grandma's swedish meatballs

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Karen Carbone
Yarmouth, MA

My great grandparents immigrated to the states in 1908 from Sweden and this is the recipe that has been past down through 4 generation here in the states. Hope you enjoy it.

(1 rating)
yield 6 -8
prep time 15 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For grandma's swedish meatballs

  • 2 1/2 lb
    ground beef
  • 1/2 lb
    ground pork
  • 1
    sleeve saltine crackers crushed fine
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 3/4 tsp
    powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp
    ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    ground cardamom
  • 1/3 c
    finely minced onion
  • 2
    eggs beaten
  • 3/4 c
    cream
  • 1/2 c
    lite olive oil or canola oil
  • 1/2 c
    all purpose flour
  • 32 oz
    low sodium beef broth

How To Make grandma's swedish meatballs

  • 1
    In a large bowl combine ground meats,salt,spices saltines, minced onion, eggs and cream, mix very well, cover and refrigerate over night so flavors blend through.
  • 2
    Remove mixture from fridge, and portion into rolled meatballs ( grandma made walnut sized ones, mine are about golf ball size...less rolling, lol )
  • 3
    In a large frying pan add 1/2 cup light olive oil or canola oil over medium heat, add meatballs, do not over crowd pan and brown on all sides ( I cook about 10 at a time ) be care not to have heat so high the the little bits that stick to pan burn. Continue ti;; all meatballs are cooked. Place in a casserole dish and keep warm in oven while making gravy.
  • 4
    For the gravy: add 1/2 flour to fat in pan,whisk constantly till lite brown, add low sodium beef broth gradually, whisking as you go till smooth,bring to simmer, then pour over meatballs.
  • 5
    We always served this with whipped potatoes, green beans and Lingonberry preserves... cranberry sauce is very close in flavor to lingonberry.

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