READY IN 50 mins

Swedish Meatballs (From a Swede!)

Read Reviews (7)

"This is my mom's Swedish meatball recipe. This isn't the kind a lot of people are used to in a creamy white sauce. She served them every Christmas Eve in a chafing dish as part of the 'Smörgåsbord.' My mom used to have a vegetable sour cream and a lingonberry sauce on the table for those that might want to dip these in something." — LindaT

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan over low heat; cook and stir onion in melted butter until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
Mix bread crumbs, water, and half-and-half in a large bowl; let stand for about 2 minutes. Stir cooked onion, ground beef, ground pork, salt, white pepper, and sugar into bread crumb mixture until thoroughly mixed. Shape mixture into about 48 very small meatballs.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet; add meatballs. Brown slowly, allowing about 25 minutes, until meatballs are fully cooked in the middle and no longer pink. Shake pan occasionally to cook evenly.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 30 mins
READY IN 50 mins

Reviews More Reviews

May 19, 2012

Very good. We added about 1/4 c finely shredded hard cheese. I would also suggest dusting your hands with flour to keep them from sticking to you. The flavor was very nice, make sure to cook them slow but not too slow because they will burn.

—CKKH

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Jan 22, 2013

We liked this simple recipe. I used all beef and less salt. I was not sure what a "very small" meatball is, but I ended up using two skillets to spread mine out a bit.

—Dori

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8 Ratings

Aug 19, 2012

This is the real deal! This is the same recipe I have been cooking for years. I found it in my grandmother's Swedish-English cookbook decades ago. I had sworn myself to secrecy about divluging it but it really is too good not to share! I do chill the meat mixture for a couple of hours before rolling them into balls. A melon ball scoop works wonders for portioning. My family of four enjoys these as a main course, so I always double the original recipe. Have patience - making these is a true labor of love!

—ILUVMYVOLVO

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Aug 20, 2012

I loved these. They were so easy to make and just with regular things from the cabinet. I only used beef for that was all I had. I doubled the recipe and it took two and a half iron skillets. Served them over angel hair pasta with a made-up sauce of mushroom soup, chicken broth, tamari, lemon juice and water, garnished with baby tomato halfs. Delicious! A single recipe would probably have been sufficient for the three of in the house as they're rich and filling.

—gardenbeltane

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Sep 11, 2012

Good, but way to salty for us.

—MotherOfThree

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Dec 24, 2012

Made this recipe for our Family Christmas gathering this year and followed it exactly. The meatballs were all gone in under 15 minutes and people kept asking me for more. Definitely will make these again! Thank you for the recipe!

—StressedJester

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Sep 26, 2012

very tasty, but way too salty, and i'm a person who likes salty food. I will definitely make this again, with less salt next time. Also i used only beef, no pork.

—shaynie_ptl

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Nutrition

Calories
69 kcal
3%

Carbohydrates
1.4 g
< 1%

Cholesterol
19 mg
6%

Fat
5.5 g
8%

Fiber
0.1 g
< 1%

Protein
3.5 g
7%

Sodium
231 mg
9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Swedish Meatballs (From a Swede!)

Serving Size: 1/24 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 69
Calories from Fat: 49

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5.5g 8 %
Saturated Fat 2.7g 14 %
Cholesterol 19mg 6 %
Sodium 231mg 9 %
Potassium 52mg 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 1.4g < 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.1g < 1 %
Protein 3.5g 7 %
** Sugars 0.2g
Vitamin A 2 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 1 %
Iron 4 %
Thiamin 4 %
Niacin 12 %
Vitamin B6 3 %
Magnesium 1 %
Folate 2 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.