Heat ½ of the olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and garlic. Soften for 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, milk, cooled onions/garlic, salt, oregano, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Gently incorporate the meat until evenly combined, but without overworking it (otherwise the meatballs will be tough instead of tender).
Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place on a plate. (A small cookie scoop makes it easier to roll balls of uniform size.) Transfer to the fridge and let them chill for 15 minutes, or up to overnight. Cover if chilling overnight.
While the meatballs chill, combine the beef broth, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and parsley in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown the meatballs in batches, leave plenty of room around each so that you can easily rotate them with a spoon to brown on all sides. Brown for about 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside. Decrease heat slightly as needed throughout cooking. Drain any excess oil when finished.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until it begins to brown.
Add the beef broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Place the sour cream in a medium bowl. To prevent curdling, slowly stir in about ¼ cup of the warm sauce until smooth. Pour the tempered sour cream back into the pot and stir over low heat until incorporated.
Add the meatballs back to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Spoon the sauce on top. Allow them to heat through over low heat for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked through), partially covered. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 71 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 23 mg
Sodium: 177 mg
Sugar: 0.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
Reviews
Linda on 2026-04-29 (5 stars): This was an absolutely delicious recipe! Served it with par-boiled egg noodles mixed in while the sauce was simmering and it was divine. The whole family wanted more. I will be adding this in to our regular rotation!
Nick Conte on 2026-04-29 (4 stars): I had to use gluten free bread crumbs and the meatballs started falling apart. Any idea how to prevent that in the future? Everything was delicious regardless.
Sherry on 2026-04-26 (5 stars): 4/2026...Just tried this recipe, AMAZING. 5-STAR. I used a shortcut with the frozen Rosina Meatballs. I was unsure of the idea of using beef broth and a chicken bullion, to my surprise it works! It really enhanced the flavor. If using the Knorr cubes, I recommend to use only 3/4 of cube as they're a little larger than other brands and made it a tad salty using full cube. I also substituted sour-cream and used heavy cream and barely needed as much. I lost my grandmother's recipe, whom actually came from Sweden but this recipe tastes spot on. My very picky family ate up every last noodle!
Dianna Heustis on 2026-04-21 (5 stars): Excellent! I’m a picky Swedish meatball eater, and this recipe was fab! Love your cookbook as well! 10/10!
Jodi on 2026-04-20 (5 stars): Delicious exactly as directed ~ yum!
Vickie on 2026-04-12 (5 stars): We love this recipe. They are a hit every time. Thank you..
Lurah on 2026-04-10 (5 stars): These were nicely seasoned for Scandinavian flavors! I use my cookie scoop and bake meatballs in the oven and proceed with sauce. I had homemade noodles from a friend, oh yum.
The mixture made 29 meatballs, so about 7-8 servings, at 4 meatballs per person.very good.
Deb on 2026-04-09 (5 stars): Huge reviews from my hubby and will be my go to recipe. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ashley Lockyer on 2026-04-02 (5 stars): Made this tonight. Super easy and ingredients are mostly pantry staples. Tastes so much better than the frozen version. Will be making again and again.
