Swedish Meatballs and Gravy
Tender homemade Swedish meatballs simmered in a rich, creamy gravy for the perfect comforting dinner.
Servings 8 people
Calories 271kcal
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 slices white bread, cubed (or substitute with 1 ½ cups of panko breadcrumbs)
- ¼ cup half-and-half (or sub with whole milk or heavy cream)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salted butter and vegetable oil, for frying
FOR THE GRAVY
- ¼ cup pan drippings
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus additional as needed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half (or sub with whole milk or heavy cream)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
MAKE THE MEATBALLS
- Place the meat in a large bowl. Grate the onions into the meat.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cubed bread or breadcrumbs and ¼ cup of half-and-half, just until moistened.
- To the large bowl with the meat, add the soaked bread, eggs, sugar, salt, and pepper. Use your hands or a fork to gently combine. If time allows, chill the meatball mixture for at least 1 hour before shaping. I don’t always do this (it’s not necessary), but it does make the shaping easier if the mixture is firmer.
- Use a medium (1 ½ tablespoon) scoop to shape the meat into balls. Each meatball will be about the size of a golf ball. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet so that they will be ready to fry.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, sauté the meatballs in batches, turning while they cook so that all sides are evenly browned and the meat is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes per batch. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- Repeat until all the meatballs are cooked. Remove the meatballs to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you prepare the gravy.
FOR THE GRAVY
- After frying the meatballs, you should have about ¼ cup of drippings in the pan. If you have less, add butter to the skillet to equal ¼ cup of total fat.
- Add the flour to the pan drippings. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Gradually stream in the beef broth and half-and-half. Whisk over medium heat until the gravy bubbles and thickens. Whisk constantly so that it doesn’t burn or get lumpy.
- Spoon the gravy over the meatballs and serve with noodles, potatoes, or a loaf of crusty bread. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Grate the onion for extra moisture and tenderness in the meatballs.
- Soak bread in half and half to keep the meatballs soft.
- Mix the meat gently so the meatballs do not become dense.
- Chill the mixture if time allows to make shaping easier.
- Brown in batches so the meatballs sear instead of steam.
- Use the pan drippings for the richest gravy.
- Whisk constantly when adding broth to prevent lumps.
- Add heavy cream for a richer gravy if desired.
- Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.
- Freeze cooked meatballs with or without gravy for easy meals.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the meatballs and sauce (approximately 6 meatballs) | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3.9mg