A cold night calls for something creamy that still eats like a real meal. This Swedish meatball soup gives you bite-size beef and pork meatballs spiced with allspice and nutmeg, egg noodles, and a broth that tastes like the classic gravy thinned out for a spoon.
It’s worth making because everything happens in one Dutch oven, and the meatballs finish cooking in the broth, so they stay juicy. Prep takes 25 minutes, cooking takes 35 minutes, and the pot serves 6.
You’ll brown the meatballs first for flavor, build the broth on the browned bits, and add cream at the very end so it stays smooth.
Good to know: Swedish meatballs are known for warm spices like allspice and nutmeg, a soft texture from soaked bread crumbs, and a creamy brown sauce. A good version tastes savory first, with the spice sitting quietly in the background.
Why You’ll Love This Swedish Meatball Soup
- Ready in about an hour.
- The mini meatballs stay tender because they soak up flavor in the simmering broth instead of drying out in a pan.
- Creamy broth, zero canned soup.
- It’s a full dinner in one bowl: meat, vegetables, and noodles.
- Ground beef, egg noodles, and pantry spices keep the cost low. Most of the shopping list is stuff you already have.
- The base freezes well, so it earns a spot in your cozy soup recipes rotation for busy weeks.
How to Make Swedish Meatball Soup
This swedish meatball soup recipe uses a 3-to-1 mix of ground beef and ground pork, which gives you beefy flavor with the softer bite pork adds.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 3/4 pound ground beef, 80/20 [340 g]
- 1/4 pound ground pork [113 g]
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs [54 g]
- 1/4 cup heavy cream [60 ml]
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely grated onion [40 g], grated on the small holes of a box grater
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated or pre-ground
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the soup:
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola [15 ml]
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter [28 g]
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup) [150 g]
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup) [130 g]
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup) [100 g]
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour [24 g]
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth [1.4 L]
- 1 cup water [240 ml]
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce [15 ml]
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard [10 g]
- 6 ounces wide egg noodles [170 g]
- 3/4 cup heavy cream [180 ml]
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven (enameled cast iron holds steady heat for browning)
- Large mixing bowl
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, for even meatballs that cook at the same rate
- Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, to hold shaped and browned meatballs
- Box grater
- Whisk
- Slotted spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
- Ladle
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix and Shape the Mini Meatballs
In a large bowl, stir the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cream, egg, grated onion, garlic, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and parsley together, then let it sit 3 minutes so the crumbs soften.
Add the beef and pork and mix with your fingertips just until no streaks of crumb mixture remain.
Scoop level tablespoons and roll them into 1-inch balls; you’ll get about 36. The mix feels soft and a little sticky, which is right. Wet your hands if it clings.
Step 2: Brown the Meatballs in Batches
Heat the oil in the 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high until it shimmers. Add half the meatballs in one layer and leave them alone for 1 minute, then roll them every 30 to 60 seconds for 3 to 4 minutes total until golden on most sides.
You’ll hear a steady sizzle; if it goes quiet, the pot is crowded or too cool. Move them to the baking sheet with a slotted spoon and repeat.
They’ll still be pink inside, and that’s on purpose, since they finish in the broth.
Step 3: Soften the Vegetables and Build the Broth
Lower the heat to medium and add the butter to the drippings. Stir in the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 6 to 7 minutes, scraping the brown bits, until the onion turns soft and see-through.
Add the garlic for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, then sprinkle in the flour and stir 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw taste.
Whisk in 1 cup of broth first (it’ll thicken into a paste), then the rest of the broth, the water, Worcestershire, and Dijon. Bring it to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Simmer the Noodles and Finish Cooking the Meatballs
Stir in the egg noodles and slide the meatballs back into the pot with any juices from the sheet. Keep it at a gentle simmer over medium-low, with small bubbles breaking at the edges, for 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir now and then so the noodles don’t stick. The meatballs are done when one reads 160°F (71°C) in the center and the noodles are tender with a slight chew.
Step 5: Stir in the Cream and Garnish
Turn the heat to low and pour in the 3/4 cup heavy cream. Stir for 2 minutes until the broth turns a pale caramel color and looks glossy; don’t let it boil, because hard bubbling can break the cream. Taste and add salt a pinch at a time. Ladle into bowls and scatter the fresh parsley on top.
Tips and Tricks
- Mixing the meat like bread dough makes rubbery meatballs. Stop as soon as the mixture looks even; a few seconds too long is better than a minute too long.
- Grate the onion. Diced onion pokes holes in small meatballs and makes them crumble.
- If your meatballs fall apart in the pot, they were too warm or too wet. Chill the shaped balls on the baking sheet for 15 minutes in the fridge, and add 1 tablespoon more bread crumbs to the next batch.
Why this works: Bread crumbs soaked in cream hold moisture inside the meat as the proteins tighten during cooking, which keeps the meatballs tender. Browning creates the Maillard reaction, and those browned bits dissolve into the broth for a deeper, gravy-like taste.
- Measure the allspice and nutmeg level. Heaping spoons make the soup taste like pumpkin pie.
- Noodles soak up broth fast. If the soup looks thick after Step 4, splash in 1/2 cup more broth or water before the cream goes in.
- Use low-sodium broth and salt at the end. Worcestershire and Dijon both bring salt, and the broth reduces as it simmers.
- Want a richer creamy broth? Swap 1/4 cup of the water for more cream. It gets heavy quickly, so don’t go further than that.
- Scraping the pot during Step 3 matters for color. If spots look black and smell burnt, pour off the drippings and use fresh butter, or the whole meatball soup turns bitter.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Frozen meatballs: Use 1 1/2 pounds [680 g] frozen fully cooked Swedish-style meatballs. Skip Steps 1 and 2, sauté the vegetables in 2 tablespoons butter plus the 1 tablespoon oil, and add the meatballs with the noodles; simmer until they read 165°F (74°C) in the center. Expect a firmer, less juicy bite.
- Panko works in place of plain bread crumbs, 1/2 cup [30 g]. It makes slightly lighter meatballs.
- No fresh onion or garlic for the meatballs? Use 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Beef stock trades 1 for 1 with broth. Chicken broth works too, but the soup tastes lighter and less like gravy; half beef, half chicken is a good middle ground.
- Half and half: Use 1 cup [240 ml] in the soup in place of 3/4 cup heavy cream. It’s thinner and curdles more easily, so keep the heat on low.
- Sour cream: Whisk 1/2 cup [120 g] with 1/2 cup hot broth before stirring it in off the heat. You get a tangy finish that’s closer to some Swedish sauces. Both swaps still contain dairy.
- Gluten-free or noodle-free: Replace the egg noodles (which contain wheat and egg) with 1 pound [450 g] russet potatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes, added with the broth in Step 3 and simmered 15 minutes before the meatballs go in. Short gluten-free pasta also works, and you can toss in 8 ounces [227 g] sliced mushrooms with the vegetables for more depth. Use gluten-free bread crumbs and thicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into cold water.
What to Serve With Swedish Meatball Soup
Crusty bread is the easiest partner here, because you’ll want something to drag through the broth.
- Lingonberry jam, a small spoonful per bowl, for a tart-sweet contrast to the cream
- A dollop of sour cream
- Fresh dill, chopped over the top
- Cucumber salad with vinegar and dill
- Extra fresh parsley and cracked black pepper
A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette also works well. The acid cuts through the richness, so the second bowl doesn’t feel heavy.
Serving tip: Warm the bowls with hot tap water for a minute before ladling, since cream soups cool fast and form a skin on cold china.
How to Store Swedish Meatball Soup
Cooled soup keeps well, but the egg noodles keep drinking the beef broth, so leftovers come out thicker.
- Room temperature: no more than 2 hours after cooking.
- Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: up to 3 months for the soup base without noodles or cream.
- Thawing: overnight in the fridge, about 24 hours.
To reheat, warm portions in a saucepan over medium-low for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until steaming. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup broth or water per serving to loosen it. Keep it below a boil so the cream doesn’t separate. In the microwave, heat in 1-minute bursts and stir between each.
Swedish Meatball Soup with Egg Noodles
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven
- Large mixing bowl
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop
- Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment
- Box grater
- Whisk
- Slotted spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound ground beef 80/20 (340 g)
- 1/4 pound ground pork 113 g
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs 54 g
- 1/4 cup heavy cream 60 ml
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely grated onion 40 g
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil 15 ml
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28 g
- 1 medium onion diced (about 1 cup) (150 g)
- 2 medium carrots diced (about 1 cup) (130 g)
- 2 celery stalks diced (about 3/4 cup) (100 g)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 24 g
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth 1.4 L
- 1 cup water 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 15 ml
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 10 g
- 6 ounces wide egg noodles 170 g
- 3/4 cup heavy cream 180 ml
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Stir the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cream, egg, grated onion, garlic, spices, salt, and parsley together.
- Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes, then gently mix in the beef and pork. Roll level tablespoons into about 36 one-inch meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes each, until golden but still pink inside. Set aside on a baking sheet.
- Lower the heat to medium, melt the butter, and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 6 to 7 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the flour for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in 1 cup broth, followed by the remaining broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add the egg noodles and meatballs and gently simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the meatballs reach 160°F (71°C) internally.
- Reduce the heat to low, stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream for 2 minutes without boiling, season with salt, and garnish with parsley.
FAQ
Should You Brown the Meatballs Before Adding Them to the Soup?
Yes, brown them. A few minutes in hot oil builds a golden crust and leaves browned bits in the pot that flavor the broth. Skip it and the soup tastes flat and the meatballs look gray.
How Do You Know the Meatballs Are Cooked Through?
They’re done at 160°F (71°C) in the center on an instant-read thermometer. Without one, cut a meatball in half after 8 to 10 minutes of simmering; the inside should be brown with no pink and the juices clear.
Can You Use Frozen Swedish Meatballs?
Yes. Add fully cooked frozen meatballs straight to the simmering broth with the noodles and heat until they reach 165°F (74°C). Pick ones labeled Swedish so you still get the allspice and nutmeg flavor.
Can You Make the Soup Ahead Without Soggy Noodles?
Yes, cook the noodles separately. Boil them in salted water, drain, toss with 1 teaspoon butter, and store them apart. Add them to each bowl when you reheat the soup, and cut the water to 1/2 cup since the noodles won’t absorb broth in the pot.
Can You Freeze the Soup Without the Cream and Noodles?
Yes, and that’s the best way to freeze it. Cool the meatballs and broth, freeze up to 3 months, then reheat and stir in the cream and freshly cooked noodles. Cream can turn grainy after freezing, and noodles go mushy.
