My Grandma Elsa's Authentic Swedish Meatballs
When my family pulled up to my Grandma Elsa’s house as a child, I crossed my fingers that she would be serving her signature Swedish meatballs with gravy. I fondly remember our family scarfing down every meatball in sight. It would take forty years for me to understand what an act of love it was to roll out and pan-fry a batch of 38 meatballs! Now, I am the one in the kitchen taking my grandmother’s place, preparing a meal that will likely be devoured in minutes. But I know, just as my grandma did, that a meal prepared with love can touch the soul. So, without further ado, here’s my Grandma Elsa’s Authentic Swedish Meatball recipe!
Ingredients
- Meatballs:
- ¾ lb. ground chuck, 80% fat
- ¼ lb. minced veal
- ¼ lb. minced pork
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- ¼ cup + 2 T. fine white breadcrumbs, not coarse Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup + 2T. heavy whipping cream
- 1 egg
- 1/8 t. ground nutmeg
- ¼ t. kosher salt
- 1/8 t. white pepper
- 1 T. butter + 1 T. olive oil for frying
- Gravy:
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 T. all-purpose flour
- 2 T. + 2 t. drippings from meatballs
- ¼ t. kosher salt
- Egg noodles to accompany.
Directions
- Step 1 To make the meatballs, first, add the cream and breadcrumbs to a medium mixing bowl, mixing them well. Let them thicken as you combine the three different types of meat, the beef, veal, and pork, in a separate mixing bowl. Work them together with your hands. Next, dice the onion into ¼” pieces, making sure that the onion is small, or it’ll overpower the subtle flavor of the meats. Toss the onion in with the meat and use your hands to incorporate well. By this time, the cream should have thickened, absorbing the breadcrumbs, so add the cream and breadcrumb mixture to the meat and onions. Next, measure out the rest of the ingredients—the egg, nutmeg, pepper, and salt—and add them to the meat, onion, cream, and breadcrumb mixture. Mix well with your hands.
- Step 2 Next, dip your hand in the meat mixture and scoop up a 1” ball, rolling it in your hands. Place the meatball on a plate and continue rolling balls until all the meat has been used. This recipe typically yields around 38 meatballs.
- Step 3 Now, take a 12” nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the olive oil and butter, and after the butter melts, turn the pan down to medium-low or high-low. Then, place 16 meatballs or however many will fit in the pan and wait 2 minutes, and then, flip to one of its four sides with a fork. After you’ve flipped all meatballs, which may take 2 more minutes, flip on the second side. Then, continue flipping on all other sides. After cooking on all sides, check for doneness. If the meatballs are pink inside, continue cooking until brown or until the internal temperature reads 160 °F. Total cooking time is about 15 minutes. Note: the meatballs should make a sizzling sound when cooking, so adjust the temperature accordingly. Transfer to a plate or keep in a warming oven while you continue to pan-fry all the meatballs.
- Step 4 Finally, to make the gravy, reserve the juices from the meatballs and mix with the flour until all lumps are dissolved and it makes a roux. Then, add the cream and heat until thickened to a consistency of your liking. Pour over the meatballs if you’re serving right away. If you’re refrigerating, store the gravy aside, in its own container, because it will cause the meatballs to be soggy if combined. Serve over egg noodles for a traditional Swedish meal. Enjoy!
My grandma Elsa’s Swedish meatballs are a well-kept, secret family recipe that’s been handed down each generation. One of the keys to this recipe is using three types of ground meat, moistened by heavy cream and bound by egg, breadcrumbs, and a touch of onion. We’ll be honored if you serve this recipe to your family and perhaps, begin a tradition as well!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Servings per recipe: 6, calories: 530, total fat: 31.1 g., saturated fat: 15.1 g., cholesterol: 199 g., sodium: 476 mg., total carbohydrate: 23.5 g., dietary fiber: 1.2 g., total sugars: 1.3 g., protein: 37.3 g., calcium: 75 mg., vitamin D: 23 mcg, iron: 5 mg., potassium: 590 mg.