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    Home » Meat

    Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    Published: Jan 20, 2021 · Modified: Feb 16, 2023 by Tammy Circeo · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    A large platter of Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click them and purchase something, I get a little commission. Thank you for your support.

    I have this really good friend. And this really good friend is a great cook. As are/were most of the women in her family! In fact, one of the first meals I shared with this really good friend was a superb lasagna that her mom made for us. Neither Cindy's mom nor her Swedish great-grandma Alma are still with us, sadly, but they both left a legacy of fabulous food and nurturing. This recipe is called Alma's Swedish Meatballs because Cindy's great grandma shared it through the generations and I've now gotten permission to share it with you. This is what good food is all about ... sharing.

    Recipe update disclosures

    Alma's recipe as it was was wonderful! But over the years, I've made some updates. It's the same great dish, but here are the things that I updated:

    • I use homemade bread crumbs from our stale sourdough bread.
    • I soak the breadcrumbs in the milk rather than just adding them separately to the meat mixture.
    • Alma calls for beef base in the gravy, but I skip it. I use the fats (hence, flavor!) left in the pan after browning the meatballs.
    • I've written up the recipe to reflect my changes, but I sure wanted to give credit to Alma for her original creation.

    What kind of meat do I use for Alma's Swedish Meatballs?

    In my tooling about the internet, I've seen recipes for Swedish meatballs calling for ground chicken and turkey. I think it's safe to say that the Swedes would be appalled! Traditionally, Swedish meatballs are a mixture of beef and pork. Alma takes it a bit further and suggests using sausage for the pork. I buy the house-made breakfast sausage at my local grocery store, but feel free to use plain ground pork or even to use all beef if you don't like pork. Of course, then it's not ALMA'S Swedish Meatballs, but they will still be good.

    Ingredients for Swedish meatballs mise en place

    The other ingredients in Alma's Swedish Meatballs are onion, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, breadcrumbs (use gluten free if needed ... and the best option is to grind stale bread yourself rather than buying ready-made), and milk. And of course, salt and pepper to season.

    Tip #1

    Alma doesn't say to mix the breadcrumbs with the milk, but I do. And I let it sit together while I measure out the other ingredients. Mixing the milk and breadcrumbs lends a tenderness to the meatball that is really nice.

    Breadcrumbs with milk poured on them.

    Tip #2

    Alma calls for minced onion so I use a hand grater to grate the onion into the meat mixture. The grating distributes smaller pieces as well as the juice which makes the whole mixture more flavorful, in my opinion.

    Grating the onion rather than chopping

    Tip #3

    The best way to get everything mixed together is just to get in there with your hands and smush it all together! But be gentle ... the more you smush the meatballs together, the tougher they become. And we don't want that, do we?

    Swedish meatballs mixture

    What size should I make Alma's Swedish Meatballs?

    Swedish meatballs are small. Not quite half the size as golfballs, but nearly.

    Make small meatballs ... smaller than golfballs.

    Working in batches, brown the meatballs in a skillet and put them into a baking dish.

    Brown them in batches in a skillet

    Make the gravy

    The last bit is to make the gravy. I use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with great success. If there is enough fat left in the pan from the meat, just use that. However, if you don't have enough, add some butter or bacon fat. I always have bacon fat reserved, but duck fat would be really good, too.

    Flour in with the fat to start the gravy

    Sprinkle the flour in, whisk it a bit, then add the milk. Alma wouldn't have used a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but I don't think she would fault me for doing so if it's more nourishing for my family. Alma also suggests using a beef base (like a bouillon), but I just let the meat juices speak for themselves. On an allergen note, many bouillons have gluten in the form of modified food starch, added "flavor", colorants, and generally not something I use in cooking.

    DAIRY FREE OPTION: If you eat dairy-free (which Alma didn't!), use a cashew milk. Keep whisking until the gravy thickens a bit. Keep in mind that it will thicken more in the oven so leave a little space for that.

    Whisking in the milk to make the gravy

    Pour the gravy over the meatballs and put the baking dish in the oven for about 20 minutes.

    A baking dish full of Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    How to serve Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    I asked my friend, Cindy, if she serves mashed potatoes, egg noodles (mine are gluten-free), or rice with her grandma's Swedish Meatballs. They all seem to be acceptable options. She said she prefers mashed potatoes or egg noodles, but that her Swedish great-grandma liked rice. So I think you are safely authentic with any of the three!

    I also usually serve steamed green peas on the side as well as some Lingonberry Jam. That is something you should definitely have ... Lingonberry Jam.

    Close up of Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    I couldn't be what I am if my grandmother didn't pass on this kind of emotional experience.

    Massimo Bottura

    Other recipes you might like:

    • Date Nut Snowballs
    • Lemon Tart in a Gingersnap Crust
    • Gluten-Free Fried Chicken Tenders
    • Grilled Lemon Garlic Pork Chops
    • Chipotle Berry Pork Tenderloin

    If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment below and a star rating. Also, if you are on Instagram, post a photo and tag me @tammycirceocheznous so that I can see your delicious dish!

    Recipe

    Featured Image - Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    Alma's Swedish Meatballs

    Tammy Circeo
    One of my best friends is a great cook. And all of the women in her family were as well and they left a legacy of fabulous food and nurturing. This recipe is called Alma's Swedish Meatballs because Cindy's Swedish great-grandma shared it through the generations and I've now gotten permission to share it with you. This is what good food is all about ... sharing.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Baking Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Swedish
    Servings 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound hamburger meat
    • ½ pound bulk sausage See notes
    • ½ cup minced onion I use my hand grater.
    • ¾ cup stale bread crumbs (or store-bought dry bread crumbs)
    • ½ cup milk
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 egg
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    FOR THE GRAVY

    • pan drippings if you don't have at least ¼ cup, add some butter. Bacon or duck fat works well, too!
    • ¼ cup flour I use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
    • 1½ cups milk and more if needed to keep the gravy a good consistency

    TO SERVE

    • rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles
    • steamed green peas
    • Lingonberry Jam

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over. Stir to combine and let it rest while you mix the rest of the ingredients.
    • Put the meats, minced onion, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and nutmeg in a large bowl, then add the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix together with a large spoon if you can manage it, but I find it easiest to do with my hands.
    • Form small meatballs and working in batches, brown them in a large skillet. Transfer them to a baking dish and make a gravy using the pan drippings.

    TO MAKE THE GRAVY

    • With the skillet at a medium to medium-high heat, use the pan drippings and/or added fat. Sprinkle the flour over the fat, then whisk it together. Continuing to whisk, add the milk gradually. Allow it to thicken, but not by too much. It will thicken more in the oven.
    • Pour the gravy over the meatballs and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

    TO SERVE

    • Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. I like to serve green peas as a side as well as some Lingonberry Jam.

    Notes

    Traditionally, Swedish meatballs are a mixture of beef and pork. Alma takes it a bit further and suggests using sausage for the pork. I buy the housemade breakfast sausage at my local grocery store, but feel free to use plain ground pork or even to use all beef if you don't like pork. Of course, then it's not ALMA'S Swedish Meatballs, but they will still be good.
    SERVING: 
    I asked my friend, Cindy, if she serves mashed potatoes, egg noodles (mine are gluten-free), or rice with her great grandma's Swedish Meatballs. They all seem to be acceptable options. She said she prefers mashed potatoes or egg noodles, but that her great grandma liked rice. So I think you are safely authentic with any of the three!
    I also usually serve steamed green peas on the side as well as some Lingonberry Jam. That is something you should definitely have ... Lingonberry Jam.
    Keyword meatballs, meatballs with gravy, swedish meatballs
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Yum

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    About Tammy Circeo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. joans

      January 31, 2021 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I made these two nights ago- absolutely delicious! My husband is not a fan of swedish meatballs.. He, too, thought these were very tasty. I did not have any pork so only used a good quality ground beef so reduced the breadcrumbs/milk (since I was using less of the total meat quantity specified). I made breadcrumbs out of an old brioche sandwich bun we had (cut up bun into cubes and dried in oven to = 1/2 cup). Other than the meat/crumb soak I stuck to the ingredients as written. The meatballs were so flavorful. This recipe goes in the "make again!" column without hesitation.

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        February 01, 2021 at 11:18 am

        I'm so glad you liked them and that they made a convert of your husband!

        Reply

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    I have always loved nurturing and feeding people. My cooking style is influenced by my Southern parents, time living in Europe, and the foods available in the Pacific Northwest, where I lived for over 20 years. I cook from scratch and strongly support local farms and producers, believing that food plays a pivotal role in our quality of life.

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