Swedish Meatballs
Frozen meatballs in a creamy mushroom gravy seasoned with allspice and nutmeg, finished with sour cream off the heat. Serve over egg noodles.
Swedish Meatballs
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes4
hours30
minutesFrozen meatballs in a creamy mushroom gravy seasoned with allspice and nutmeg, finished with sour cream off the heat. Serve over egg noodles.
Ingredients
2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 packet (0.87 oz) brown gravy mix
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
12 oz wide egg noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Lingonberry or cranberry sauce, for serving
Directions
- Whisk the soup, broth, gravy mix, Worcestershire, onion powder, allspice, nutmeg and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth.
- Add the frozen meatballs and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or HIGH for about 2 hours.
- Stir once halfway through so the gravy stays even.
- Check the center of a meatball with a thermometer. It should read 165°F.
- Boil the noodles in salted water until tender, drain and toss with the butter.
- Switch the cooker off and let the bubbling stop for 5 minutes.
- Stir the sour cream into the gravy a spoonful at a time until smooth.
- Serve the meatballs and gravy over the noodles with parsley and lingonberry sauce.
Notes
- Dairy goes in at the end only. Swedish meatballs freeze better before the sour cream goes in; add it when you reheat. Mashed potatoes work in place of noodles. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days.
How the Swedish meatball gravy comes together
Mushroom soup and brown gravy mix give a deep, tasty base fast. Allspice and nutmeg are what make it taste Swedish rather than just creamy. Use them lightly, since both get stronger the longer they cook.
Check the gravy before the sour cream goes in. It should coat the back of a spoon. If it looks thin, give it a few more minutes with the lid off. A knob of butter on the noodles keeps them from clumping while you finish the sauce.
Noodles, mash and other swaps
Wide egg noodles catch the gravy best. Mashed potatoes work well too. Plain Greek yogurt can replace sour cream, but only off the heat. Do not use light sour cream, which curdles easily.
Making ahead
Cook the meatballs and gravy, cool, and freeze without the sour cream. When you reheat, warm on the stove and stir in the sour cream last. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
A mistake to skip
Adding cold sour cream to the pot while it is still cooking. Let it come to room temperature and turn the cooker to WARM first. A spoonful of hot gravy stirred into the cream before it goes in makes it safer still.
Swedish Meatballs at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by frozen fully cooked meatballs, (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, packet (0.87 oz) brown gravy mix
Tips for Swedish Meatballs
Dairy goes in at the end only. Swedish meatballs freeze better before the sour cream goes in; add it when you reheat. Mashed potatoes work in place of noodles. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days.
Swedish Meatballs FAQ
How long does Swedish Meatballs take?
Swedish Meatballs takes 4 hours 30 minutes of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Swedish Meatballs serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Swedish Meatballs?
14 ingredients, led by frozen fully cooked meatballs, (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, packet (0.87 oz) brown gravy mix. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 7 Crockpot Meatball Recipes for Parties and Dinner
