Impress your guests with a serving option that has tasty appeal and mighty awesomeness! In this Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer, tender beef meatballs are flavored with allspice, bake in the oven in under 30 minutes and then get enveloped in a perfectly seasoned, tangy homemade cream sauce.
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).
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 savory meal is so good, I decided to share the love with our guests at a recent gathering, though I wasn't necessarily up for the whole sit-down meal kind of thing.
So with toothpicks in hand, I made this appetizer, and let me tell you, our guests couldn't stop raving about it! Good thing I made a double batch!
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
See the printable recipe card below for measurements
For the Swedish Meatballs (makes about 60 mini meatballs):
- chopped onion- adds flavor
- butter- provides a creamy accent
- panko bread crumbs- be sure to use panko for a good consistency
- eggs, beaten- binds ingredients
- salt & pepper- accentuates flavors
- teaspoon 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 ¼ cups sauce):
- butter
- flour
- salt
- dry mustard
- whole milk- use for a thick sauce
- reduced fat sour cream- use reduced fat to slightly counteract the whole milk
- fresh dill, finely chopped- fresh dill provides a wonderful flavor
Instructions
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.
- After baking, place the meatballs in a chafing dish or crockpot (set on lowest setting) to keep them slightly warm. Add the sauce and stir.
Helpful tips
- 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!
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Small frying pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoons
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Melon baller or cookie scoop
- 9x13 baking dish or shallow baking pan, greased
- Small pot with lid
- Chafing dish or crockpot (for serving)
Storage
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.
📋Recipe
Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce Appetizer
Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs (makes about 60):
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
Dill Sauce (makes about 2 ¼ cups sauce)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
Instructions
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 13x9 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. 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 whole 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:
- After baking, place 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!
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 20-25 minutes.
- You may choose to freeze the leftover meatballs if they weren't in 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.
Fran F. says
I've always enjoyed Swedish meatballs with a brown gravy sauce, so this recipe was new for me. This cream sauce is so good! The fresh dill took it to the next level.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
This is a definitely a different and tasty way to enjoy Swedish meatballs. I'm so glad you gave it a try and be sure to check out the family meal too!