- 500 g (1 lb) ground meat Use roughly equal parts beef and pork; the mixed meats give Swedish meatballs their tender texture
- 150 ml (~⅔–¾ cup) milk Any whole milk or light cream can be used; cream yields a richer meatbal
- 75 g (¾ cup) white breadcrumbs Fresh breadcrumbs provide moisture and help bind the mixture
- 1 egg Binds the meatball mixture.
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced Cooked onion gives sweetness and moisture.
- 1–1½ tsp salt Adjust to taste.
- ¼ tsp white pepper Traditional Swedish recipes use white pepper; black pepper can be used if white isn’t available
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice Provides the characteristic warm spice
- 1 pinch (optional) ground nutmeg Adds depth
- 2–3 tbsp butter (for frying) Butter is traditional; you can replace half with neutral oil to prevent burning.
Prepare the breadcrumbs & onion.Dice the onion finely and sauté it in a small pat of butter over medium heat until translucent but not browned. Let it cool.In a bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and allow them to soak for 5–10 minutes until soft. Mix the meatball mixture.In a large bowl, combine the soaked breadcrumbs (including any remaining milk), cooled onion, ground beef and pork, egg, salt, white pepper and allspice (plus nutmeg if using).Mix gently with clean hands or a fork until everything is evenly combined. Avoid over‑working the mixture so the meatballs stay tender. Form the meatballs.With damp hands or using an ice cream scoop, form the mixture into small balls about 2½ cm (1 inch) in diameter. A traditional Swedish meatball weighs roughly 30 g (1 oz).Place the shaped meatballs on a damp plate or baking sheet. For best texture, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pan‑fry the meatballs.Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the butter foams and then “goes quiet,” add the meatballs.Fry in batches, shaking or turning the pan often so the meatballs brown evenly on all sides. Cook until they’re nicely browned and just cooked through (7–10 minutes, depending on size). Remove to a warm plate while you cook the remaining meatballs. Serve.Serve the meatballs immediately with creamy mashed potatoes and Swedish brown gravy. In Sweden, meatballs are often accompanied by lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber.
