These easy Swedish meatballs are a lighter version of the classic made with ground turkey and no heavy cream, but they have the same cozy, comforting flavor and creaminess you love!
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add celery and parsley and cook until soft, about 3-4 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
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In a large bowl, combine beef, turkey, egg, onion mixture, breadcrumbs, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper and allspice. Mix well and form into 16 meatballs.
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Add beef broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly drop meatballs into the broth. Cover and cook about 20 minutes, until cooked through.
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Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside in a serving dish. Strain the broth, transfer to a blender with cream cheese and blend until smooth. Return to the skillet with the meatballs and simmer
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 200kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6g10%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Protein 30g60%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Swedish Meatball Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these lightened up Swedish meatballs. See the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- Olive oil for cooking the aromatics so they’re softened before adding to the meatballs.
- Onion, garlic and celery adds depth to the flavor of these Swedish meatballs.
- Parsley for both the meatball mixture and for garnish.
- Ground turkey and beef: Using a combination of lean ground turkey and beef is a nice way to make the meatballs rich, tender, and juicy while still cutting calories.
- Egg to bind the mixture.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs: Also for binding; use gluten-free crumbs if needed.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, and allspice, which adds a lovely warmth.
- Reduced-sodium beef broth: The base of the sauce, and also to keep the meatballs juicy while they cook.
- Reduced-fat cream cheese to blend into the broth to make a rich cream sauce without heavy cream.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making these Swedish meatballs. The recipe card contains printable instructions.
- Sauté the aromatics: Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until they’re softened, then add the celery and parsley.
- Form the meatballs: Combine the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and cooled vegetables. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs.
- Simmer in broth: Bring the broth to a boil, lower the heat, and gently drop in the meatballs. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Make the sauce: Remove the meatballs, then blend the strained broth with the cream cheese. Return the sauce and meatballs to the skillet to simmer until the sauce thickens a bit.
Serving Suggestions
The classic way to serve Swedish meatballs is over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, but that’s not your only option. I’ve also served them over cabbage noodles, which are basically sautéed shredded cabbage. Here are a few more ideas.
