Description
These Crockpot Swedish Meatballs are an easy and healthy comfort food choice with tender homemade meatballs in a rich creamy gravy. This quick and simple recipe delivers the best cozy flavor with minimal hands on work and dependable results. Serve it over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a satisfying weeknight dinner and save the leftovers for meal prep. It is also a welcoming option for a holiday gathering or potluck or brunch or casual party.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1/2 pound Ground pork
- 3/4 cup Plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Whole milk
- 1 Large egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons All purpose flour
- 2 cups Beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup Sour cream
- 8 ounces cooked Egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons chopped Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and let the crumbs absorb the liquid until they become soft and unevenly swollen. The mixture changes from dry loose crumbs into a thick pale paste with a few visible coarse pieces.
- Fold the beef and pork into the softened breadcrumbs with the egg and onion and garlic and warm spices until the mixture looks evenly combined yet slightly rough. Shape the mixture into sixteen irregular meatballs with small size differences and natural creases across their surfaces.
- Brown the sixteen meatballs until two sides develop uneven golden brown patches while the centers remain uncooked. The meatballs become firmer and darker with a few browned edges and they shift into a loose cluster after being turned.
- Combine the butter and flour until they form a pale golden paste and then blend in the beef broth with Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. The liquid changes into a smooth light brown gravy that lightly coats the meatballs after it is poured around them.
- Cook the meatballs gently until they are fully cooked and tender while the gravy becomes darker and noticeably thicker. The sixteen meatballs shift into overlapping clusters with softened edges and the bubbling gravy clings unevenly around each piece.
- Fold the sour cream through the hot gravy until the sauce becomes pale and creamy with faint darker swirls left between the meatballs. Place four meatballs over one portion of softly folded egg noodles and spoon the creamy gravy over them before scattering parsley unevenly across the top.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Keep the meatballs close in size but not perfectly identical so they cook evenly while retaining a natural homemade appearance.
- Brown only two sides of each meatball because full cooking happens in the crockpot and excessive browning can dry the centers.
- Stir the sour cream into the gravy after the heat is reduced so the sauce remains smooth and does not separate.
- Prepare the meatballs one day ahead and refrigerate them covered so weeknight assembly becomes faster and easier.
Storage: Cool the Crockpot Swedish Meatballs before storing them so condensation does not thin the creamy gravy. Transfer the meatballs and sauce into a sealed container within two hours of cooking. Refrigerate the meatballs for up to four days. Store the egg noodles separately when possible because they can absorb too much gravy and become overly soft. Reheat the meatballs gently until steaming throughout. Add a small splash of beef broth or milk when the gravy has become too thick during refrigeration. Freeze the cooked meatballs in their gravy before adding sour cream for the smoothest texture. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir in fresh sour cream after reheating.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Swedish inspired