Swedish Meatballs Party Appetizer with Creamy Gravy

Name: Swedish Meatballs Party Appetizer with Creamy Gravy
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1 h 6 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients: ¾ cup (85 g) plain dried breadcrumbs; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 small (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely grated on the small holes of a box grater, juices included; 1 lb (454 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold; 1 lb (454 g) ground pork, cold; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt; ¾ tsp (2 g) ground allspice; ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground nutmeg; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as canola; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warmed; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream; 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional); 4 tbsp (80 g) lingonberry jam, for serving on the side (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender beef-and-pork meatballs, gently spiced with allspice and nutmeg, are browned in a skillet and simmered in a silky cream gravy. Bite-sized, make-ahead friendly and perfect with toothpicks and a spoonful of lingonberry jam.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 43 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 36 min
Makes: About 48 one-inch meatballs with gravy (12 appetizer servings of 4 meatballs)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the meatballs
¾ cup (85 g) plain dried breadcrumbs
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 small (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely grated on the small holes of a box grater, juices included
1 lb (454 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold
1 lb (454 g) ground pork, cold
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt
¾ tsp (2 g) ground allspice
¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground nutmeg
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For browning
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as canola
For the gravy
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warmed
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
To serve
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
4 tbsp (80 g) lingonberry jam, for serving on the side (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
Small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) or measuring tablespoon
12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with lid
Whisk
Instant-read thermometer
Toothpicks and a serving dish or small slow cooker for serving

Steps

Before you start

Take the beef, pork and egg out of the fridge 15 minutes before mixing so they mix easily, but keep the meat cold to the touch.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the shaped meatballs, and have a large plate ready for the browned ones.
Use ground beef and pork that are not extra-lean (about 80% lean). Leaner meat makes dry, tough meatballs.
You will brown the meatballs in 3 batches, so read through the method once before starting.

1
Soak the breadcrumbs
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk.
- Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk and form a thick, wet paste (a panade).
- This keeps the meatballs tender and moist.
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Ready when: Crumbs look like a thick, evenly moist paste with no dry pockets
2
Mix the meatball base
- Grate the onion on the small holes of a box grater straight into the bowl with the panade, including its juices.
- Add the egg, salt, allspice, nutmeg and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the beef and pork.
- With clean, lightly wet hands, mix for about 1 minute, just until the meat and seasonings are evenly combined and the mixture looks slightly sticky.
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Ready when: No streaks of unmixed panade or egg remain
Tip: Do not overmix. Working the meat too long makes the meatballs dense and rubbery.
3
Shape the meatballs
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon to portion the mixture (about 25 g / 1 oz each), then roll between damp palms into smooth 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls.
- Arrange them on the sheet in rows without touching.
- You should have about 48.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth, uniform in size and hold their shape
Tip: Rinse your hands under cold water every few minutes so the mixture doesn't stick to them.
4
Chill the meatballs
- Refrigerate the tray of meatballs, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Chilling firms up the fat so the meatballs hold their round shape and brown cleanly instead of flattening in the pan.
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Ready when: Meatballs feel firm and cold to the touch
5
Brown in batches
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the frying butter and swirl until the butter foams.
- Add about 16 meatballs, leaving space between them.
- Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning every 1½ minutes with tongs or a spoon, until browned on all sides.
- Move to a large plate.
- Repeat with the remaining oil, butter and meatballs for 3 batches total.
- They will not be cooked through yet.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown crust on all sides
Tip: If the pan smokes or the browned bits turn black, lower the heat to medium. Burnt bits will make the gravy bitter.
6
Start the roux
- Carefully pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, leaving the browned bits.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the gravy butter and let it melt.
- Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 1½ minutes, until it forms a smooth paste that smells lightly nutty and is pale golden.
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Ready when: Smooth paste, pale golden, with a toasty smell and no raw flour odor
Tip: If the pan is too dry for the roux to come together, add 1 teaspoon more butter.
7
Build the gravy
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while whisking, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Whisk in the cream, Dijon and soy sauce.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking often, for 3 to 4 minutes until the gravy is lightly thickened.
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Ready when: Gravy is smooth and coats the back of a spoon, leaving a clear line when you run a finger through it
Tip: Add the broth slowly at first. Pouring it all in at once can make the roux lumpy.
8
Simmer meatballs in gravy
- Return the meatballs and any juices on the plate to the skillet and spoon the gravy over them.
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 12 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through.
- The gravy should barely bubble.
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Ready when: The center of a meatball reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer and no pink remains
Tip: Boiling the cream gravy can make it split. Keep it at a bare simmer.
9
Rest and season
- Turn off the heat and let the meatballs rest in the gravy for 5 minutes, which lets the gravy thicken to a coating consistency.
- Taste the gravy and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.
- If it is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water or broth.
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Ready when: Gravy lightly coats the meatballs and pools only a little in the pan
10
Garnish and serve
- Transfer the meatballs and gravy to a warm serving dish or small slow cooker set to warm.
- Sprinkle with the parsley, if using, and stick a toothpick into each meatball.
- Serve with the lingonberry jam on the side for dipping or spooning on top.
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Ready when: Meatballs are steaming hot and glossy with gravy
Tip: Keep on the warm setting and stir gently every 30 minutes; add a splash of broth if the gravy tightens.

Good to know

Tips

Grating the onion rather than chopping it adds moisture and flavor without leaving crunchy bits in small meatballs.
Keep the meatballs a uniform 1-inch size so they brown and cook through at the same rate.
To test the seasoning before shaping, fry a teaspoon of the mixture in a small pan, taste, and adjust the salt and spices.
For easy serving at a party, hold the meatballs in a small slow cooker on the warm setting for up to 2 hours.

Make ahead

"Shape the meatballs up to 1 day ahead, cover the tray tightly and refrigerate. Or fully cook the meatballs and gravy up to 2 days ahead, cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or milk, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C)."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours (including time on the party table). Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, with the gravy; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk if the gravy has thickened, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave in short bursts, stirring between."

Substitutions

plain dried breadcrumbs → Panko breadcrumbs (1 cup / 60 g). Panko is lighter and absorbs less milk, so the meatballs are slightly softer. Gluten-free crumbs work too.
heavy cream → Half-and-half (1 cup / 240 ml). The gravy will be a little thinner and less rich; simmer 2 minutes longer and don't let it boil hard.
ground pork → Ground veal or additional ground beef. All beef gives a firmer, beefier meatball; veal makes them more tender. Keep the total at 2 lb (908 g).
lingonberry jam → Cranberry sauce or red currant jelly. Gives the same sweet-tart contrast to the rich gravy.