Swedish Meatballs with Cream of Mushroom Soup
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SWEDISH MEATBALLS
Swedish meatballs are meatballs that cook in a creamy gravy sauce. I wanted to create an easy Swedish meatball recipe that cooks in the slow cooker, uses frozen meatballs, and easy pantry ingredients.
These easy Swedish meatballs use frozen meatballs, beef broth, water, condensed mushroom soup, garlic powder, a packet of brown gravy mix, and a can of evaporated milk for a super smooth creamy finish. So easy to make and these meatballs are always a family favorite for dinner.
Cream of mushroom soup
Cream of mushroom soup is a simple type of soup where a basic roux is thinned with cream or milk and then mushrooms and/or mushroom broth are added. It is well known in North America as a common type of condensed canned soup. Cream of mushroom soup is often used as a base ingredient in casseroles and comfort foods. This use is similar to that of a mushroom-flavored gravy.
History
Soups made with cream and mushrooms are much older than the canned variety. Ancient Italian (Salsa colla) and French (Béchamel) cream sauces, and soups based on them have been made for many hundreds of years. In America, the Campbell Soup Company began producing its well-known “Cream of Mushroom Soup” in 1934.
Regional usage
Canned cream of mushroom soup has been described as “America’s béchamel”. In Minnesota, the ingredient is often called “Lutheran binder,” in reference to its thickening properties and its prominence in hotdish recipes, especially in Lutheran church cookbooks.
HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH FROZEN MEATBALLS
Frozen Meatballs – Yes you could of course make your own but that kind of defeats the whole purpose of this recipe being easy. I have to put a shoutout to the best frozen meatballs ever here and those are the Costco ones. They sell a giant bag of Italian style meatballs that are so delicious. The membership alone is worth it just for those meatballs. Or just pick up a bag from the grocery store. Any kind of frozen meatball works here; Italian style, homestyle, etc.
Beef Broth – I have tested the recipe with full salt beef broth and it was too much salt when combined with the condensed soup and gravy packet. Use the 50% reduced sodium beef broth. But of course, as always, use regular beef broth if that’s what you prefer.
Cream of Mushroom Soup – I don’t even like mushrooms but I love this ingredient in these meatballs. The whole point of Swedish meatballs is that creamy gravy sauce and the cream of mushroom soup adds creaminess and rich flavor with the mushrooms.
Brown Gravy Packet – Adds tons of flavor with just one packet.
Water
Garlic Powder
Evaporated Milk – I wanted to add some type of creamy element. Sour cream is the usual ingredient in a Swedish meatballs recipe but I find that it makes the sauce chunky with bits of sour cream instead of smooth. The evaporated makes the sauce so smooth and creamy.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream of Mushroom Soup
This easy Swedish meatball recipe is a household favorite handed down from my grandmother, who was a farm wife. Great dinner served with mashed potatoes!
Ingredients
Directions
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Mix beef, eggs, saltines, and onion soup mix together. Form into medium-sized meatballs.
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Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add meatballs; cover and cook, turning frequently, until evenly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Pour cream of mushroom soup into a bowl. Fill empty can 3/4 full with milk and mix into the soup. Pour sauce over meatballs and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes more.
Nutrition
Swedish Meatballs In Mushroom Sauce
Preparation. In a small bowl, combine soup, water, milk and sour cream set aside. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, in hot oil, brown meatballs until heated through.
SWEDISH MEATBALLS FOR THE MEATBALLS: 1 lb. ground beef 2/3 cup milk 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 egg 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg Pepper to taste
To Make the Sauce: In large deep frying pan, whisk together ingredients for the sauce, *except sour cream*, until well combined. Add meatballs and bring to just a simmer. Stir gently and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Turn to LOW or remove from heat altogether, and stir in sour cream until creamy.
Swedish Meatballs are typically a bit smaller than a larger Italian Meatball but I am lazy Bigger meatballs mean less rolling. They are also usually a blend of 50/50 pork and beef. I do all beef because we are cattle producers after all. . Mushroom Sauce. In the winter I like to make traditional Swedish Meatballs with heavy Cream.
DIRECTIONS. 1. In a large pot, bring the beef stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce by half. Stir in the heavy cream and reduce to a third. Add the lingonberry jam and reduce 15 minutes more, until thick. 2. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper.
Can I Substitute The Cream Of Mushroom Soup?
- I know not everyone loves this ingredient and I will be honest and say that this is the only recipe on my site that uses this ingredient. With that said, I don’t even like mushrooms but I love this ingredient in this meatball recipe. You could try making homemade cream of mushroom soup or try using a different creamed soup like cream of celery or cream of onion. It will probably change the flavor slightly so I can’t say for sure what the results would be if you used a different creamed soup.
Swedish Meatballs With Cream Of Mushroom Soup
There is something special about Swedish meatballs with cream of mushroom soup. The depth and richness of mushroom soup takes meatballs to the next level that cant be replicated by other ingredients. Whenever possible, I make my own cream of mushroom soup, but a can of store-bought soup will do the trick. A cup of the soup is enough for this recipe but you can easily add another half a cup if you like.
To introduce some color and acidity, and more flavor, I like adding a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire to the mushroom sauce, but thats totally optional in this recipe.
The trick to making the Swedish meatballs more flavorful is to roast bread crumbs before mixing them with ground meat. Very few recipes that Ive seen recommend doing and thats a big omission. Seriously, follow this tip and you will understand what I am talking about. It only takes a few extra minutes.
How Are Swedish Meatballs Different From Regular Meatballs?
Theres not much difference between Swedish meatballs and other types of meatballs although the seasonings may be different. Someone making Swedish meatballs from scratch may include spices like nutmeg and allspice and they dont have any cheese, unlike Italian meatballs. Like a lot of things, every Swedish Meatball recipe will vary! For these Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs I use frozen meatballs because I like to keep it really simple! What makes them Swedish to me is the sauce! Its rich and creamy and so delicious.
TIPS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING SWEDISH MEATBALLS
- This is not one of those slow cooker recipes that can be cooking all day long and kept on the warm setting for a couple of hours. I have found that once you add the evaporated milk be ready to eat it soon after. The longer the meatballs sit in the slow cooker, the thicker the sauce gets, and you won’t have the super smooth silky gravy sauce like you did before.
- I think it’s best to use evaporated milk because it makes the sauce so smooth! I tried using sour cream, which is the normal ingredient in Swedish meatballs, but I found that it takes forever for it to mix into the sauce and when it does you end up with these small white chunks of sour cream in your sauce. I prefer a smooth gravy sauce which is why I think it’s best to use evaporated milk.
HOW DO I SERVE SWEDISH MEATBALLS?
My family prefers to eat these over egg noodles. You could also eat them as is, make meatball sandwiches with them, or serve them over rice.
