Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

Printable Recipe PDF

Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

When I was a kid my grandma would make Swedish meatballs complete with creamy gravy served over mashed potatoes. The Ikea version that more people are familiar with just doesn’t quite live up to those homemade taste memories. This is my own take on my grandma’s recipe, updated in a few ways (beans in the meat mixture, mushrooms in the gravy) but the flavor brings back childhood nostalgia.

I still like to serve these meatballs with mashed potatoes, just like grandma. I often pair it with steamed green beans, crispy fried onions, and a dollop of lingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce in a pinch).

Makes: 6-8 servings

Prep time: 45 mins

Total time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

Meatballs
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can beans (like navy, great northern, or pinto), drained and rinsed
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper, if you have it)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• Oil for cooking

Gravy
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced
• 2-4 tablespoons water, if needed
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups chicken or beef broth (I like to use Better Than Boullion if I don’t have homemade)
• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Mash or puree the beans until creamy and place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in egg, salt, onion powder, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined. Add beef and pork; mix until just blended.
2. Use a scoop or your hands to form meat mixture into 1½-inch balls.
3. Add enough oil to just cover the bottom of a large skillet or pan over medium heat (I like to use a wide Dutch oven to keep the splatter to a minimum). Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the meatballs on 2-3 sides. Meatballs do not need to be cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add onions. If the bits from the meatballs are getting too dark or at risk of burning, add 2-4 tablespoons of water and gently scrap the bottom of the pan. Cook onions for 2-3 minutes or until softened.
5. Melt the butter and add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and flour and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Add broth, scraping up any cooked-on bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir in heavy cream and return meatballs to the pan.
7. Cover, keeping the lid slightly ajar, cook for 15-20 minutes or until sauce has thickened and meatballs are cooked through.
8. Adjust seasoning to taste.

---

To learn more about how working with a nutritionist can help you create balanced meals with foods you love, schedule a free 15-minute call.