Swedish Meatballs

"Köttbullar" (i.e. meatballs) is a Swedish dish, traditionally served with boiled potatoes and a "lingonberry sauce", similar to a cranberry sauce. The spice used here is the berry of a pimiento tree. It is aptly named "allspice" because it tastes like a combination of spices, mostly cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

• Recipe
• Nutrition Info
• Reviews ( 187 )

Ingredients

1/2	potatoes, peeled		100 g
2 tsp	Italian parsley, fresh, minced		4 g
1/4	onions, finely chopped		50 g
1	eggs size large
400 g	ground beef, lean, or medium-lean
1 1/2 tbsp	milk, partly skimmed, 2%		23 mL
1/4 tsp	allspice powder		1 g
1/4 tsp	salt, or to taste		2 g
	ground pepper to taste [optional]
2 1/2 tbsp	brown sugar		28 g
2 tbsp	Dijon mustard		30 g
2 tsp	apple cider vinegar		10 mL
2 tsp	canola oil		10 mL
2 tsp	olive oil		10 mL
	aluminum foil

Before you start

These meatballs can be cooked either in the oven or using an outdoor grill.

If shaped into smaller meatballs, they may be served as appetizers with extra sauce for dipping.

Method

1. Peel the potatoes, then boil them until they are very tender, 20-25 min. Drain them well, then put them in a bowl and mash.
2. Mince the parsley, then add half to the bowl of the potatoes and reserve the rest. Finely chop the onion, then add it to the bowl. Add the egg, ground beef, milk, allspice, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, blend the mixture together until it is just combined well (do not overmix). Form the mixture into 2-3 cm balls and arrange them on a tray. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 h, or up to overnight. The purpose is to firm up the meat mixture.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients, including the reserved parsley, except the olive oil, until the brown sugar is dissolved and a sauce consistency is obtained. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and sauté until they are golden on all sides, about 5 min. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the sauce.
6. Cover loosely with foil and roast in the middle of the oven 25-30 min. Alternatively, the meatballs may be threaded onto bamboo skewers and cooked on the oiled rack of an outdoor grill. Serve the meatballs with any remaining sauce on the side.

Recommended side dishes

• Boiled Potatoes
• Barley "Risotto"
• Butter Carrots
• Blanched Broccoli
• Buttered Green Beans

Nutrition Facts Table

per 1 serving (160 g)

Amount % Daily Value
Calories 300
Fat 17 g 26 %
Saturated 5.6 g + Trans 0.1 g 28 %
Cholesterol 100 mg
Sodium 340 mg 14 %
Carbohydrate 13 g 4 %
Fibre 1 g 3 %
Sugars 8 g
Net Carbs 12 g
Protein 23 g
Vitamin A 3 %
Vitamin C 5 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 18 %

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Servings of Canada's Food Guide

1 serving of this recipe is equivalent to :

	Vegetables and Fruits :	¼	serving
	Grain Products :	0	serving
	Milk and Alternatives :	0	serving
	Meat and Alternatives :	1 ¼	servings

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Claims

This recipe is :

Excellent source of  :

Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B12, Zinc

Good source of  :

Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6

Source of  :

Copper, Folacin, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K

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DIABETES Exchange

1 serving of this recipe is equivalent to :

Food Group	Exchanges
Starches	½
Vegetables	0
Milk and Alternatives	0
Meat and Alternatives	3
Fats	3
Other Foods	½

More info

Check out our Meal Plans for Type 2 Diabetes

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Reviews

187 Reviews (179 with rating only) 87% would make this recipe again

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Herlinor 4 Swedish Meatballs

2014-01-24T15:02:56+00:00 january 24, 2014 | I would make this recipe again

The meatballs were very good. My one criticism was that they took a long time to cook, about an hour for the frying. If we make it again we might try baking them.

Useful 0

jetmekanik 4 Swedish Meatballs

2012-03-27T15:48:36+00:00 march 27, 2012 | I would make this recipe again

A big hit with the family. Made a double batch of meatballs and froze half. A great way to stretch that ground beef and pork I found on sale - really surprised how many meatballs it made. Potato instead of bread crumbs or oatmeal was something I would never have thought of, but worked really well. To save time I nuked the potato and tossed the meatballs in the freezer for a bit rather than the fridge.

Useful 1

Anonyme 3 Swedish Meatballs

2021-10-20T19:02:38+00:00 october 20, 2021 | I would make this recipe again

A bit of a powdery tecture< and bland. not a big hit

Useful 0

Anonyme 3 Swedish Meatballs

2021-10-20T19:02:38+00:00 october 20, 2021 | I would make this recipe again

The recipe is good but I found it helped to use half regular mustard and half dijon in the sauce. I also appreciated all the earlier suggestions to double the sauce and am glad to have heeded them.

Useful 1

gingerlondon 4 Swedish Meatballs

2010-09-13T16:29:20+00:00 september 13, 2010 | I would make this recipe again

I've never made meatballs before and I was unsure how they would turn out and I was pleasantly surprised. I served them with mashed potatoes and while the sauce called for in the recipe was quite tasty, I would either make more of the sauce, or serve a gravy.

Useful 2

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This recipe is in the following categories

Beef | Main courses/Entrées | Diabetes-friendly | Halal | High Iron | Bake | Barbecue/Broil/Grill | Buffet | Brunch | Cocktail Party | Scandinavian

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