The BEST Swedish Meatballs (Just Like Ikea!)
These warm-spiced Swedish meatballs in a lush and easy cream gravy sauce are just like those served at Ikea, but made even more tasty when fixed at home.
Servings 8
Calories 483kcal
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¾ pound ground pork
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- ¾ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- For the Swedish Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cup beef stock
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- For the Pasta Noodles
- 1 8.8 ounce DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your fingers to mix the ground beef and ground pork with with the chopped onion, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, milk, allspice, kosher salt and black pepper until combined.
- Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or #40 scoop to portion out the meatball mix. Lightly toss the meatball between the palms of your hand to form small, round balls. Place on a platter or baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to help them hold their shape while cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and remove the meatballs from the refrigerator.
- Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the meatballs and fry for 1-2 minutes. Shake the pan so the meatballs turn and cook, repeating until they are lightly browned on all sides, a total of about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining meatballs. Add all of the meatballs back to the skillet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through with an internal temperature of 160°F.
- While the meatballs are baking, make the Swedish cream sauce and prepare the noodles.
- To make the noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with kosher salt, and add the pappardelle pasta. Cook for 9 minutes, drain, and return the noodles to the pot (off the heat) with the butter, parsley, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then cover with a lid until ready to serve.
- To make the creamy sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan or high-sided skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute or until it is lightly browned. Add the beef stock and whisk until smooth. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream, soy sauce and Dijon mustard and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. If the sauce seems too thick, add more beef stock 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Pour the sauce into the pan with the meatballs and stir to combine. Serve over the warm noodles and enjoy.
Notes
The meatballs can be frozen before browning, or after, for up to 3 months.
Freeze the meatballs in the sauce for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake from frozen in an ovenproof dish covered with foil, in a 400°F oven for 30-45 minutes. Or, microwave for 6-8 minutes.
Freeze the meatballs in the sauce for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake from frozen in an ovenproof dish covered with foil, in a 400°F oven for 30-45 minutes. Or, microwave for 6-8 minutes.