These Skillet Swedish Meatballs are sure to become part of your weekly menu. They are warm, cozy, and the perfect family dinner for any night of the week.
I know Swedish Meatballs are everyone’s favorite IKEA menu item, but you can also make them at home for the perfect savory and comforting weeknight dinner. The true secret is in the sauce: an outstanding creamy, rich gravy with a unique combination of allspice and nutmeg that really sets these apart. My entire family adores meatballs, and since these keep well in the fridge, they’re the perfect meal prep for the week ahead.
And with a quick sub to ghee instead of butter, these Easy Skillet Swedish Meatballs become a Whole30 meal! Making it the perfect meal to have prepped for your January Whole30 and one that anyone else in your household will enjoy even if they aren’t doing a Whole30 — a double win!
If you are wondering how to serve these meatballs are easiest over some store-bought egg noodles. For a great Whole30 option, you could serve them over Whole30 Mashed Potatoes. I love them paired with some roasted veggies or a big side salad for some greens alongside this dish.
Regardless, these are going to quickly become a go-to. If you love these meatballs, try some of my other favorite meatballs:
Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Whole30 Chicken Enchilada Meatballs
Easy Skillet Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef 90/10
- ½ pound ground pork
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cassava flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
For the Gravy:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter sub ghee for paleo, Whole30 or vegan butter for dairy-free
- ¼ cup halved and thinly sliced shallot about 1 medium shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cassava flour
- 1 ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs:
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, Dijon, parsley, onion, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, pepper, cassava flour, and egg. Mix until just combined, without over mixing the meat.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, measure out the meat mixture and roll into 1-inch balls.
- In a large, deep non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Working in batches to keep from crowding the skillet, sear the meatballs in a single layer and cook until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, or about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, and continue cooking the rest of the meatball, adding more oil to the pan if it becomes dry. Set aside.
- Discard the excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Then wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove excess fat and overly browned bits.
Make the Gravy and Finish the Meatballs:
- In the same skillet, add the butter and the reserved fat. Once the butter is melted, add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 2 minutes.
- Next, sprinkle the cassava over the shallot mixture and cook, stirring, to toast the flour, about 1 minute.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the beef broth until well incorporated and smooth. Add the coconut milk and continue to whisk until well incorporated. Bring the gravy to a simmer then reduce to a light simmer, about medium-low heat, until you see the sauce start to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Add the Dijon, coconut aminos, salt, pepper, allspice, apple cider vinegar and stir to combine. Nestle the meatballs back into the skillet. Continue to cook, uncovered and simmering, until meatballs are cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Taste a meatball with the sauce and add more salt, if desired. Serve as desired and top with additional parsley.
Notes
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
64 Comments
Carmen
April 5, 2023 at 3:55 pmHey Alex,
My family loves this recipe! My husband has requested I make it for his family for Easter. So I would need to make it the night before and reheat it the next day at my mother in laws house. How would you suggest the best method for that? Also I will need to double it. Would you suggest just double everything or make two separate and add them together at the end?
Thanks
Carmen
Alex
April 11, 2023 at 6:12 pmHi Carmen- yes if you double, you can just double the ingredients and make in one dutch oven. You’ll just have a lot more batches of browning. Then double the sauce and add them back in!
To reheat, I suggest reheating stove top over medium-low until they heat back through!
Brigitte
March 24, 2023 at 3:35 pmThese were delicious. Can I bake them in the oven next time instead of cooking them on the pan?
Alex
March 26, 2023 at 2:49 pmSure!!
Cara
February 15, 2023 at 4:00 amI made this recipe tonight for the first time for Valentine’s Day and WOW! It was delicious! I just finished the January W30 and am in reintroduction phase. I used almond flour in the meatballs and regular white ap flour in the sauce. It was a hit with the whole family. My 18 month old loved it, and so did my picky 3 year old! I served with roasted yellow potatoes and steamed broccoli. I can’t wait to add this into our recipe rotation!
Alex
February 15, 2023 at 1:01 pmSo happy you loved it, Cara!
Jess
February 13, 2023 at 4:58 amMade these for dinner & can’t stop swooning over them! The flavor of the meatballs & gravy are 10/10 – beyond delish!! So cozy and comforting. Served with mashed potatoes & it was the perfect combo. Thank you Alex for another incredible recipe!
Shannon
February 7, 2023 at 3:50 amMade these tonight and they were great! I’m doing Whole30 so I made with cauliflower rice.Which was delicious. But I think next time I will make with mashed potatoes because the gravy was ‘Chef’s kiss’ !
Alex
February 7, 2023 at 12:47 pmSo happy you loved them! yes, mashed potatoes is the ultimate way to serve them!
Frances
January 31, 2023 at 3:57 pmHow would you suggest preparing/heating this a few hours ahead of time for a dinner party? Can the sauce be made ahead of time and reheated?
Alex
February 2, 2023 at 1:03 pmHi! yes you can definitely do this! You could even put it all in a crockpot on low heat to keep warm until ready to serve if it’s just an hour or 2.
Bailee
January 30, 2023 at 2:11 amSo YUM!!! I used corn starch bc we are gluten free but I didn’t have cassava on hand— 10/10! Even our super picky 2.5 year old asked for not just seconds but thirds!
Hannah
February 2, 2023 at 11:06 pmWe loved this! Doubled it and froze the second batch and it made for a super easy re-heat meal one weeknight! We ate it with mashed sweet potatoes and loved. Also I snuck a 5oz bag of spinach into the gravy/sauce for extra greens and nobody in my fam noticed lol. Super good and great comfort-food meal. Was a tiny bit spicy for my 1 year old but he’s on a strict no-spiciness kick right now :/ next time I’ll leave out the cayenne and see what he thinks!
Carly
January 25, 2023 at 11:35 pmAnother 5 star recipe Alex!! Thank you for this-everyone in my family (including 3 teens) ate and loved it. Confession: I did not make the meatballs from scratch (I’m sure they’re delicious), so I just used store bought ones, basked them in the oven and then added them in the gravy at the end. Appreciate this healthier option! Will definitely be making these on repeat 😉
Alex
January 25, 2023 at 11:58 pmhaha sometimes semi-homemade is better than not at all! can always try with homemade meatballs next time. thanks for commenting!
Alex
January 26, 2023 at 12:18 pmSo glad you enjoyed it!! Great way to short cut, the sauce is really the show stopper, anyway! 🙂
Suzie Harrison
January 24, 2023 at 3:14 amAbsolutely delicious!!! So many wonderful flavors and bonus that it was a comfort meal! Reminded me of our favorite Steak Au Poivre 😉 Thank you, Alex, for creating these exceptional recipes for our families to enjoy!
Alex
January 24, 2023 at 11:48 amThank you so much for the comment, Suzie! Glad you enjoyed.
Julie
January 23, 2023 at 2:36 pmThis was delicious! I doubled the recipe and everyone loved it! Thank you as always for the amazing recipes ♥️
Alex
January 23, 2023 at 4:32 pmGlad you loved it!! Thank you, Julie!
Shelby Zamora
January 22, 2023 at 3:20 amSo delicious! Made it for dinner this evening and was a hit with my hubs and kiddos. Used only a teaspoon of ACV instead of a tablespoon after reading the comments.
Thinking about making into a meatloaf next time and use the gravy to bast and serve over mashed potatoes.
Alex
January 22, 2023 at 3:31 pmGlad you enjoyed it!!!
Stephanie
January 18, 2023 at 3:03 amMade this recipe tonight and it was so flavorful! Already had ground beef on hand so didn’t use pork. Served over pasta. Will definitely make again!
Ashley Robb
January 17, 2023 at 12:07 amDelicious! Perfect over egg noodles.
Alex
January 17, 2023 at 4:55 pmA classic combo!
Kely
January 16, 2023 at 11:47 pmThese were very good! I served them over your whole 30 mashed potatoes. Delish!
Jenna
January 14, 2023 at 6:04 pmThese are amazing! The gravy is SO good. love this flavor profile! Served over mashed cauliflower. YUM.
Whitney
January 10, 2023 at 1:45 amAlex does it again!
Alex
January 10, 2023 at 5:54 pmYay! Thank you!
Julie Edwards
January 9, 2023 at 1:02 pmCan you tell us approximately how many meatballs this recipe makes? We’re trying to multiply for a party. Thanks!
Alex
January 10, 2023 at 6:11 pmI’d say about 18-20!
Good meatballs - awful gravy
January 8, 2023 at 7:30 amI was so excited to make this tonight, my husband even requested I make a double batch. The meatballs were good. I ate a couple while waiting on the last batches to cook. The gravy, however, was so acidic. I don’t know if it was from the apple cider vinegar and other ingredients put in at the end, but the taste was nothing like the gravy from IKEA. I followed the recipe exactly how it was written. Honestly, everything smelled and looked good up until I added the final ingredients (besides meatballs). I really wish I had tried the gravy before putting those final things in. Maybe it would be okay if I omit the apple cider vinegar… might try again.
Alex
January 10, 2023 at 6:14 pmSo sorry you didn’t enjoy them! I haven’t tried doubling the recipe– so I am not sure if that makes it too acidic, but I can’t image doubling it would do that.
Meghan
January 17, 2023 at 3:05 amThe gravy was my family’s favorite part! I was literally licking it off of my plate at the end!! Haha. Not sure why the gravy didn’tturn out for these people.
Anna
January 11, 2023 at 11:02 amMy gravy also came out sour. I had followed the recipe exactly. 1 tbsp of vinegar Is a lot for this quantity of gravy..
Amy
January 7, 2023 at 6:34 pmDelicious! Before the gravy was done, I had to stop my sons and husband from eating all the meatballs. I doubled the recipe but one change was that I baked most of the meatballs at 400 for 15min. I only browned a few raw meatballs to get some of the flavor in the gravy. Just needed to complete one step in the morning instead of at dinner time to avoid hangry toddlers.
Melanie
January 9, 2023 at 3:37 amMade with regular flour and heavy cream and they were DELICIOUS. Best thing I’ve made in a long time!! The first recipe I cooked in our new house and will always have a great memory from this recipe!!!
Alex
January 9, 2023 at 7:49 pmSo glad this was a hit for your first dinner in your new home!
Shawn
January 6, 2023 at 7:09 pmI made these last night and they were good. Based on personal preference I will reduce the cayenne pepper in the meatballs and also use ground sirloin next time as opposed to ground beef because I think it is more tender. I used arrowroot because I didn’t have cassava flour and it worked well. I’m doing a Whole30 now, so I served with a yellow finn mash, yum.
Julia
January 6, 2023 at 3:31 amSO DELICIOUS! Served ours over the microwave jasmine rice and it was incredible!
Alex
January 6, 2023 at 7:45 pmGlad you loved it!
Bianca Schiffman
January 5, 2023 at 6:32 pmIs there a sub for the coconut milk? Excited to try these!
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 8:45 pmHeavy Creamer is the best sub!
Taylor
January 13, 2023 at 8:53 pmNot very good at all
Jennifer
January 5, 2023 at 8:06 amCan you use ground Turkey or chicken?
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 5:55 pmYes! You can use ground turkey here, I would just recommend using dark meat!
Judith S
January 5, 2023 at 4:14 amMade these tonight! Turned out so great!! The gravy is everything. We used it on wide fusilli pasta and it was 👩🏻🍳 😘
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 5:51 pmFabulous!!! Thanks for the review and comment, Judith!
Mike
January 5, 2023 at 12:27 amTried this tonight with egg noodles. Absolutely delicious. Incredible recipe! I think this will be a regular from now on, so easy and so tasty.
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 5:52 pmThank you, Mike! So happy you enjoyed it, and thanks for the comment!
Megan
January 5, 2023 at 9:43 pmWhat can you sub for cassava flour? Will basic white flour work? I do not have and couldn’t find any store this time. I do have almond and tapioca flour. Thanks!
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 10:51 pmI would go with all purpose for this one!
Katie
January 6, 2023 at 12:53 amWould all beef work? No pork in sight here…
Alex
January 6, 2023 at 7:46 pmyes!
Ckow
January 4, 2023 at 11:33 pmOMG frickin’ YUM!! These are amazeballs!! You struck again!! Thank you!!
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 5:52 pmWoohoo!! Thanks so much!
Ellie
January 4, 2023 at 9:44 pmIs there a sub for cassava flour?
Alex
January 5, 2023 at 5:54 pmRegular All-purpose Flour will work here.
Mar V
January 4, 2023 at 4:34 pmHello, excited to try this recipe.
I have almost all of the ingredients to make it except for the beef broth. Do you think if I use chicken broth it will change the flavor much?
Thank you!
Alex
January 4, 2023 at 6:22 pmChicken broth will work fine!
Trish Caldwell
January 3, 2023 at 6:04 pmDo you have any tips to prepare these as a freezer meal for an upcoming surgery? Would love to make these and have on hand for a quick meal.
Alex
January 4, 2023 at 6:27 pmI think that these will freeze well as is! just make sure to fully cool, then freeze in a airtight container.
Aynsley
January 7, 2023 at 5:02 pmCan they freeze with the sauce too? That would be a game changer to freeze everything after batch cooking and then do a warm up for dinner! Xoxo thank you!!!!
Alex
January 10, 2023 at 6:15 pmYes!! These should freeze well!