Whether served over rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles, Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce is a special, savory family meal! Seasoned with allspice and served in a tangy homemade cream sauce that features fresh dill, this is comfort food at its finest!
This Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce recipe has won my family over and that’s no small feat–trust me.
Swedish meatballs are definitely a change of pace from the traditional meatball. Honestly, because they bake in the oven, I actually find them easier to cook (no checking on that frying pan every few minutes).
The tender, soft baked meatballs in this recipe are seasoned with allspice. Not only does the allspice add a tremendous pop of flavor to the ground beef, it compliments the dill cream sauce quite nicely.
What sets this Swedish Meatball recipe apart from many other versions is the sauce. Most recipes use a seasoned brown gravy with fresh cream (ala Ikea-style–did you know that they serve and sell Swedish meatballs?). But this recipe is all about the tangy homemade dill sauce, which is made from sour cream and milk, and is super easy (and more affordable) to make.
We enjoy this recipe so much, I now have an appetizer version that I serve at parties to share the love! (Pictured below)
Why You’ll Love It
| 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 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 fantastic cream sauce. 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 for Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce (Family Meal)
For a complete list with measurements, see the printable recipe card below
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 Sauce (makes about 2 & 1/4 cups sauce):
- butter
- flour
- salt & dry mustard
- 1 & 1/2 cups 1% milk– use either 1% or skim for a thin sauce (we use whole milk in the appetizer version of this recipe for a much thicker sauce)
- sour cream– 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
Click here for a list of equipment needed for this recipe
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Small frying pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoons
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Melon baller or cookie scoop
- 8×8 baking dish or shallow baking pan, greased
- Small pot with lid (for sauce)
- Medium pot with lid (for noodles, rice or mashed potatoes–prepare your choice when making the sauce)
How to Make Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce
For more detailed instructions, see the printable recipe card below
- Sauté 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 your baking dish or shallow baking 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 a minimum of 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Dice the dill before you make the sauce. 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 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.
Helpful Tips for this Recipe
- The more you handle the meat in shaping it, the less tender your meatballs will be!
- When you chill the meat before baking it, it will hold its shape much better.
- The best time to make the dill sauce is while the meatballs are baking! This is also when you should make the noodles, rice or potatoes that you’re serving with this meal.
Storing Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce
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 15-20 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 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.
Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce (Family Meal)
Description
Mini meatballs are seasoned with allspice and mixed with panko breadcrumbs before baking in the oven. Topped with an amazing homemade dill cream sauce made on your stovetop, this savory meal is at its finest when served on top of lightly buttered noodles.
Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce (Family Meal)
Swedish Meatballs (makes approx. 30 mini meatballs)
Dill Sauce (makes about 2 1/4 cups sauce)
How to Make Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce (Family Meal)
Meatballs:
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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 your 8x8 baking dish or shallow pan. Then use a melon baller/cookie scoop to form meatballs. Place meatballs in the prepared dish.
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.
This step is not required, but 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.
Make the dill sauce while the meatballs are baking. This is also the time to make the lightly buttered egg noodles (our favorite), rice or mashed potatoes that you are serving with this meal.
Dill Sauce:
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Dice the dill. Set aside for last step.
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In a small pan, melt the butter over low heat.
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Blend in the flour, salt and dry mustard. Then raise the heat to medium.
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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.
Serving:
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Serve the baked meatballs over lightly buttered egg noodles (our favorite way), rice or mashed potatoes. Then pour on the dill sauce, which is used as a gravy here!
Storage and Reheating:
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Refrigerator
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.
Depending on how many meatballs I have leftover, I sometimes make an extra batch (or half batch) of sauce to enjoy them with! -
Freezer
You may choose to freeze the leftover meatballs if they 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 15-20 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, I would not freeze the dill sauce or any meatballs that were in dill sauce.
Note
I always use fresh dill for the sauce, but you may substitute dry dill if you prefer.
1% milk works best for the dill sauce in this recipe to provide a thin gravy.
The more you handle the meat in shaping it, the less tender your Swedish meatballs will be. A melon baller or cookie scoop is highly recommended!
