Baked Swedish Meatballs (super easy)

Swedish Meatballs. What a classic, am I right? These remind me of my Mom, but I don’t think she ever made them, so I dunno … ANYWAY. These Baked Swedish Meatballs are truly delicious and simple to make. We’ll bake instead of fry them, and all the while we’ll build a creamy, flavor-packed sauce that will fall in love and all over anything lucky enough to make its acquaintance.

What are Swedish Meatballs?

What do you think of when you hear the word, “meatball?” Chances are your thoughts drift to a more Italian style of meatball, as they’re just so popular. But I’m excited to share my version of a classic Swedish Meatball with you today (they’re great, these diminutive Swedish meat orbs). I mostly stick to the script, with the exception of baking rather than pan frying my meatballs. Oh, and the peas. That’s a big riff.

If you cook along with me regularly, you know that I always seek ways to make things easier (and less messy) on you guys and myself, without sacrificing any flavor in the process. Baking meatballs is a perfect way to give yourself a cleaner kitchen in the end, so I tend to almost always bake my meatballs.

Here is what sets Swedish Meatballs apart from the rest:

1. They’re typically made from ground beef (sometimes you’ll see pork mixed in) that has been mixed with breadcrumbs, fresh parsley, garlic and/or onion, and uniquely – allspice and/or nutmeg. I like to use fresh nutmeg, as it’s classic in cream sauces as well. So we’ll incorporate some into both the meatballs and the creamy sauce as well.
2. They come drenched in a creamy sauce made from a roux (cooked butter and flour), beef stock, mustard, and either heavy cream or sour cream. I personally just use sour cream, because the bright flavor stands up to the overall richness of the beef.
3. They are usually served with creamy potatoes and lingonberry jam. Fore more on the traditional way to serve these, check this old school Food Network video out.

Swedish Meatballs: FAQ’S

Are Swedish Meatballs Swedish?

Swedish meatballs, perhaps the country’s most famous culinary item, are actually based on a recipe brought back from Turkey in the early 18th century by King Charles XII of Sweden. They are a part of both traditional holiday meals and a staple in everyday home cooking.

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What do Swedish meatballs taste like?

Swedish Meatballs are rich and savory, packed with aromatic goodness from the likes of some minced onion and garlic. They are tender thanks to my sneaky addition of sour cream. Also? They’re warmly spiced. We have the nutmeg and allspice to thank for that part. SO GOOD.

They come with a delicious beef-stock based creamy sauce that utilizes a roux to help build structure and thickness. A roux is nothing more than butter and flour that have been cooked together. This classic French technique will serve to thicken up the sauce beautifully – and it doesn’t take much. Otherwise, the sauce would be pretty runny, not coating the meatballs the way we want it to.

What to serve with Baked Swedish Meatballs

Whenever I’m serving up something beef-based – something really rich, decadent, and savory – I like to temper those things with bright, tangy, and fresh things. This way, the meal feels and eats very balanced from top to bottom.

Here are some great ideas for what to serve alongside these Baked Swedish Meatballs

A cold and crunchy Iceberg salad.

A big pile of healthy, baked French Fries (instead of the noodles, this could be cool)

Crispy Roasted Leeks

Parmesan Baked Zucchini

Roasted Broccoli Caesar Salad

A perfect fall salad

Garlicky Lemon Pepper Roasted Asparagus

What you’ll need to make my easy Baked Swedish Meatballs (with sweet peas)

This is a pretty classic version of Swedish meatballs. I use things that are readily available and probably already present in your kitchen. Things like allspice, fresh nutmeg, stock, butter, onions, and garlic … these are total pantry staples!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds ground beef

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 teaspoon salt + lots of freshly ground pepper

1 egg

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon, divided

4 TBSP butter

2.5 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

2 tsp Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard

2/3 cup frozen green peas (optional, a nice twist)

SERVING SUGGESTION: Egg noodles is classic, but I love to serve these creamy, saucy meatballs over mushroom ravioli – it adds another layer of flavor with no extra effort. Plus? Beef + Meatballs = lovers. 

How to make Baked Swedish Meatballs

Again, I’ve opted to write my recipe as baked Swedish meatballs, rather than pan fried ones (which is probably a bit more traditional). For the record – you can totally pan-fry these and then build the cream sauce from the fatty rendered drippings. That would work beautifully and would eliminate the need for a baking sheet.

I just don’t like frying meatballs, what with the splatter and spatter of it all. But, you do you there.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (helps with cleanup). 

In a large mixing bowl, add the beef, bread crumbs, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic, 1 tsp salt, lots of pepper, the egg, and 1 TBSP of the sour cream (my trick). Gently toss this mixture to combine, being careful not to overwork, as this can make your meatballs tough. 

Form into 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs (you’ll get around 20 or so), and arrange in evenly spaced rows on the baking sheet. Bake until deeply browned and done in their middles, about 22 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 3 TBSP melted butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat, along with the flour and the stock concentrate. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, so the flour is no longer raw. Add the stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 1/3 cup sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Let the sauce thicken and simmer for about 5 minutes or so, while the meatballs bake.

I like to add the baked meatballs to the saucepan, coating them a bit before piling them onto plates of noodles or in this case – mushroom ravioli (store-bought). Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy.

If you like the look of these Baked Swedish Meatballs, you might also enjoy:

Bulgogi Beef Meatballs

Honey Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Slaw

Lemony Pesto Orzo with Meatballs and Burrata

Sweet and Spicy Pacific Rim Meatballs

Easiest Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs

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