Swedish meatballs are a national dish of Sweden, often served during the holiday season and accompanied by boiled egg noodles and a sour cream and beef broth sauce. They are made with ground beef, veal, or a combination of beef and pork, mixed with spiced breadcrumbs, nutmeg, and a raw egg, then formed into small patties and fried in butter. They are served with a sauce made of sour cream, beef stock, and pan drippings, and can be topped with paprika or white pepper.
Unlike dishes like French onions and Vienna sausages, Swedish meatballs are actually a national dish of Sweden. They’re often served during the holiday season and at smorgasbords, the Scandinavian inspiration for all-you-can-eat buffets. The traditional version of the dish is usually accompanied by boiled egg noodles and topped with a sour cream and beef broth sauce. Swedish-style meatballs are rarely used in Italian pasta dishes – they’re generally smaller in size and softer in texture than Italian meatballs.
Basic recipes for Swedish meatballs start with ground beef, ground veal, or a combination of ground beef and pork. Almost all meatball recipes call for some type of extension, and in the case of Swedish-style meatballs, the ingredient of choice is bread crumbs. Breadcrumbs are dipped in milk to add volume and moisture to the dish. Some recipes just call for salt and pepper to be added to the bread crumbs, but the authentic versions contain a surprise ingredient: freshly ground nutmeg. The nutmeg gives the meatballs a distinctive sweetness not found in Mediterranean-style meatballs.
The ground beef and spiced breadcrumbs are combined in a bowl, using a raw egg as a binder. Once the mixture has been thoroughly blended, it’s time to form the patties. Traditional Swedish meatballs are small, usually no larger than about an inch in diameter. This process can be time consuming and it helps to keep your hands covered with cooking spray or butter. The finished meatballs are now ready to fry in butter.
Swedish meatballs should be browned on all four sides before removing them from the pan. A side dish of egg noodles should be prepared according to directions and temporarily set aside. Once the meatballs are done, they should be placed on top of the noodles.
A sauce made up of sour cream, beef stock, and some of the pan drippings should be heated in a saucepan and tossed over the meatballs and noodles. The entire dish can be heated in the oven until heated through, then served like any other pasta dish or casserole. Some recipes call for a final sprinkle of paprika or freshly ground white pepper.
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