Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesSwedish meatballs
Posted: 21/07/2025Updated: 21/07/2025
Meatballs consisting of minced pork and beef in a lightly spiced cream sauce, served with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and dill pickled cucumbers.
Ingredients
Servings
Dill pickled cucumbers
- 1 medium Cucumber
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons White sugar
- 1 teaspoon Whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons White wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Fresh dill, chopped
- Water
Mashed potatoes
- 800 grams Potatoes
- 50 grams Unsalted butter
- 100 millilitres Whole milk
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
Meatballs
- 250 grams Minced beef 15%
- 250 grams Minced pork 15%
- 50 grams Breadcrumbs (fresh)
- 60 millilitres Whole milk
- 1 small Brown onion
- 1 medium Egg
- 0.25 teaspoon All spice
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1.5 tablespoons Butter
Gravy
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Plain flour
- 350 millilitres Beef stock
- 150 millilitres Double cream
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dill pickled cucumbers
- Thinly slice cucumbers. Mix the cucumbers with salt, black peppercorns, sugar, vinegar, and dill in a jar. Add enough water to fully submerge the contents and seal.
- Seal with a lid and toss well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Mashed potatoes
- Peel and chop the potatoes evenly. Boil potatoes in well-salted water until very soft (15–18 minutes).
- Drain thoroughly, return to pot, and mash with butter and warm milk.
- Season to taste, add the ground nutmeg before covering to keep warm.
Meatballs
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes.
- Dice the brown onion and fry in 0.5 tablespoons of the butter until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.
- Mix the breadcrumb mixture with the onions, beef, pork, egg, salt, pepper, all spice, and nutmeg until just combined.
- Form into 16–20 small meatballs.
- Fry in butter over medium heat until browned and cooked through, turning occasionally (8–10 minutes). Set aside.
Gravy
- In the same pan, melt butter and gradually whisk in flour. Cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
- Gradually whisk in stock. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Stir in cream and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste.
To serve
- Plate creamy mash with meatballs and gravy. Add a side of the pickled cucumber, and a spoonful of lingonberry jam.
My notes
Cooking tips
- If possible, prepare the dill pickled cucumbers at least the night before for the best results.
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk before mixing with meat — this keeps meatballs tender and moist.
- Don’t overwork the meat mixture. Mix just until combined to avoid dense, tough meatballs.
- Place the meatballs separated on a tray and allow to set slightly in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. This allows them to hold their shape while cooking.
- Brown meatballs gently over medium heat. Avoid high heat that can burn the butter or dry out the meatballs.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan: fry meatballs in batches with space around them for even browning, rather than steaming.
- Warm the cream before adding to the gravy as this prevents curdling and will keep the sauce smooth.
- Simmer gravy gently: boiling the gravy after adding cream can cause it to split; keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Use starchy potatoes for mash (like Maris Piper or King Edward) for a fluffy and creamy texture.
Alternative ingredients
- The ratio of pork and beef is completely personal preference.
- Instead of double cream, use about 120ml soured cream.
- If you don't have Worcestershire sauce, substitute for 0.5 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoons light soy sauce, and 0.5 teaspoons fish sauce.
- Use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar to substitute white wine vinegar.
- Lingonberry jam is traditional however you can substitute for cranberry jam (sweeter and less tart) if necessary.
Storage instructions
Allow all components to cool completely before storing.
- Refrigeration: The meatballs and gravy can be stored together in an airtight container for 3 days. Store the mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the pickled cucumbers refrigerated in a sealed jar or container - best consumed within 5–7 days for freshness and texture.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the meatballs and gravy separately in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. It is not recommended to freeze mashed potato due to poor texture after thawing.
Re-heating instructions
If frozen, allow to thaw completely in the fridge overnight.
- Stove: Re-heat the meatballs in gravy gently over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water, stock, or cream if the sauce thickens too much. Avoid boiling to prevent drying or splitting the sauce.
Re-heat the mashed potatoes in a pot over low heat, stirring in a little milk or butter to loosen and restore creaminess. - Microwave: Alternatively, microwave the meatballs, gravy and mashed potatoes covered at medium power in short bursts, stirring between.
Nutrition and dietary facts
(Per serving) Calories: 645kcal (29%), Protein: 25g (42%), Fat: 35.4g (44%), Saturated fat: 17.1g (114%), Carbohydrates: 40g (15%), Sugars: 5g (20%), Fibre: 4.1g (14%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.