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Swedish Meatballs

Beef and pork meatballs warmed with allspice, ginger and nutmeg, broiled until browned and served with a brandy cream gravy.

  • Main
  • Broil
  • Makes about 4 dozen
Gus' Family Recipe

Ingredients

For the onions (used in both)

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • Pinch of kosher salt

For the meatballs

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane or minced
  • 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the gravy

  • 1 tbsp brandy
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth, low sodium or homemade
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

To finish

  • Chopped fresh parsley or dill

Steps

  1. Soak the crumbs: stir the panko into the warm milk in a medium bowl and let it sit while you cook the onions.

  2. Cook the onions: melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Move half the onion to a large bowl for the meatballs and leave the rest in the skillet for the gravy.

  3. Flame the brandy: add the brandy to the skillet and light it with a long match or lighter. On a gas stove, tilting the pan toward the burner usually catches it. Let the flames burn out on their own.

  4. Make the gravy: add the remaining 3 tbsp butter and let it melt. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it browns, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the broth, cream and 1/4 tsp salt, then simmer, whisking, until it thickens into a gravy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Dijon if you're using it, taste, and add salt if needed. Keep it warm.

  5. Mix: to the onion in the large bowl, add the soaked panko, beef, pork, eggs, garlic, 1 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Mix with your hands until combined.

  6. Roll: shape into 1-inch balls, about 2 tbsp each, and set them on one or two rimmed baking sheets as you go.

  7. Broil: heat the broiler. Drizzle the meatballs with oil and broil until browned all over and the center reads 160°F, 5 to 10 minutes. If you're using two pans, swap their positions partway through so both get time close to the heat.

  8. Serve the meatballs with the gravy, scattered with parsley or dill.

Cook's Notes

  • Use your thermometer. Ground meat should reach 160°F, the food-safety guideline. Broilers vary a lot, so go by the reading, not the clock.
  • Before you light the brandy, turn off the vent fan and move the bottle away from the stove.
  • Adapted from a New York Times Cooking recipe.