This Swedish Meatballs Recipe lets you skip the tedious monitoring of each meatball on stovetop. Instead, simply broil the meatballs in the oven for even browning and tenderness.
In a small bowl, combine the chopped bread with milk and beaten egg, stirring to fully incorporate. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, allspice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. Hand whisk to combine well. Add the egg/milk mixture and stir to fully incorporate. Add ground beef and pork, folding just until fully combined (don't over-mix.)
Line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil. Generously grease the foil. Form meatballs about 1.5 inches or 1 heaping TB each and place onto prepared pan. A cookie scoop or measuring spoon helps for equal sizing. Tip: moisten hands with water or a bit of cooking oil for easy handling of meatballs. About 25 meatballs should fit onto your sheet pan. Generously spray top of meatballs with oil.
Set oven to high broil, with rack on upper position. Broil meatballs 5 minutes. Carefully turn pan halfway and broil another 2 minutes. Remove pan and quickly use tongs to turn over any meatballs that need even browning. Broil 3 more minutes. Meatballs should be nicely browned and cooked through, but not overcooked. Transfer meatballs to a container and cover. Repeat with second batch.
While your meatballs are broiling, make the gravy: In a large saucepan, melt the butter on medium high heat, stirring frequently. Add the broth, cream, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and pepper. Stir to combine well. Very slowly drizzle in the dissolved cornstarch while stirring. Let sauce simmer on low boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes to concentrate the flavors. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Add cooked meatballs into the saucepan with gravy, gently stirring just until warmed through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
For the best flavor and tenderness, use a mixture of ground beef and ground pork in your meatballs. A 50/50 mixture would work great, but we prefer using half the amount of pork to beef.
Instead of using bread crumbs, opt for freshly chopped bread. This will give your meatballs a better texture.
Don't be shy with the garlic and onion powder. These spices, along with a touch of allspice and nutmeg, give the meatballs their classic flavor.
Add a bit of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to your meatball mixture. This unconventional addition brings out a luscious umami flavor that will have your guests guessing your secret.
To thicken the gravy, we recommend using dissolved cornstarch instead of a traditional butter/flour roux. This method allows for controlled thickening without any accidental grittiness and keeps the flavors pure.
When forming your meatballs, moisten your hands with water or a bit of cooking oil. This will make the process easier and prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.
To avoid frying each meatball on the stovetop, simply broil them in the oven. This method ensures even browning and tenderness, and saves you from a messy cleanup.
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