Have you ever wanted to turn classic Swedish meatballs into a warm, cozy soup that your whole family will actually finish? Well, I did exactly that last month when Emily asked if we could "make those little meatballs but soupy" (kids say the weirdest things, right?). This Swedish Meatball Soup is basically everything I love about traditional Swedish meatballs – those warm spices, the creamy gravy, the tender meat – but in a spoon-friendly format that's perfect for chilly evenings.
I'm talking mini meatballs swimming in a rich, creamy broth with egg noodles and vegetables. It's comfort in a bowl! This recipe came together when I realized I could skip the whole meatball-pasta-gravy assembly line and just throw everything into one pot. The meatballs get baked while the soup base comes together, then everything meets up in one glorious pot.
It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and honestly? It's become one of our Tuesday night regulars. If you're looking for another hearty soup option, you'll probably want to check out my kielbasa potato soup too – it's another family winner!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Swedish Meatball Soup
- Ingredients For Swedish Meatball Soup
- How To Make Swedish Meatball Soup
- Storage And Reheating Swedish Meatball Soup
- Tips For The Best Swedish Meatball Soup
- Swedish Meatball Soup FAQs
- Recipes You May Like
- My Final Thoughts On Swedish Meatball Soup
- Swedish Meatball Soup
Why You'll Love This Swedish Meatball Soup
Listen, I've made a lot of soup in my day (probably too many to count), and this one checks all my boxes. Here's why it's going to become your new go-to:
- One pot wonder – After baking the meatballs, everything happens in a single pot. Less cleanup means more time doing literally anything else!
- Ready in 45 minutes – From raw ingredients to steaming bowls on the table, this soup comes together fast enough for a weeknight dinner.
- Kid approved – Emily doesn't even pick out the vegetables (which is saying something). The mini meatballs make it fun to eat, and kids can't resist noodles in soup.
- Packed with flavor – Those warm spices like allspice and nutmeg give the meatballs that signature Swedish taste. The creamy broth with Worcestershire and Dijon? Chef's kiss.
- Freezer friendly base – Make the meatballs and broth ahead, freeze them, and add fresh noodles when you're ready to eat. Perfect for meal prep!
- Comfort food at its finest – When it's cold outside and you need something that feels like a warm hug, this soup delivers every single time.
Ingredients For Swedish Meatball Soup
Let me walk you through what you'll need. I keep most of these ingredients stocked in my kitchen anyway, so this soup rarely requires a special shopping trip!
For The Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large egg
For The Soup:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 8 oz egg noodles
- Sour cream, to taste
- Lingonberry jam, to taste
A quick note about the lingonberry jam – I know it sounds fancy, but you can find it at IKEA or most grocery stores near the jams. It adds this sweet-tart finish that's traditional with Swedish meatballs. But honestly? If you can't find it or just don't want to buy it, cranberry sauce works too!
How To Make Swedish Meatball Soup
Making this soup is actually way easier than you'd think. I promise you don't need any special skills here!
Prepare The Meatballs
- Heat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trust me on the parchment – cleanup is so much easier.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and add all your meatball ingredients: ground beef, panko bread crumbs, dried parsley, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, and the egg. Use your (clean!) hands to mix everything together gently. Don't go crazy here – overmixing makes tough meatballs, and nobody wants that.
- Roll the mixture into mini meatballs using about 1 tablespoon of meat for each one. You should get around 30 meatballs. Keep them small so they're easy to eat with a spoon! Arrange them on your prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes until they're golden brown with a nice crust. They don't need to be fully cooked through – they'll finish cooking in the soup.
Make The Soup Base
- While the meatballs are baking, start your soup. Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Toss in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around to coat in the butter, then let them cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until they're soft and the onions are turning translucent.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. This cooks off that raw flour taste (learned that the hard way once – the soup tasted weird and I couldn't figure out why!).
- Pour in half a cup of the beef broth and work it into the vegetable-flour mixture. Keep stirring until it's smooth and starts to thicken up. This is your roux base!
- Add the rest of the broth and the water, stirring constantly until everything is smooth and the flour is completely mixed in.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Give it all a good stir, then bring the liquid to a simmer.
Bring It All Together
- Once the soup is simmering, add the egg noodles. Cook them according to the package directions, but stop 2 minutes early. They'll finish cooking in the next step.
- Add your baked meatballs to the soup and let everything simmer together for 2-3 more minutes. The noodles will finish cooking, the meatballs will warm through, and the broth will thicken slightly.
- Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Remember, the beef broth and Worcestershire already add quite a bit of salt, so go easy!
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh parsley, a dollop of sour cream, and a small spoonful of lingonberry jam. The combination is amazing!
Storage And Reheating Swedish Meatball Soup
Here's what I learned about storing this soup (because I always make too much):
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The noodles will soak up some of the broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
Want to freeze it? Freeze the meatballs and broth separately (WITHOUT the noodles or cream) for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat the soup, add fresh noodles and cream, and cook until everything is heated through.
To reheat, warm the soup over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. If it seems thick, add a bit of water or broth to thin it out. Microwave works too – just heat in 2-minute intervals, stirring between each one.
Pro tip: The soup actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to hang out together!
Tips For The Best Swedish Meatball Soup
After making this recipe probably 10 times (seriously, we eat a lot of soup), here are my best tips:
- Keep the meatballs small – About 1 tablespoon each makes them perfect for eating with a spoon. Nobody wants to try cutting a giant meatball in a bowl of soup!
- Don't skip baking the meatballs first – That quick bake gives them a golden crust and so much more flavor than if you just dropped raw meatballs into the soup.
- Wait to add salt – The broth, Worcestershire, and meatballs already bring plenty of salt to the party. Always taste before adding more at the end.
- Use good quality beef broth – Since this is the soup base, the broth really matters. I like using low-sodium so I can control the salt level myself.
- Add noodles at the end – Don't let the noodles sit in the soup too long or they'll get mushy. If you're making this ahead, cook the noodles separately and add them when serving.
Want to change things up? Try using ground turkey instead of beef (I've done this and it still tastes great). You could also swap the egg noodles for small pasta shapes like shells or elbows. And if you're not into the sour cream garnish, it's totally optional – the soup is still delicious without it!
Swedish Meatball Soup FAQs
Yes! Make the meatballs and soup base up to 2 days ahead. Store separately and add noodles when reheating to prevent them from getting mushy.
Freeze the meatballs and broth (without noodles or cream) for up to 3 months. Add fresh noodles and cream when reheating.
Use half-and-half, whole milk with a tablespoon of flour, or full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
Serve with crusty bread, garlic toast, a simple green salad, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Recipes You May Like
Looking for more cozy, comforting recipes? Try these:
- Kielbasa Potato Soup – Another hearty soup that's perfect for cold nights and comes together in one pot
- Spicy Meatloaf Recipe – If you love the meatballs in this soup, you'll go crazy for this kicked-up meatloaf
- Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni And Cheese – Pure comfort food that pairs perfectly with soup for a really cozy dinner
My Final Thoughts On Swedish Meatball Soup
This Swedish Meatball Soup has seriously become one of my favorite cold-weather recipes. It's got everything I want in a soup – tender meatballs, creamy broth, plenty of vegetables, and those cozy egg noodles. Plus, it makes my whole house smell amazing while it's cooking!
The best part? You can have this on the table in 45 minutes, which means it's totally doable even on busy weeknights. And if you make it ahead or freeze portions, future you will be SO grateful when you can pull out a container for an easy dinner.
So go ahead, give this recipe a try! Make a big pot, cozy up with a bowl, and maybe save this to Pinterest for later (you know you'll want to make it again). Let me know in the comments if you try it – I'd love to hear what you think!
Swedish Meatball Soup
Equipment
- Large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ c panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large egg
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 4 c beef broth
- 2 c water
- ½ c heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 8 oz egg noodles
- sour cream to taste
- lingonberry jam to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl – ground beef, panko bread crumbs, dried parsley, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, egg, and egg yolk. Mix gently using your (clean) hands until the ingredients are evenly distributed, but be careful not to overmix.
- Form one-tablespoon portions of the mixture into mini meatballs, then arrange in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. You should be able to form approximately 30 meatballs. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until a solid crust has formed and the meatballs are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, prepare the soup base. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and toss to coat in the fat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, to work off the flour flavor.
- Pour in half cup of broth and work into the vegetable and flour mixture; continue mixing until the mixture is smooth and thickens significantly. Then, pour in the remaining broth and the water, then stir until the flour is completely absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Add the the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, dijon, mustard and apple cider vinegar. Give everything a good stir, then add bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add the egg noodles. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, less 2 minutes (they will finish cooking in the next step).
- Add the meatballs and cook 2-3 minutes more. At this stage, the egg noodles will be fully cooked, the meatballs will be warmed through, and the broth will be slightly thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, sour cream, and/or lingonberry jam to taste. Enjoy!
