Make Delicious Swedish Turkey Meatballs with These Easy Recipes

Swedish meatballs are a beloved comfort food, but did you know you can lighten them up by using ground turkey instead of beef? These easy swedish turkey meatball recipes will satisfy your craving for this classic dish, while also being a healthier alternative.

Swedish meatballs traditionally combine a mixture of ground pork and beef, but ground turkey is an excellent lower-fat substitute. Turkey meatballs can be just as flavorful and delicious, when made right! The key is keeping the meatballs tender and ensuring the creamy gravy has plenty of robust flavor.

Below you’ll find two tasty swedish turkey meatball recipes to try. One has a classic cream sauce, while the other uses a lighter, tangy sour cream sauce. Both are easy to make on a weeknight, and your whole family will love them. Let’s get to the recipes!

Easy Swedish Turkey Meatball Recipe with Cream Sauce

This recipe from AllRecipes lightens up the classic by using lean ground turkey and reducing the amount of cream. The resulting meatballs are tender, and the sauce is rich and comforting without being too heavy. Here’s how to make it

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey (85% lean)
• 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley and spices until well combined. Form into 1-inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and browned.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add baked meatballs to sauce and simmer for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes and enjoy!

This simple cream sauce adds rich flavor to the turkey meatballs, Baking them ensures they stay tender and cook evenly all the way through, Letting them simmer briefly in the sauce allows them to soak up even more flavor

Lighter Swedish Turkey Meatballs in Tangy Sour Cream Sauce

For an even lighter take, this recipe from Platings and Pairings uses reduced fat sour cream instead of heavy cream. The result is a tangy, creamy sauce that compliments the turkey meatballs wonderfully.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey (85% lean)
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley and spices until combined. Form into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add baked meatballs to sauce and simmer 1-2 minutes, spooning sauce over meatballs.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Garnish with parsley.

The tangy sour cream sauce packs a ton of flavor, while also being lighter than a traditional heavy cream sauce. This version is excellent if you’re looking for a healthier swedish meatball recipe.

Tips for Making the Best Swedish Turkey Meatballs

Here are some helpful tips to ensure your swedish turkey meatballs turn out perfectly tender and delicious:

• Use 85-90% lean ground turkey. Going above 90% can cause dry, crumbly meatballs.

• Don’t overwork the meat when mixing. This can make the meatballs dense. Gently mix just until combined.

• Wet your hands before forming the meatballs to prevent sticking.

• Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs that cook uniformly.

• Bake the meatballs first to ensure they cook through without drying out.

• For a richer sauce, use half heavy cream and half reduced fat sour cream.

• Let the cooked meatballs simmer in the sauce for a minute or two to absorb flavor.

• Season the sauce assertively with salt, pepper and Worcestershire or soy sauce for lots of flavor.

• Serve meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Rice and pasta soaks up the yummy sauce!

• Garnish with chopped parsley and lingonberry jam if desired. The jam adds sweet tartness.

Make Ahead and Freezing Tips

Both of these swedish turkey meatball recipes can easily be prepared in advance:

• Form meatballs up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to cook.

• Fully cook meatballs then cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen meatballs in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

• The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat gently before adding meatballs.

• For easy reheating, store cooked meatballs and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Satisfying and Healthier Swedish Meatballs

With these easy recipes, you can enjoy swedish turkey meatballs that are deliciously satisfying, while also being better for you. The lean turkey and lighter sauces create a healthier version of this beloved dish. Now you can indulge in this cozy comfort food more often!