Swedish Meatballs with Pan Gravy
These homemade Swedish meatballs are tender, spiced just right, and smothered in a creamy, savory gravy. Serve them over our favorite buttered noodles or pick one of my alternative side dishes from the notes below. This is a great make-ahead freezer meal to keep for busy evenings.
Ingredients
For the Swedish Meatballs
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 onion minced
- 1 egg
For the Pan Gravy
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided, for browning the meatballs
- 2 cups beef broth or prepared beef bouillon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried dill
- Sprinkle of salt and pepper
For the Buttered Noodles
- 1 pound wavy egg noodles
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
For Serving (Optional)
- Lingonberry jam or Red currant jam
- Frozen peas
Instructions
Prep the Meatballs
- Add the ground beef, panko bread crumbs, minced onion, all the seasonings, and the egg to a medium sized mixing bowl. Gently mix everything together until evenly combined.
- Roll about 36 meatballs, just smaller than a ping pong ball. Place them on a clean plate and set aside.
- This step can be done up to 24 hours in advance and the meatballs can be stored covered in the fridge or frozen for 3 months.
Prep the Buttered Egg Noodles
- Bring a large pasta pot filled with water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the pasta pot and gently toss the noodles until coated. Add the dried dill and stir.
- If using the frozen peas, you can pour them into the same colander you'll use to drain the pasta. The heat of the boiling water will thaw them and the noodles will keep them warm. They can be tossed in the melted butter right along with the pasta.
Brown the Meatballs and Build the Sauce
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the reserved meatballs to the pan to brown them. Let them cook for 1 - 2 minutes before trying to turn them or they will fall apart. Brown them on all sides, about 8 - 10 minutes. If you froze the meatballs, you can brown them directly from frozen. No need to thaw them.
- Transfer the browned meatballs to a clean plate and cover them with foil to keep them warm.
- Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt. Whisk in the beef broth, heavy cream, Worchestershire sauce, and mustard. Simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the meatballs to the sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the skillet. Let the meatballs cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.
To Serve
- Serve the meatballs over a scoop of buttered noodles with lingonberry jam on the side as desired.
Recipe Notes
How to Use Frozen Meatballs
The homemade meatballs are absolutely delicious but if you don't have time to prepare them, you can always substitute store bought frozen meatballs. Simply brown the frozen meatballs in the skillet in olive oil and then proceed as directed.Alternative Side Dish Options:
If you don't want to make the buttered noodles, you could substitute:- Mashed Potatoes
- Rice
- Dinner Rolls
- Serve them as an appetizer with toothpicks