Do not rush gravy over high heat to avoid lumps; add broth slowly and whisk.
Do not add all salt to gravy at once to avoid over-salting; taste first and adjust.