This delicious Mary Berry’s Swedish Meatballs recipe is a quick and easy meal perfect for busy weeknights. Made with simple ingredients like minced pork and fresh herbs, these creamy meatballs are served in a rich sauce, bringing comfort to your table. Enjoy them with mashed potatoes or noodles for a truly satisfying dish!

This Swedish Meatballs Recipe Is From Simple Comfort Cookbook by Mary Berry

Ingredients Needed:

For the Meatballs
500g (1 lb 2 oz) minced pork
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
6 cream crackers, very finely crushed
Plain flour, for coating
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
A knob of butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 dessert apple, finely diced
2 tbsp brandy
300ml chicken stock
175ml double cream
A squeeze of lemon juice to taste
2 tsp chopped thyme

How To Cook Swedish Meatballs:

Prepare the Meatball Mixture: Measure all the meatball ingredients (except flour and oil) into a food processor, season with salt and pepper, and blend until finely chopped but not smooth.
Shape the Meatballs: Wet your hands to stop the mixture from sticking, then shape it into 30 meatballs. Roll each meatball in plain flour for a thin coating.
Cook the Meatballs: Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and golden. Transfer them to a plate.
Make the Sauce: In the same pan, add a knob of butter and fry the chopped onion and diced apple for 5 minutes. Add the brandy, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Stir in the double cream, lemon juice, and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce thickens to a coating consistency.
Combine and Serve: Return the meatballs to the pan and heat them through in the sauce. Serve piping hot.

Recipe Tips

Use Fresh Ingredients: Always use fresh herbs and spices. Fresh thyme and a freshly zested lemon will give your meatballs and sauce much better flavour than dried versions.
Don’t Overmix the Meat: When combining the meatball ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs tough instead of tender.
Check the Seasoning: Before shaping the meatballs, taste a small bit of the mixture (raw) to check for seasoning. This way, you can adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Brown the Meatballs Well: Make sure to brown the meatballs evenly in the pan. This adds extra flavour to the dish, so take your time during this step.
Simmer the Sauce Longer: If you have time, let the sauce simmer a bit longer after adding the cream. This allows the flavours to develop and the sauce to thicken nicely.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerate: Place leftovers swedish meatballs in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Transfer leftovers swedish meatballs to a freezer-safe container or bag. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers swedish meatballs in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in a covered dish for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway. Add a splash of stock or cream if the sauce is too thick.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 100g

Calories: 870
Total Fat: 46g
Saturated Fat: 21g
Cholesterol: 175mg
Sodium: 3110mg
Total Carbohydrate: 65g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Protein: 47g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

Mary Berry Swedish Meatballs

Course: Side DishesCuisine: SwedishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

870

kcal

Ingredients

For the Meatballs
500g (1 lb 2 oz) minced pork
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
6 cream crackers, very finely crushed
Plain flour, for coating
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
A knob of butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 dessert apple, finely diced
2 tbsp brandy
300ml chicken stock
175ml double cream
A squeeze of lemon juice to taste
2 tsp chopped thyme

Directions

Prepare the Meatball Mixture: Measure all the meatball ingredients (except flour and oil) into a food processor, season with salt and pepper, and blend until finely chopped but not smooth.
Shape the Meatballs: Wet your hands to stop the mixture from sticking, then shape it into 30 meatballs. Roll each meatball in plain flour for a thin coating.
Cook the Meatballs: Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and golden. Transfer them to a plate.
Make the Sauce: In the same pan, add a knob of butter and fry the chopped onion and diced apple for 5 minutes. Add the brandy, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Stir in the double cream, lemon juice, and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce thickens to a coating consistency.
Combine and Serve: Return the meatballs to the pan and heat them through in the sauce. Serve piping hot.

Notes

Use Fresh Ingredients: Always use fresh herbs and spices. Fresh thyme and a freshly zested lemon will give your meatballs and sauce much better flavour than dried versions.
Don’t Overmix the Meat: When combining the meatball ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs tough instead of tender.
Check the Seasoning: Before shaping the meatballs, taste a small bit of the mixture (raw) to check for seasoning. This way, you can adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Brown the Meatballs Well: Make sure to brown the meatballs evenly in the pan. This adds extra flavour to the dish, so take your time during this step.
Simmer the Sauce Longer: If you have time, let the sauce simmer a bit longer after adding the cream. This allows the flavours to develop and the sauce to thicken nicely.