Swedish Meatball Soup Recipe brings cozy, creamy broth loaded with tender meatballs, warm allspice and nutmeg, soft noodles, and a tangy sour cream finish. If you crave Swedish meatballs in slurpable form, this soup suits family dinners and weeknights, and it takes about 45 minutes start to finish. I picked up this habit during a snowy Midwest winter and never looked back.
Why Swedish Meatball Soup Recipe Is Worth It
Swedish Meatball Soup Recipe gives you all the comfort of classic Swedish meatballs in a spoonable, creamy broth. The meatballs stay juicy, the noodles soak up flavor, and the dill adds a clean finish that keeps you going back for more. It all happens in one pot, so you keep dishes under control.
You can whip it up with pantry staples and a few fresh touches. I use Better Than Bouillon for deep beef flavor, and I temper sour cream so the broth stays velvety. Kids love the noodles, adults love the nostalgia.
Ingredients You Need
- Ground beef, 1 pound 85 percent lean
- Ground pork, 1/2 pound (or use all beef)
- Panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup (plain dry crumbs work too)
- Onion, 1/3 cup minced for meatballs plus 1 medium diced for soup (frozen chopped onion saves time)
- Egg, 1 large
- Milk, 2 tablespoons
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
- Fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped
- Olive oil and butter for browning
For the soup base and finish:
- Butter, 2 tablespoons
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
- Carrots, 2 diced
- Celery, 2 ribs diced
- Garlic, 3 cloves minced
- All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup (use a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed)
- Beef broth, 6 cups (Better Than Bouillon or low-sodium boxed broth both work)
- Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon
- Bay leaf, 1
- Wide egg noodles, 2 cups uncooked (or use spaetzle or small potatoes)
- Sour cream, 3/4 cup (full-fat holds best; Greek yogurt works in a pinch)
- Fresh dill, 2 tablespoons chopped (use 2 teaspoons dried if needed)
- Lemon juice or white vinegar, 1 teaspoon for brightness
Equipment:
- Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Mixing bowl and sheet pan or plate
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning
- Wooden spoon and whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Chill the meatball mix for 10 minutes so it firms up and rolls easier.
- Use a cookie scoop to keep meatballs the same size and your sanity intact.
- Brown meatballs in two batches and leave the fond in the pot for flavor.
- Stir flour into the veggies and cook 1 minute to prevent a floury taste.
- Stream in broth while you whisk so the soup stays smooth.
- Temper the sour cream with hot broth, then stir it into the pot off heat to prevent curdling.
- Swap noodles for diced potatoes if you want a heartier, old-school version.
- Use frozen cocktail meatballs for a shortcut; simmer them longer so they soak up flavor.
- Go light with turkey or chicken and use chicken broth for a milder profile.
- Make it gluten-free with GF breadcrumbs and a 1:1 GF flour blend, and use gluten-free noodles.
How to Make Swedish Meatball Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
- Combine the beef, pork, panko, minced onion, egg, milk, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and parsley in a bowl and mix gently until it looks uniform.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon portions and roll them into 1 to 1.25 inch meatballs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then brown half the meatballs, turning to color all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Move browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining batch.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until they soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until it smells fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir until the flour coats everything; cook 1 minute.
- Whisk in the beef broth slowly while you scrape the pot, then add Worcestershire sauce and the bay leaf.
- Return all meatballs and any juices to the pot and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until the meatballs cook through and the broth starts to thicken, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in the egg noodles and cook until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then so they do not stick.
- Ladle a cup of hot broth into a bowl, whisk in the sour cream to temper it, then stir that mixture back into the pot off heat.
- Add the dill and lemon juice, taste, and adjust salt and pepper.
- Fish out the bay leaf, ladle into bowls, and serve hot.
Simple Variations
- Mushroom-forward: Sauté 8 ounces sliced cremini with the onions and swap half the beef broth with mushroom broth.
- Potato version: Skip noodles and add 2 cups small-dice Yukon gold potatoes with the broth; simmer until tender.
- Chicken twist: Use chicken meatballs and chicken broth, and season with a pinch of ground white pepper.
- Low-carb bowl: Swap noodles for finely chopped cauliflower and simmer 3 to 4 minutes at the end.
- Lingonberry nod: Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons lingonberry jam into each bowl for that sweet-savory edge.
Ways to Serve Swedish Meatball Soup
- Warm rye bread or buttered toast for dunking.
- Crisp cucumber salad with dill and a splash of vinegar.
- Simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette.
- Lingonberry jam on the side for classic Swedish vibes.
- Extra chopped dill and cracked black pepper on top.
Storage
Cool leftovers, then store them in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat and thin with a splash of broth or water if the soup thickens. If you plan to freeze, hold back the sour cream and dill, then add them after reheating for the best texture. Freeze the meatballs and broth up to 2 months, then add cooked noodles when you reheat so they stay tender.
Swedish Meatball Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and chopped onion. Mix well and form into small meatballs.
- In a large pot, bring beef broth to a boil.
- Add meatballs, potatoes, and carrots to the broth. Simmer until meatballs are cooked and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, then serve warm.