Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer

This Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer is a very special, savory treat! Impress your guests with a serving option that has tasty appeal and mighty awesomeness! These tender little meatball marvels are flavored with allspice, bake in the oven in under 30 minutes and then get all dressed up in a tangy homemade sauce.

Once you serve them, they will be going…going…gone–fast!

Why We Love It

My family is obsessed with homemade Swedish meatballs–and trust me, winning them over with a different kind of meatball over the traditional was no small feat.

Almost instantly, everyone fell in love with my Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce family meal (pictured below, which is the inspiration for this appetizer). Whether I serve it over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles, it always gets quickly gobbled up. Why? Because the meatballs are tender and amazingly flavorful. And the creamy, tangy dill sauce that gets drizzled on top like a gravy, is top-notch and full of fresh flavor.

This family favorite meal is just so good, that I decided to share the love with our guests at a recent gathering. But I wasn’t necessarily up for the whole sit-down meal kind of thing. That’s when it occurred to me that I could take my tasty recipe and turn it into an appetizer!

So with toothpicks (among other things) in hand, that’s exactly what I did. And let me tell you, our guests couldn’t stop raving about this Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer! Good thing I made a double batch!

Why You’ll Love It

If you’ve made my Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce family meal, then you already know how delicious it is! I will say, however, that there are a few tweaks with the recipe when making it as an appetizer. We double the amount of meatballs to make 5 dozen. We also use whole milk for a thicker sauce, which works better for the appetizer version (you don’t want to see anything dripping onto your couch, am I right?).

If you’re completely new to this recipe, there are two great things that make it so easy to prepare. Once assembled, these little marvels bake in the oven and are ready to go in 20 minutes! And, you can also make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them before you bake them–bonus!

Ingredients for Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer

For the Swedish Meatballs (makes about 60 mini meatballs):

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion– adds flavor
• 2 tablespoons butter– provides a creamy accent
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs– be sure to use panko for a good consistency
• 2 eggs, beaten– binds ingredients
• 2 teaspoons salt– accentuates flavors
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice– provides a wonderful, savory, aromatic taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 pounds lean ground beef– 85% or higher works just fine in this and doesn’t dry out in the oven

For the Dill Sauce (makes about 2 1/4 cups sauce):

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 & 1/2 cups whole milk– use for a thick sauce
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream– use reduced fat to slightly counteract the whole milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped– fresh dill provides a wonderful flavor

How to make Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer

You’ll want to gather the following equipment:

• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Small frying pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Mixing spoons
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Melon baller or cookie scoop
• 9×13 baking dish or shallow baking pan, greased
• Small pot with lid
• Chafing dish or crockpot (for serving)

Kitchen Ready Betty tips:

• Before starting, dice the onion
• Beat the eggs

Let’s Get Started By Making Some Meatballs!

Sautée the onion and butter in a small frying pan until tender.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, eggs, salt, allspice and pepper; beat well.

Stir in meat and onion; mix well–but DO NOT OVERMIX!

Lightly grease your 13 x 9 baking dish or shallow baking pan. Then use a melon baller/cookie scoop to form meatballs. Place meatballs in the prepared dish/pan.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: The more you handle the meat in shaping it, the less tender your meatballs will be!

Cover the baking dish/pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: While not required, when you chill the meat before baking it, it will hold its shape much better!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: The best time to make the dill sauce is while the meatballs are baking!

How to Make the Dill Sauce

Dice the dill before you make the sauce. Then set aside for the last step!

In a small pan, melt the butter over low heat.

Blend in the flour, salt and dry mustard. Then raise the heat to medium.

Add the whole milk; cook and stir constantly until thickened.

Reduce heat back to low and stir in sour cream and dill. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serving Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer:

After baking, place the meatballs in a chafing dish or crockpot (set on lowest setting) to keep them slightly warm. Add the dill sauce and you’re good to go!

Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer Leftovers?

Store cooked meatballs and dill sauce together in an airtight container; refrigerate and enjoy within 3-5 days.

Reheating instructions: Reheat meatballs and sauce together in a covered dish at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Freezing options:

• You may choose to freeze any leftover meatballs that weren’t in the sauce. Wrap them well in freezer-safe packaging and store for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge; reheat covered in 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
• You can also freeze the meatballs before baking them. Store in your freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge; then bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Due to the sour cream, freezing is NOT recommended for the sauce or for any meatballs that were in the sauce.