Swedish Meatball Soup Recipe
This hearty and comforting Swedish Meatball Soup combines tender, flavorful meatballs with a rich and creamy broth loaded with baby yellow potatoes and aromatic spices. Infused with hints of nutmeg, allspice, and fresh herbs, the soup is finished with a creamy touch of sour cream, making it a delightful and warming meal perfect for colder days.
- Author: Amaya
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Swedish
Meatballs
- 1 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons milk or half and half
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15 ratio)
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- Olive oil, for searing
Soup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard seed
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 8 tablespoons (level) all-purpose flour
- 8 cups beef stock or broth
- 1 1/2 pounds baby yellow potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
- 6 (slightly heaping) tablespoons sour cream, plus extra for serving if desired
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
- Prep meatball ingredients: Gather and prepare all ingredients for the meatballs according to the list and have them organized and ready for mixing.
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk to moisten. Add ground beef, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice. Use your hands to thoroughly combine all ingredients into a uniform mixture.
- Form and chill meatballs: Portion out approximately 1/2 ounce meat mixtures and roll into about 30 small meatballs. Place on a platter and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Prep soup ingredients: Prepare all soup ingredients as listed and have them on hand for the cooking process.
- Sear the meatballs: Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches, gently shaking the pot initially to prevent sticking if not non-stick. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown on the outside. Remove meatballs and set aside.
- Sauté onions: In the same pot, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add diced onion, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and sauté until softened and translucent.
- Add spices and garlic: Stir in pressed garlic, ground mustard seed, white pepper, nutmeg, and allspice, cooking and stirring until aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add flour: Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir continuously for about 30 seconds to cook out raw flour taste.
- Add beef stock and potatoes: Slowly whisk in the beef stock to prevent lumps. Add halved or quartered baby yellow potatoes and bring the soup to a vigorous simmer.
- Simmer with meatballs: Carefully return the seared meatballs to the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- Finish with sour cream and herbs: Turn off the heat. Ladle about 1/4 cup broth into a small bowl, whisk in sour cream until smooth, then stir this mixture back into the soup. Stir in chopped parsley and dill, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the Swedish meatball soup into bowls, garnish with extra dill, and serve with additional sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Freezing the meatballs before searing helps them hold their shape and prevents them from falling apart during cooking.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste, especially salt and pepper, at the end of cooking.
- The soup thickens slightly due to the flour and sour cream; avoid boiling after adding sour cream to prevent curdling.
- Use fresh herbs for garnish to enhance the flavor and presentation.
- This soup can be prepared a day ahead; flavors meld beautifully when reheated gently.
Keywords: Swedish Meatball Soup, meatball soup, creamy beef soup, comfort food, traditional Swedish recipe, potato soup, sour cream soup