Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (2024)

This is an easy recipe for oven baked Swedish meatballs with creamy sauce. This hearty dish is best served with mashed potatoes and it’s perfect for the winter season! This post also includes instructions for stove top meatballs.

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Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (1)

Homemade meatballsmade from scratch are combined with tasty sauce and served with mashedpotatoes! This recipe is pretty quick, so you can enjoy these tender Swedishmeatballs in 30 minutes.

Now, this is my version of IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe and it is not an authentic Swedish recipe. We tasted them several times at IKEA and also when visiting Swedish capital Stockholm and really enjoyed them, so I wanted to give them a try.

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (2)
Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (3)

Themeatballs:

Saute minced onion.When ready, transfer it into a bowl and add the rest of ingredients for Swedishmeatballs – ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs and seasoning. Mix everything verywell (it’s best to do it with your hand).

I like to use a small cookie dough scoop (see the link below) to get similar looking balls. The quickest way is scoop the meat mixture out first onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and then roll each into a ball.

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (4)
Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (5)

Baking Swedishmeatballs in the oven:

You will need tobake them in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until ready. The time mayvary slightly depending on your oven and the size of meatballs.

Cookingmeatballs on a stove:

This is quicker and only takes about 10 minutes, but you will probably need to do it in 2batches to avoid over-crowding your skillet/pan. You will also need to heat upsome oil first. I use about 1/8 cup per batch.

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (6)

SwedishMeatball Sauce Recipe:

It’s very easy to make a simple sauce for Swedish meatballs. Here is how I do it: I melt butter in a sauce pan (make sure to do it over low heat to avoid burning it). Then, I stir in flour and keep stirring for about a minute before adding the rest of the ingredients. In this case it is half and half, stock (or water) and soy sauce.

All you have to do then is simmer this until it thickens and add salt and pepper to taste. If you use soy sauce and stock that has a reduced amount of salt, you should end up with a low sodium meatball sauce, which you can season to your liking.

I personally use only a pinch of salt at the very end, but if you like your food on the saltier side, go ahead and add as much as you like.

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (7)

Tipsfor making best Swedish meatballs:

  • The sauce can be thickened with more flour or thinned with more liquid, so you can adjust the ingredient amounts to your liking. This sauce is enough for about 30 meatballs and 4 generous portions.
  • Authentic Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jam, but you can substitute it with Cranberry Sauce. It will taste equally delicious!
  • For the sauce, water or stock/broth can be used. If you use water, you will probably need more seasoning. If you use classic stock (chicken, vegetable, beef), you make sure to use low-sodium soy sauce and use less than 3 tablespoons.

Otherhearty dinner recipes you might like:

  • Homemade Meatball Soup
  • Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
  • Grilled Salmon Foil Packets

This Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe is an old post that has been updated with new photos and more detailed instructions for better understanding.

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (8)

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4.91 from 10 votes

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs

This is an easy recipe for oven baked Swedish meatballs with creamy sauce. This hearty dish is best served with mashed potatoes and it’s perfect for the winter season!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 27 Meatballs (4 generous portions)

Calories: 85

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 Small Onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound Ground Meat (450 grams), see note 1
  • 1 Egg (medium or large)
  • ½ cup Breadcrumbs (50 grams)
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (30 grams), see note
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Half and Half (250 milliliters)
  • ½ cup Water (or chicken stock, vegetable stock …)
  • 3 tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • A pinch of black pepper
  • A pinch of Salt or to taste

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Instructions

  • Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius).

  • Meanwhile: Mince the onion. In a skillet/frying pan, heat the oil and add the onion. Saute this for 10 minutes on medium heat.

  • In a mixing bowl, combine sautéed onion with ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Using your hand, mix everything well.

  • With the smallest cookie dough scoop, scoop out the mixture and transfer it onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment paper. Roll each into a ball (see note 4).

  • Bake them in a preheated oven at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown (and cooked throughout). See note 5 for stove top version!

  • Sauce: Melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook for a minute, stirring. Whisk in half and half, water, soy sauce and simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

  1. Ground meat – you can use any meat you like – beef, pork, turkey or chicken or a combination of these. I like using beef or a combination of beef and pork.
  2. Half and Half (US) = Single Cream (UK). It can be substituted with milk.
  3. I used unsalted butter to control the amount of sodium in our diet. However, you can use salted butter, if that’s what you have on hand. If you do, just add less salt at the very end.
  4. This recipe should yield somewhere between 25-29 meatballs. It’s better not to overfill the scoop with the meat mixture. That way you should get at least 27 balls.
  5. Stove top: Heat about 1/8 cup of oil in a skillet/frying pan. Add half of the meatballs and cook until ready. Make sure to turn them around several times throughout the cooking. Take them out, add more oil and repeat with the second batch. They will take about 10 minutes per batch.

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Swedish

Keyword: Meatballs Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs

Serving Size

1 ball

Amount per Serving

Calories

85

% Daily Value*

Fat

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

3

g

19

%

Sodium

156

mg

7

%

Potassium

70

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

3

g

1

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

1

g

1

%

Protein

4

g

8

%

Vitamin A

66

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

18

mg

2

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tried this recipe?Follow @happyfoodstube and tag #happyfoodstube

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Oven Baked Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Stove Top Instructions Included) (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to cook meatballs on the stove or in the oven? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.

How do you cook Marie Callender's Swedish meatballs in the oven? ›

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slit film to vent. Cook on baking sheet in center of oven 45 to 47 minutes. Check that food is cooked thoroughly.

How do you know when meatballs are done on the stove? ›

You'll also have really flavorful meatballs so make sure you use a good homemade tomato sauce or a quality red sauce from the grocery store. You will know the meatballs are ready when the internal temperature of the meatballs is 165 degrees.

Do you flip meatballs when baking? ›

I don't know many people who do this but I just find it way easier to put the balls on a foil lined sheet tray and stick em in the oven. They only need to be flipped 2-3 times and it's easier clean up with the foil.

What's the best way to bake meatballs? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Grease a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
  3. Mix all ingredients together by hand and form into 1 1/2 inch round meatballs.
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle.
  5. Enjoy with spaghetti and tomato sauce!

What is the sauce for Swedish meatballs made from? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

How do you keep meatballs from burning in the oven? ›

How to keep meatballs from burning in the oven - Quora. Cover an oven tray with parchment paper. Leave some space between the meatballs. Place them in a preheated oven at about 200 degrees.

How do you know when Swedish meatballs are cooked? ›

Making Swedish meatball sauce is so easy — there's only two steps! Simply add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and simmer until thickened. Then, add the meatballs and continue cooking until the meatballs are warmed through (and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).

Are frozen Swedish meatballs already cooked? ›

Fully cooked and ready to just heat and serve, Longo's Fully Cooked Swedish Meatballs make great hors d'oeuvres for entertaining at dinner parties and are a delicious accompaniment to many other dishes.

Are Swedish meatballs already cooked? ›

Preparation. These meatballs are precooked. You can heat them on the hob, in the oven or in the microwave.

Can meatballs be a little pink inside? ›

To be sure all harmful bacteria are destroyed, cook all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160 °F throughout. Ground beef can be pink inside after it is safely cooked. The pink color can be due to a reaction between the oven heat and myoglobin, which causes a red or pink color.

Why are my frozen meatballs rubbery? ›

If the meatballs are packed together too tightly, they will cook up rubbery, chewy, and tough.

Is it better to cook meatballs in sauce or oven? ›

I find that baking them and then finishing them in the sauce is the best method. Baking them ensures even cooking and browning as well as good flavor development. Throwing them into the sauce for a few minutes before serving flavors the sauce and keeps the meatballs moist and delicious.

Is it better to fry or bake meatballs for spaghetti? ›

Frying them gives a nice crust but takes a lot of watching as they can easily burn. Baking gives the same result with less work.

How do you not burn meatballs on the stove? ›

If pan frying, you need to film the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Heat it until it shimmers, add your meatballs and don't try to turn them too soon. Let the crust build up a bit. It's also important not to crowd the pan.

Which tastes better fried or baked meatballs? ›

Frying is tastier, but more fat is added because of the oil. Baking drains the fat out of the meat which takes away a lot of the flavor.

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook in sauce? ›

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

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