Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Onion Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Calling all comfort food lovers! This dish ticks all the feel-good boxes: warmly spiced meatballs draped in a rich and creamy onion sauce, fluffy sour cream mashed potatoes and buttery skillet-charred peas and asparagus. It’s a complete meal that’s perfect for a cozy night in.

Inspired by Northern European flavors, this recipe is simple enough for a weeknight yet impressive enough for guests. The meatballs are seasoned with nutmeg and garlic, then roasted until golden. The gravy comes together quickly with caramelized onions, cream cheese and sour cream. Serve everything together for a truly satisfying dinner.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

ounce PeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce AsparagusView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon NutmegView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon FlourView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Halve and peel onion; grate one half on the largest holes of a box grater. Thinly slice remaining onion. Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ¼-inch-thick pieces.
2. Place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid (¾ cup for 4 servings), then drain. Return potatoes to pot and mash with half the sour cream and 2 tbsp butter (4 tbsp for 4) until smooth and creamy, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. While potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine beef, grated onion, panko, garlic powder, ¼ tsp nutmeg (½ tsp for 4 servings), salt (¾ tsp for 2, 1½ tsp for 4) and pepper. Form mixture into 10-12 1½-inch meatballs (20-24 for 4). Place on one side of a lightly oiled baking sheet. On the opposite side, toss carrots with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and cooked through, 14-16 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add peas and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir and cook until lightly charred, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 3-6 minutes. Add 1 tbsp butter (2 tbsp for 4) and cook until melted. Sprinkle flour over onion; cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.
6. Slowly whisk 1 cup water (1½ cups for 4) into pan. Add stock concentrates, cream cheese and ¼ tsp nutmeg (½ tsp for 4); whisk until cream cheese melts and gravy thickens, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. If gravy is too thick, stir in a splash of reserved potato cooking liquid.
7. Add meatballs to pan with gravy; toss to coat. Divide mashed potatoes, carrots, meatballs and gravy between bowls. Top with peas and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground pork instead of beef?

Yes, ground pork or a mix of pork and beef works well for these meatballs.

What can I substitute for sour cream?

Greek yogurt or crème fraîche can be used instead of sour cream for a similar tangy flavor.

How do I prevent the gravy from being lumpy?

Whisk constantly when adding flour and liquid and make sure the cream cheese is softened before adding.