Name: The Best Swedish Meatballs and Gravy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef ((84-93%)); 1 pound ground pork (or country style ground pork sausage); 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 large egg; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/4 cup salted butter; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 4 cups beef broth; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ((optional)); 2/3 cup sour cream; 1/4 teaspoon salt (, or to taste); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (, or to taste); 1 pound cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish (optional))

The Best Swedish Meatballs and Gravy are made with a combination of ground pork and beef and spiced to perfection for a flavorful meatball — all with a rich and flavorful gravy to go with it!

A fork poked into Swedish meatballs and gravy.

This recipe took quite a number of rounds of testing, but we’re happy to say that we’ve finally perfected the Swedish Meatball. What makes this recipe so good? It’s full of flavor. We’ve taken traditional flavors and kicked it all up a notch. We hate bland food, and have eaten a lot of bland versions of Swedish meatballs. This recipe is anything but bland. You get a flavorful meatball combined with a rich and flavorful sauce and it’s just magic.

Sausage Options:

To add even more flavor in this recipe, you can always use a country style pork sausage instead of just ground pork. That can really add a lot to this recipe. Just make sure you stay away from Italian style ground pork sausage. It just isn’t the right flavor profile.

Egg Substitutes:

You have a few options for egg substitutes in meatballs:

Buttermilk: 2 tablespoons per egg
Yogurt: 1/4 cup per egg
Unsweetened Applesauce: 3 tablespoons per egg
Ricotta Cheese: 1/4 cup per egg

Oven Instructions:

Simply place shaped meatballs onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Roux:

Step 4 in this recipe involves making a roux. The flour in the recipe acts as a thickening agent. If you just added flour to a liquid you’d end up with a clumpy mess. By combining the flour with a fat source (melted butter), you will be able to distribute the thickening agent throughout the sauce without leaving clumps behind. This same principle can be applied to any sauce or soup that needs to be thickened. A roux is equal parts flour to fat. Cornstarch is a stronger thickening agent that I use (with butter) in things like puddings and cream pies.

Serving Suggestion:

We prefer to serve Swedish Meatballs over egg noodles. Another more traditional option is to serve them with mashed potatoes. You can also serve them over rice if you want.

Overhead view of a cast iron skillet filled with Swedish meatballs and gravy.

Storage and Reheating Instructions:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments until warmed through.

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious meatball recipes: