What is the best way to cook Swedish meatballs?

One of the easiest and best ways to cook Swedish meatballs is on a baking sheet in the oven. You can skip the common step of first browning them on the stove and instead brown and bake them all at once in the oven.

What’s the difference between a Swedish meatball and an Italian meatball?

Both meatballs tend to use a mix of ground beef and pork. But as for the seasoning, one difference is the omission of grated cheese in Swedish meatballs, which is common in Italian ones. What makes the flavor of Swedish meatballs unique is the inclusion of allspice and nutmeg. The other differing component is the sauce. Italian meatballs are often served with a tomato sauce, while Swedish ones use a cream sauce.

What do you serve with Swedish meatballs?

You can serve Swedish meatballs with rice, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or anything else that will absorb the sauce. Lingonberry jam is a common accompaniment to Swedish meatballs, but it’s not commonly found in stores in the United States. So any tart jam, such as cherry or cranberry is good.

Easy Baked Chicken Swedish Meatballs

Name: The Best Chicken Swedish Meatballs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 large slices of bread; ¼ cup milk; 1 pound ground chicken; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (about 4 ounces); 1/4 cup flour; 2 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth; 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Description

With this simple recipe for baked chicken Swedish meatballs, you'll enjoy the flavors of the classic meatballs served with a creamy mushroom gravy. Serve them over egg noodles with vegetables on the side for a complete dinner or make them smaller and serve as an appetizer.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the meatballs:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large slices of bread
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground chicken
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 °F. In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until just softened and golden, about 3 minutes. Remove the onion from the pan and allow to cool.
While the onion cooks, slice the bread into small cubes. Add the cubes to a large mixing bowl and pour over the milk. Toss the bread and milk, then let sit to absorb for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken, egg, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl. When the onions are cooled, add them to the bowl and stir well to combine.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set it next to your bowl. Scoop the meat into 12 even balls and place them on the baking sheet. Wet your hands and use them to help shape the meat into balls after scooping. Place the tray on a rack in the lower third of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until cooked through and the meatballs are lightly browned on top.
While the meatballs bake, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat in the same pan you used to cook the onions. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and cooked down. Add the flour and stir to combine it with the mushrooms and butter. Cook for a couple of minutes until golden. Slowly whisk in the broth until incorporated with the mushrooms and flour.
When combined, let simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Then add the cream, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. Simmer another couple of minutes so the flavors have a chance to meld. Toss the baked meatballs with the creamy gravy sauce and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.

Notes

The meatball mixture will be softer than typical meatballs. That's why I suggest scooping it onto your tray rather than trying to form balls. After scooping, wet your hands and use them to shape the meatballs into more of a round shape.

If the meat mix is too wet to work with, you can put the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up or stir in a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs.

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 25
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Swedish