Swedish meatballs, or “köttbullar” in Swedish
Swedish meatballs, or “köttbullar” in Swedish, are a famous dish that has crossed boundaries and is now served in homes and restaurants all over the world. But what are these tasty little balls, and how did they become so well-known?
Origin and Popularity
These meatballs come from Sweden and are usually made with a mix of ground beef and pig that is flavored with spices like nutmeg and allspice. They are usually little, which makes them great for snacking or adding to a bigger meal. People commonly eat meatballs with creamy gravy, mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam, which is a tart jam. This combination of flavors and textures works well together.
One might ask how a meal that is so Swedish become famous all around the world. IKEA, the world’s largest furnishing store, may have the answer. IKEA’s food courts around the world gave many people their first taste of Swedish meatballs. The cheap and tasty meatballs at IKEA became an instant sensation, and many people looked for real recipes and made the dish at home.
But IKEA isn’t the only thing that has shaped the history of Swedish meatballs. These meatballs have been a part of Swedish culture for a long time and are still a common food in Swedish homes today. They are commonly linked to holidays and family get-togethers, and they stand for comfort, warmth, and being together.
There has been some discussion regarding where Swedish meatballs really came from, which is interesting. Some old sources say that the recipe may have come back to Sweden from Turkey in the early 1700s. This has made the two countries joke with each other over who really “owns” the meatball recipe.
No matter where they came from, Swedish meatballs are a dish that many people appreciate. The rich richness, creamy gravy, and tangy lingonberry jam make for a meal that is both comfortable and decadent. Swedish meatballs are a classic meal that people all over the world still love, whether they are eating them at a local IKEA or a traditional Swedish restaurant.
Simple and Delicious Swedish Meatballs Recipe
These Swedish meatballs taste great and are simple to make! You can have this supper ready in about 30 minutes, and your family will adore it!
I promised myself that this year I would make dinners as simple as possible from start to end. I also wanted to include some new recipes to our weekly dinners that our kids will eat. We found Swedish meatballs on a recent trip to IKEA, and WOW! They taste very good! My daughter liked them so much that she requested if we might have them at home sometime, and of course, I said yes!
I was looking through the frozen food area at Walmart the other day when I realized that Cooked Perfect® had frozen Homestyle Meatballs made with chicken, pork, and beef. I’ve used their Italian Style Meatballs a lot in spaghetti and meatball recipes and meatball sandwiches, but I didn’t want the Italian flavor for this dish, so these were the best choice for Swedish meatballs! So I took a bag and brought them home!
You might also want to look at our Frozen meatball recipe.
Ingredients
- One package of Cooked Perfect® Frozen Homestyle Meatballs
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 1/3 cup of flour for all purposes
- Four cups of beef broth
- 3/4 cup of sour cream
- Egg noodles that have been cooked (optional)
Directions
- Put the meatballs on a sheet pan and bake them for 20 minutes at 350°.
- Put 1/4 cup of butter in a pot over medium-high heat while the meatballs are cooking.
- When the butter is melted, add 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour and keep whisking until it turns brown and thickens a little.
- Add 4 cups of beef broth slowly and whisk while it cooks for 2 minutes, or until it starts to thicken.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add 3/4 cup of sour cream and mix thoroughly.
- Now, put the meatballs you baked into the sauce and let them cook for 10 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve right away on top of fried egg noodles.
Conclusion
You guys, these Swedish meatballs were so good that I can’t even tell you how good they were! The meatballs were excellent and moist, and they really soaked up the sauce I created. Everyone in my family liked them, and Kate remarked they were even better than the meatballs we had at IKEA! The best part for me was not having to make meatballs from scratch, brown them, and then cook them while I created the sauce to go with them. These Cooked Perfect® Meatballs were exactly that: wonderfully cooked and tasty! I could certainly tell that they were created with good ingredients and grilled over an open flame before being frozen. They tasted just like they were made at home!
