Our recipe today is one of my favorite meatballs ever – our Mini Swedish Meatballs with Gravy. We serve them over creamy mashed potatoes for one of our favorite cozy meals ever!
I love how soft and flavorful Swedish meatballs are. The secret to the recipe is in the milk soaked bread that makes the meatballs extra soft and the addition of all spices, especially nutmeg that gives them their unique and addictive flavor. Smother the meatballs in the savory, decadent gravy and you have Swedish Meatball perfection…or very close to it!
Are Swedish Meatballs from Sweden?
Contrary to popular belief, Swedish Meatballs are originally from Turkey and were brought to Sweden by King Charles XII, after he spent 5 years in Turkey.
What Makes Swedish Meatballs Unique?
They’re unique because they’re generally made with a combination of beef and pork. They’re also made with the addition of milk soaked bread or breadcrumbs which gives them their soft texture. They also contain all-spice and nutmeg, giving them their unique and delicious flavor.
How to make Swedish Meatballs with Gravy
Ingredients
Process
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place the cubed bread and milk into a large mixing bowl, stir together and allow the mixture to sit. This mixture is what provides the soft texture to the meatballs.
- As the bread soaks up the milk, melt 2 tablespoons butter into a sauté pan, over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until onion begins to get translucent. I like to sauté the onion and garlic before adding them to the meatball mixture so the flavor and texture melts into the meatballs.
- Remove from heat and add to the bread and milk mixture. Let mixture cool, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef, pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg to the mixing bowl.
- Thoroughly mix together.
- Form 2 teaspoon sized meatballs and place them onto a baking sheet, ½ inch apart, then bake meatballs for 10 to 12 minutes or until they have just cooked through.
We love this two teaspoon scoop for our Swedish Meatballs, it makes it so easy to create evenly sized meatballs.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk the beef broth into the mixture, making sure to whisk out any lumps. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the gravy to simmer and thicken enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cream, if using.
Freezing Instructions
Meatballs
To freeze, make and bake meatballs as directed in the recipe. Cool meatballs. Once cooled, place them in the freezer (on the baking sheet) until fully frozen. Then place them into a freezer-proof resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place them in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 350˚F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
Gravy
To freeze, cool gravy completely and pour into a freezer-proof resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, break frozen gravy up and pour into a saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until melted. Once melted, simmer gravy until heated through and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, frequently stirring. Adjust seasonings as needed.
This recipe for Mini Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy is so delicious and makes a great dinner. Although there are a few different components, it can still be made in under an hour, making it a great dinner for any night of the week. If you love this recipe you may also love our vegan version which is also so good!
More Delicious Dinner Recipes You Will Love
Mini Swedish Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
Swedish meatballs
- 1 slice white bread, finely diced
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
gravy
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups warm beef broth
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
mashed potatoes
garnish
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
meatballs
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Place the crumbled bread and milk into a large mixing bowl, stir together and allow the mixture to sit.
- As the bread soaks up the milk, melt 2 tablespoons butter into a sauté pan, over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until onion begins to get translucent.
- Remove from heat and add to the bread and milk mixture. Let mixture cool, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef, pork, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg to the mixing bowl and thoroughly mix together.
- Form 2 teaspoon sized meatballs and place them onto a baking sheet, ½ inch apart, then bake meatballs for 10 to 12 minutes or until they have just cooked through.
gravy
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk the beef broth into the mixture, making sure to whisk out any lumps. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the gravy to simmer and thicken enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cream, if using.
assembly and serving
- Add meatballs to gravy and toss together. Scoop and spread mashed potatoes (if using) onto a large platter and top with gravy covered mini meatballs. Ladle extra gravy over the top and finish with fresh parsley.
NOTES
- To freeze the meatballs: Make and bake meatballs as directed in the recipe. Cool meatballs. Once cooled, place them in the freezer (on the baking sheet) until fully frozen. Then place them into a freezer-proof resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat meatballs: Place them in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 350˚F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
- To freeze gravy: Cool gravy completely and pour into a freezer-proof resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat gravy: Break frozen gravy up and pour into a saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until melted. Once melted, simmer gravy until heated through and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, frequently stirring. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Did you make this recipe? We want to see!
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Would you be able to repost the ingredients for the mashed potatoes?
Hi Ryan! I added a link to our mashed potatoes recipe in the ingredient list!