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Swedish meatballs are an iconic popular recipe from Sweden. In fact, this delicious hearty meal is the national dish of Sweden.
Swedish meatballs are a mixture of beef and pork that are rolled into savory meatballs and pan fried. They are then smothered in a savory cream sauce. The total cook time is less than 1 hour and requires only one large cast iron skillet. For this reason, meatballs in general are one of my favorite meals to prepare. I love most meatball recipes and variations of meatballs, but these are truly my favorite!
As the big kids and I found ourselves lost in Ikea in Odense Denmark, we thankfully stumbled across the cafe just in time for lunch. They were very good about trying new foods and as you can see, Swedish meatballs was a great discovery!
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What to serve with Swedish meatballs:
Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with mashed potatoes, lingonberry sauce, and buttery green peas. However, roasted asparagus, pan seared green beans, or cranberry sauce are some other excellent side dish options.
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What are lingonberries?
Lingonberries are a small, tart berry that is similar in taste to a cranberry. They are commonly grown in Scandinavian countries but can be grown in USDA zones 3-8- nearly the entire US! Lingonberries are a perineal plant, meaning they will be dormant in the winter and grow again in the summer. Additionally, they can even grow in planters on the patio or porch. There are many online nurseries that sell lingonberry bushes. If interested in growing a lingonberry bush of your own, here are some links to online nurseries:
Lingonberry Plants for Sale | FastGrowingTrees.com
Lingonberry Plants | Burnt Ridge Nursery | Buy Lingonberry Bushes Online, Lingonberry
Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co. – Gurneys
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Serving and storing
This recipe makes about 8 servings. It is served immediately upon completing cooking. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave. For freezing, it is recommended to store the sauce and meatballs in separate containers. Thaw frozen meatballs and sauce in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove the next day.
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Interested in other meatball recipes? Try:
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Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 lb Ground pork
- 1/2 cup Finely chopped onion
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup Panko
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
cream sauce
- 1/3 cup Butter
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 cups Beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, pork, diced onions, minced garlic, egg, panko, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Once all ingredients are combined, form 1 inch meatballs.
- Heat frying pan to medium heat with just enough oil to cover bottom of the pan.
- Place meatballs in hot skillet and sear on all sides. Move the cooked meatballs to a plate and continue to work in batches.
- Once all the meatballs are done cooking and resting on a covered plate, add butter to skillet.
- When butter is melted, stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, worcestershire sauce, and dijon to the skillet and continue to stir.
- Add heavy cream to skillet and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Put meatballs back into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring and spooning the sauce to cover the meatballs.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
