Homemade Swedish Meatballs coated in a simple, but rich gravy that is completely luscious and creamy. I find this from-scratch recipe is so easy and even better than the meatballs you get at IKEA! It’s a classic comfort food that my entire family asks me for again and again!

Swedish Meatball Recipe Better Than IKEA

Most people think of IKEA when Swedish Meatballs are mentioned. Naturally, because IKEA’s recipe is iconic and what a lot of people go to their stores for—maybe even more so than the furniture! They recently published their highly coveted recipe, and the world flocked to it like soy sauce on rice. HA. But dare I say, my Swedish Meatballs recipe is better? They are really similar, but mine has more flavor and takes less time to make!

My meatball recipe isn’t truly authentic, as real Swedish meatballs are made with day-old bread soaked with milk. I’ve used milk and breadcrumbs, and I’ve added garlic and a few spices, which true Swedish meatballs don’t have.

Native Swedes tend to enjoy their meatballs with just a bit of lingonberry jam—they don’t typically use the rich brown gravy that is commonly associated with IKEA. But my recipe resembles IKEA’s, so that’s what I’m sharing here.

Helpful Tips and Variations

• Freeze meatballs before pan frying. If you have time, I recommend forming the meatballs and then freezing them for about 30 minutes before cooking in the fry pan—this helps them hold their round shape. If you don’t care, then cook right away.
• Bake instead of pan frying. You can bake the meatballs instead of pan-frying, if you prefer. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400°F. You will miss out on the skillet drippings, which lend flavor to the sauce.
• Heavy cream or sour cream. Sour cream can be used instead of the heavy cream, but the flavor will be more tangy and the sauce will be thicker. You could also use a combination of heavy cream and sour cream.

How to Make Swedish Meatballs Step by Step

Prepare the meatballs: Combine 1 lb. lean ground beef and ½ lb. ground pork in a large bowl and break up any lumps. Stir in 1 small sweet onion, 1 clove garlic, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, ⅓ cup whole milk, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp pepper, ⅛ tsp allspice, and ⅛ tsp nutmeg. Mix well until combined.

Shape the mixture into 1½ inch balls using a cookie scoop or your hands. Place the meatballs on a clean platter, cover, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, if possible. This will help them retain their round shape when cooking.

Cook the meatballs: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Work in batches to avoid crowding, add the meatballs and cook, turning them continuously until browned on all sides and cooked through. This usually takes me about 5-6 minutes. Repeat until all the meatballs are cooked. Transfer them to a plate and cover them with foil.

Make the sauce: Add 5 tbsp butter to the skillet and once melted, slowly whisk in ¼ cup flour; stir to combine and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until no lumps remain and flour just begins to brown.

Slowly whisk in 1¼ cups beef broth and then ¾ cup heavy cream. Then, whisk in 3 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp mustard. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer so the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. This takes me about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the meatballs: Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 3 minutes to finish cooking and warm through.

Serve: Serve over cooked egg noodles with a sprinkle of parsley.

How to Store

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will keep up to 3 days. Reheat over low on the stove with the sauce until warmed through.

You can freeze the meatballs, but I don’t recommend freezing the sauce . Cream sauces tend to “break” once defrosted and end up grainy and unpleasant. Allow cooked meatballs to cool to the touch; then place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and flash freeze uncovered about 1 hour or until firm (this prevents them from sticking together once completely frozen.) Place partially frozen meatballs in a heavy plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Seal, label, and freeze for no longer than 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

What to Serve With Swedish Meatballs

To start our meatball meal, I like a refreshing cucumber tomato salad, then I’ll serve some creamy mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to eat with the meatballs. For sides, I like to make sauteed Brussels sprouts with molasses so we get our veggies, albeit with a hint of sweetness. This meal is classic comfort food and a great dinner that the entire family will ask for again and again!

More Meatball Recipes

• Chicken Meatballs
• Turkey Meatballs
• Grape Jelly Meatballs
• Beef Kofta Meatballs
• Italian Beef Meatballs