I don’t have a particularly dramatic story behind these Swedish meatballs. I was simply looking for something new to bring a bit of freshness into our usual family menu.
That was over five years ago, and somehow this dinner has been with me ever since.
In those five years, I’ve made these meatballs for my own family, served them to friends and brought them to the table for Sunday dinners. They even made their way onto the menu for the children when I worked in a nursery. So what started as me looking for something different has definitely earned its place in my cooking.
Something Different from Tomato Sauce
One thing I’ve heard quite a few times when serving these meatballs is how nice it is to have an alternative to tomato-based sauces.
And I understand why. So many of our familiar family meals rely on tomatoes. Meatballs in tomato sauce, pasta with tomato sauce, bolognese, lasagne… they’re all good, but sometimes you just want a completely different flavour on the plate.
Here, the sauce is creamy and savoury, with a little sweetness and sharpness from the cranberries. Fresh dill runs through the meatballs and the finished sauce, and the cranberry jam gives it that slightly sweet contrast that works so well with beef and pork.
My Version of Swedish Meatballs
Over the years, this has naturally become my own version. I use a mixture of beef and pork for the meatballs, fresh garlic and plenty of dill. I coat them lightly in flour before frying, then use everything left behind in the pan to start the sauce.
I love that part. The second onion picks up all those browned bits from the meatballs, and a little water helps bring everything off the bottom of the pan and into the sauce. Nothing with flavour gets wasted.
The cranberry jam goes in next, followed by cream. Sometimes I add a spoonful of vodka and let it cook off before adding the cream, but that’s completely optional. I’ve made it plenty of times without it.
The Side Dish Became Part of the Meal
I don’t usually serve these with plain rice. I cook basmati rice and mix it with small pieces of cooked celeriac and a few handfuls of fresh spinach.
The spinach doesn’t need much cooking. I add it while everything is still hot, put the lid on and let the heat soften it before mixing everything together.
After making this dinner for more than five years, that’s simply how we know it in our house now: creamy Swedish meatballs with cranberry and dill, served with basmati rice, celeriac and spinach. It’s different enough to break up the usual family menu, but still very much the kind of comforting dinner everyone can sit down and enjoy.
A Little More About Celeriac
Celeriac is one of those vegetables I grew up with in Poland, but when I moved to the UK I realised it wasn’t nearly as common in everyday cooking. It’s a shame because it has such a distinctive flavour. It’s earthy, slightly sweet and a little nutty, and there really isn’t another root vegetable that tastes quite like it.
It’s also more than just something I add for flavour. Celeriac provides fibre as well as vitamin C, vitamin K and minerals including potassium and phosphorus. Vitamin K has a role in normal blood clotting and bone health, while potassium is important for normal muscle, nerve and heart function.
In this recipe I like to keep the celeriac in small cubes rather than turning it into a mash. Mixed through the basmati rice with fresh spinach, it adds another texture and that unmistakable celeriac flavour without overpowering the meatballs and creamy cranberry sauce.
Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Cranberry Sauce
Course: Main CourseCuisine: Swedish-inspiredDifficulty: Easy8
servings40
minutes45
minutes650
kcalIngredients
For the Meatballs
1 kg mixed minced meat, ideally 50% beef and 50% pork
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 level tsp ground cumin
Fresh dill, chopped
Plain flour, for coating
Oil, for frying
For the Creamy Cranberry Sauce
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
3 tbsp cranberry jam, smooth or with whole cranberries
1 tbsp vodka, optional
100 ml single or double cream
Approximately 750 ml water
½ tsp salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tsp cornflour/cornstarch or potato starch
A little cold water, for mixing with the starch
Fresh dill, chopped
For the Celeriac, Spinach & Basmati Rice
300 g basmati rice
½ celeriac, peeled and diced
3 handfuls fresh spinach
Salt, for the cooking water
Directions
- For the Meatballs
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Add the diced onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly, then remove from the heat.
- Place the minced beef and pork in a large bowl. Add the cooked onion and garlic, eggs, salt, black pepper, ground cumin and chopped fresh dill. Mix until combined.
- Shape the mixture into meatballs and lightly coat each one in plain flour.
- Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches. They don’t need to be completely cooked through at this stage. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- For the Sauce
- Using the same pan, add the second diced onion and garlic. Cook until softened, letting them pick up all the browned bits left behind by the meatballs.
- Add a little water and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all those browned bits into the sauce.
- Stir in the cranberry jam. If using vodka, add it now and let it cook for a minute or two.
- Add the cream and approximately 750 ml water. Season with about ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper, adjusting to your taste.
- Return the meatballs to the pan, cover and simmer gently over a low heat for 20–30 minutes.
- Mix the cornflour/cornstarch or potato starch with a little cold water until smooth. Stir it into the sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. Finish with freshly chopped dill.
- For the Rice
- Peel the celeriac and cut it into small cubes. Cook in salted water for approximately 15–20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain well.
- Cook the basmati rice according to the packet instructions.
- Mix the cooked celeriac into the hot rice and add the fresh spinach.
- Mix the cooked celeriac into the hot rice and add the fresh spinach.
- Cover with a lid for a few minutes so the heat wilts the spinach, then mix everything together.
- Serve the rice with the Swedish meatballs and plenty of creamy cranberry sauce.
Notes
- Meat:
A 50/50 mixture of beef and pork gives the meatballs a good balance of flavour and texture.
Browning:
Don’t worry about cooking the meatballs all the way through while frying. They finish cooking gently in the sauce.
Don’t clean the pan:
The browned bits left after frying the meatballs add a lot of flavour to the sauce. Use a little water to loosen them from the bottom of the pan.
Cranberry jam:
I use cranberry jam with whole cranberries, but a smooth version works just as well.
Vodka:
Completely optional. If you don’t have it, simply leave it out.
Cream:
Both single and double cream work. Double cream will give you a slightly richer sauce.
Thickening the sauce:
Mix the cornflour/cornstarch or potato starch with cold water before adding it to prevent lumps. Add gradually until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.
Celeriac:
Cook until tender but not too soft. You want the cubes to keep their shape when mixed through the rice.
