Description
Hearty Swedish Meatballs bring comfort and tradition straight from Stockholm’s kitchens to your dining table. Rich beef and pork blend perfectly with creamy sauce, creating a Nordic culinary experience you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Protein:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
Meatball Base Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (1/8 stick or 14 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick or 85 grams)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 14.5 ounces (430 milliliters) low sodium beef broth
- 14.5 ounces (430 milliliters) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon beef instant bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1–2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Optional Serving:
- Cranberry sauce or lingonberry jam
Instructions
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk and cream until they absorb the liquid and become soft and plump.
- Incorporate egg and aromatic spices including salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and chopped parsley into the moistened breadcrumb mixture.
- Caramelize finely diced onions and minced garlic in a blend of butter and oil until translucent and fragrant.
- Fold the sautéed aromatics into ground chicken and chuck meat, ensuring even distribution of flavors.
- Gently shape the meat mixture into uniform, compact meatballs using light, consistent pressure.
- Create a golden-brown exterior on the meatballs by searing them in a hot skillet, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Prepare a silky roux by whisking butter and flour in the same skillet until it develops a light golden color.
- Slowly stream beef and chicken broths into the roux, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Enrich the sauce with heavy cream, sour cream, and a complex blend of seasonings including soy sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Reduce the sauce until it reaches a velvety, coating consistency, then reintroduce the meatballs and gently simmer.
- Garnish with optional cranberry sauce or traditional lingonberry jam for an authentic Swedish touch.
Notes
- Choose ground chicken with a bit of fat for juicier, more tender meatballs that won’t dry out during cooking.
- Mix breadcrumbs thoroughly to avoid clumpy texture and ensure even binding of meat mixture.
- Allow meatballs to rest after forming to help them hold shape during browning and prevent falling apart.
- For gluten-free version, substitute regular flour with almond or rice flour in sauce and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Consider using lean ground turkey as an alternative protein if chicken isn’t preferred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Swedish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 576
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg