Move over, IKEA... there's a new favorite in town. If you're looking for the ultimate classic comfort food, this swedish meatballs with egg noodles recipe is about to become your new weeknight obsession. We're talking tender, allspice-seasoned meatballs smothered in a rich and creamy dill sauce (with no heavy cream!) over buttery egg noodles. It's basically a hug from Nana on a plate!
If you love classic comfort food, this swedish meatballs with egg noodles recipe is for you. This retro recipe is low-effort, budget-friendly, contains no heavy cream, and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
The tender, soft baked meatballs in this meal are seasoned with warm allspice. Not only does this add a delightful pop of flavor to the ground beef, it complements the creamy dill sauce quite nicely.
What really sets these homemade swedish meatballs with egg noodles apart is the rich yet simple gravy sauce. Most recipes use a heavy seasoned brown gravy with fresh cream, but this retro version features a savory white sauce made from sour cream and milk that is super easy, lower in fat, and affordable to make.
We enjoy this recipe so much, I now have an appetizer version that I serve at parties!
Jump to:
- 😍Why You'll Love Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles Recipe
- 🥘Ingredients Needed
- 🔪How To Make Swedish Meatballs Over Egg Noodles
- 🥣Easy Substitutions
- 📖Creative Variations
- 🍽Equipment
- 🍶Storage
- ✅Betty's Top Tip: The Secret To The Best Swedish Meatballs
- 🗨️Swedish Meatballs FAQ
- 🥄More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- 🍴Pairing
- 📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
- 💬 Comments
😍Why You'll Love Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles Recipe
| Easy, make ahead meatball recipe- Swedish meatballs actually come out better when they've chilled for a bit in the fridge before baking, making this an excellent make ahead, easy meal prep choice. Meatballs bake in 20 minutes- That's right. They're ready in less than a half hour, which is just the right amount of time to make the creamy dill gravy. Keeps well- You can freeze the meatballs before or after baking them, provided they weren't in the sauce. They freeze well for up to 3 months! |
🥘Ingredients Needed
For the Swedish Meatballs (makes about 30 mini meatballs):
- onion- adds flavor
- butter- provides a creamy accent
- panko bread crumbs- as a shortcut, we use panko instead of soaking white bread
- egg- binds ingredients
- salt & pepper- accentuates flavors
- allspice- provides a wonderful, savory, aromatic taste
- lean ground beef- 85% or higher works just fine in this and doesn't dry out in the oven
For the Dill Gravy (makes about 2 & ¼ cups sauce):
- butter
- flour
- salt & dry mustard
- 1 & ½ cups 2% milk- provides just enough richness (we use whole milk in the appetizer version of this recipe for a much thicker sauce)
- sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)- I like to use reduced fat, but you may choose full fat if you prefer a slightly thicker sauce
- fresh dill, finely chopped- fresh dill provides a wonderful flavor; choose this over dried dill
You will also need one package of wide egg noodles, cooked to al dente and additional butter.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪How To Make Swedish Meatballs Over Egg Noodles
- Step 1: Mix the ingredients for the meatballs, but don't overmix to keep them tender.
- Step 2: Use a melon baller/cookie scoop to form meatballs. Place meatballs in the prepared dish; refrigerate for 1 hour before baking.
- Step 3: Make the gravy sauce on the stove. At the same time, boil the egg noodles to al dente according to package directions, drain promptly, and allow butter to melt over the noodles.
- Step 4: Add dill and keep warm. When ready to serve, place buttered egg noodles on serving plates, top with a few meatballs, and drizzle the gravy on top.
Hint: The best time to make the dill gravy sauce is while the meatballs are baking. This is also when you should boil the egg noodles. Cooking the egg noodles to al dente and then draining them promptly ensures that they won't get too soggy or fall apart when mixed with the sauce.
🥣Easy Substitutions
Meat: You can use extra lean ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef. You may also use a combination of ground beef and pork, which is found in many traditional Swedish meatball recipes.
Breadcrumbs: If you don't have panko, use crushed saltine crackers.
📖Creative Variations
Swedish Meatball Sandwich: Put hot meatballs into a toasted hoagie or club roll, then drizzle with the dill sauce for a delicious sandwich. You may also choose to add sauteed sliced mushrooms and onions.
Skewers: Serve the meatballs on skewers, stacked in between grilled mushrooms or halved grilled baby potatoes (or both!). Provide the dill sauce on the side as a dipping sauce. You might also include Creamy Dijon Sauce for a variety.
🍽Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Small frying pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoons
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Melon baller or cookie scoop
- 8x8 baking dish or shallow baking pan, greased
- Small pot with lid (for gravy sauce)
- Medium pot with lid (for noodles)
🍶Storage
Store cooked Swedish meatballs and dill sauce together in an airtight container; refrigerate and enjoy within 3-5 days. Store any leftover cooked noodles separately so they don't become mushy.
Reheating instructions: Reheat meatballs and sauce together in a covered dish at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Reheat noodles over low heat with an additional pat of butter on the stove.
Freezing options:
- You can freeze any leftover meatballs that weren't in the gravy 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 15-20 minutes.
- You can 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.
Because of the sour cream, freezing is NOT recommended for the sauce or for any meatballs that were in the sauce.
✅Betty's Top Tip: The Secret To The Best Swedish Meatballs
The more you handle the meat in shaping it, the less tender your Swedish meatballs will be. It's also helpful to chill the formed meatballs before baking them, which ensures they hold their shape and stay ultra-juicy in the oven!
🗨️Swedish Meatballs FAQ
Yes you can, but know that there is a much different flavor profile between the two. The seasoned meatballs in this recipe pair better with the dill sauce. Because this recipe freezes well without the sauce, you can make an entire batch and freeze some for later for a quick meal.
Alfredo sauce is typically thicker and stronger in taste than the homemade cream sauce in this recipe. If you choose to use alfredo, buy plain and thin it with some white cooking wine, then add the fresh dill.
The distinct, comforting taste of Swedish meatballs comes down to two traditional elements: warm spices like allspice baked right into the meat mixture, and in this version, a rich, savory sour cream sauce instead of a traditional beef brown gravy.
No, they have distinct flavor profiles. While both use sour cream or dairy as a base, traditional beef stroganoff features a savory brown sauce seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and mushrooms. In contrast, this recipe uses a light, creamy white sauce infused with fresh dill rather than beef broth or mushrooms.
Yes, you can easily make a delicious Swedish meatball sauce without heavy cream. Instead of heavy whipping cream, this recipe uses a savory white sauce base made from sour cream and milk whisked with butter and flour. This lighter, budget-friendly alternative provides that rich, velvety texture and tangy depth without needing traditional heavy cream.
🥄More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these, or head over to our Beef recipes page:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite desserts to serve after enjoying Swedish Meatballs with Egg noodles:
📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles
Equipment
- square baking dish (well greased)
- small cookie scoop
- small suacepan with lid
- small frying pan
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Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs (makes approx. 30 mini meatballs)
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Dill Sauce (makes about 2 ¼ cups sauce)
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 ½ cups 2% milk at room temperature to prevent curdling
- 1 cup reduced fat sour cream at room temperature to prevent curdling
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
Buttered Egg Noodles
- 16 oz wide egg noodles cooked to al dente according to package directions
- 4 tablespoon butter (½ stick) at room temperature
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Sautée the onion and butter in a small frying pan until tender.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, egg, salt, allspice and pepper; beat well.
- Stir in meat and onion; mix well--but DO NOT OVERMIX!
- Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish or shallow pan. Then use a melon baller/cookie scoop to form meatballs. Place meatballs in the prepared dish.
- Cover the baking dish/pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take the meatball baking dish out of the fridge while oven preheats. Remove plastic wrap and bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Dill Sauce:
- Dice the dill. Set aside for 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 milk; cook and stir constantly until thickened.
- Reduce heat back to low and stir in sour cream and dill. Keep warm unitl ready to serve.
Egg Noodles:
- Cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain promptly. Add 4 tablespoon butter, cover, and allow to melt; stir before serving.
Serving:
- Place buttered noodles on serving plates. Top with desired amount of meatballs. Drizzle dill gravy sauce on top.
Storage and Reheating:
- Store cooked meatballs and dill sauce together in an airtight container; refrigerate and enjoy within 3-5 days. Reheat meatballs and sauce together in a covered dish at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Store any leftover noodles separately and reheat on stove over low heat with a small pat of butter.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Nellie T. says
The dill cream sauce was really delicious with these meatballs. I have some leftover and will be trying the sandwich version listed above. Thanks for the great recipe.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Excellent! The cream sauce really goes well with these Swedish meatballs. Come back and let us know how you enjoyed the sandwich!
Barbara says
I've eaten Italian meatballs for years, but this version sounds tempting, especially the dill sauce.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Thank you! This is a great make ahead recipe that bakes in the oven. The sauce really makes it special.
Mike says
MMMMM...Swedish meatballs are a family favorite in my house and your recipe looks delicious, though I'm not a fan of dill myself I typically use parsley instead but either works nicely. I like your idea of serving them on a skewer, what a fun idea!
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Hi Mike! Parsley is a fantastic substitution if you aren't a big fan of the traditional dill sauce. These Swedish meatballs are such a classic, comforting family meal, and I love that serving them on a skewer makes them so fun for everyone to eat! I hope your family enjoys them for dinner soon—let me know how they turn out with the parsley!