Swedish Meatballs

Name: Swedish Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients: ground beef 500 g; onion 100 g; breadcrumbs 0.5 cup; egg 1 ea; milk 220 ml; butter 30 g; all-purpose flour 2 tbsp; Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Small beef meatballs simmer in a creamy milk gravy, usually alongside mashed potatoes to catch every bit of sauce.

Tenderness comes from a light hand: overworking the mixture tightens it into dense, rubbery balls. The pan is never wiped before the flour goes in, because the gravy owes its depth to the browned drippings the meatballs leave behind. Once the flour loses its raw smell, the milk is stirred in a little at a time so the gravy stays smooth. A splash of Worcestershire sauce gives the cream a savory edge.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

egg1 ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Finely chop 100 g onion and cook it in a little of the butter over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.

When it turns translucent and loses its sharp smell, spread it on a plate to cool.
2

Add 500 g ground beef, the cooled onion, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and a small splash of milk to a bowl.

Mix lightly with your fingertips just until evenly combined, stopping before the meat becomes sticky.
3

Divide the mixture into bite-size portions and roll them gently into balls.

Press only enough to hold the shape without cracking the surface, keeping the size even so the centers cook at the same pace.
4

Melt the remaining butter in a skillet and brown the meatballs over medium heat for about 6 minutes, turning them often.

Once the outside is well browned, remove them briefly and leave the drippings in the pan.
5

Add 2 tablespoons flour to the same pan and cook over low heat for about 1 minute.

When the raw flour smell fades, pour in the milk gradually while whisking so the gravy stays smooth.
6

Stir in 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, return the meatballs, and simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes.

If the gravy gets too thick, loosen it with more milk, then serve with mashed potatoes.