Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs
Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs feature a tender blend of beef and pork infused with nutmeg, allspice, and a hint of cayenne, then nestled in a velvety cream-enriched beef gravy. The warm spices and buttery pan sauce make this comforting dish perfect for a cozy family dinner or a festive gathering with mashed potatoes or noodles.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 49 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 53 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 14
- Heart Health
- 50
- Metabolic
- 13
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 33
- Performance
- 31
- General Wellness
- 1
Make meatballs: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion and salt in the hot butter until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.
- 2
Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, bread crumbs, milk, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and cayenne. Mix in the ground beef and pork until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- 3
Make gravy: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the beef broth. Increase the heat to medium-high, whisk in the cream, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the sugar and Worcestershire. Simmer until slightly thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- 5
Using wet hands, roll 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meatball mixture into a ball; repeat with the remaining meatball mixture. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- 6
Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
- 7
Transfer the meatballs to the gravy and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Calories 741.18 kcal High 37%
- Protein 34.52 g Good Source 69%
- Carbohydrate 18.73 g 7%
- Total Fat 56.98 g High 73%
- Saturated Fat 16.9 g High 85%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 207.08 mg High 69%
- Sodium 491.43 mg High 21%
- Dietary Fiber 0.61 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 2.13 g --
- Added Sugars 0.72 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 62.34 mg Low Source 5%
- Iron 3.65 mg Good Source 20%
- Potassium 354.11 mg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin A 28.28 mcg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin C 0.65 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin D 0.46 mcg Low Source 2%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs is made with 18 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Beef Broth, Black Pepper, and Bread Crumbs. Each serving provides about 741.18 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Beef Broth, Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Butter. The full list of 18 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 741.18 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs healthy?
- Chef John's Classic Swedish Meatballs has an easyChef Pro health score of 37/100. Per serving, it provides 741.18 calories and 34.52 g of protein, or 69% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 491.43 mg (21% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 16.9 g (85% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required