Tender, baked and deliciously spiced Swedish Meatballs in a rich cream sauce.
A Swedish Affair with Swedish Meatballs
A book written by a Swedish author was the inspiration for this Book Club menu. Of course there had to be Swedish Meatballs! These Swedish Meatballs can be made a day ahead, which makes them a great entertaining option. But don’t save this recipe just for special occasions. These meatballs are also a great family dinner option. Tender baked meatballs served in a rich cream sauce with a touch of nutmeg and allspice. A family favorite at our house!
Our smorgasbord menu also included a Salmon Pate appetizer which I served with dark bread to complement my Swedish theme.
My healthy version of a beet salad
For dessert – a traditional Almond Cake with Lingonberry Sauce & Whipped Cream.
Scandinavian food never tasted so good!
Not only was the Swedish meal a hit, we equally loved A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman. I highly recommend this tale of redemption, of a hilariously grumpy man. Any further description wouldn’t do the book justice. Mainly, because it’s a bit of a crazy plot. The writing however is so witty, funny and touching. Just follow the link above and read some of the many positive reviews for yourself.
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoons butter plus additional butter to grease baking sheets
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 pounds 85% lean ground beef no leaner You can also use a combination of beef, pork and/or veal
Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt
- dash pepper
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup half & half
- snipped parsley optional
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9 x 13 inch baking sheets with aluminum foil and generously grease with butter. Don’t use cooking spray! The meat drippings create the roux for the sauce, so this butter factors into the sauce.
- Saute onion on medium-low in 2 tablespoons butter, until tender (not browned), about 10 minutes. In bowl, combine egg, milk, crumbs and seasonings. Add meat and sauteed onions and mix well until well blended. Shape into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place on butter baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer meatballs to ovenproof serving dish or casserole.
Cream Sauce
- Scrape drippings from baking sheets into a saucepan. If you don’t have a good quantity of drippings, you can add a tablespoon of butter. Stir in flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt (I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it works) and pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in water and half & half. Stir over low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir for 1 minute. If making recipe a day in advance, refrigerate meatballs and sauce separately. Then gently rewarm sauce in microwave just until easily stirred.
- Pour gravy over meatballs. Bake, uncovered in 325 degree oven for 20 minutes. If meatballs were made in advance and refrigerated, add 15-20 minutes extra baking time. Note – if you leave the meatballs in the oven any longer, because you’re not yet ready to serve them, cover with foil and turn over down to 200 degrees to keep them warm.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve.
Making this fantastic, and easy, recipe for a second time tonight! Thanks for the super tasty dish!
So great to hear you are getting some mileage from my recipes. Keep cooking and providing your feedback. It tickles me pink!
I was one of the fortunate book club members to rejoice at this beautiful table with scrumptious food and avid readers. What a pleasure! Cathy’s food is ALWAYS so delicious.
Thanks so much for the kind words. High praise from a fellow Scandanavian!