Swedish Meatball Casserole
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Posted: 04/08/24
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The ultimate comfort food is this delicious Swedish Meatball Casserole. With homemade meatballs that are tender and full flavor, to the rich, creamy Swedish Meatball sauce that the noodles are tossed in. Every bite is full of flavor and a amazing dinner recipe.
This incredible Swedish meatball casserole is a wonderful dinner recipe when you’re craving classic comfort food. Homemade meatballs are actually pretty easy to make, and this recipe makes the most flavorful and juicy beef meatballs. Swedish meatballs are actually a favorite of mine! It’s why I’ve got a recipe to make them in the Crock Pot and make Instant Pot Swedish meatballs.
I’ve got a recipe for the meatballs and sauce on the stove top too, but this casserole combines all the goodness of the gravy, the egg noodles and the meatballs in one delicious dish. It’s a fun twist on the classic recipe and a wonderful dinner time meal! You’re going to love how easy it is to make this creamy and flavorful noodle bake.
Why You’ll Love this Swedish Meatball Casserole Recipe
- While the total time for this easy Swedish meatball casserole is a bit long, you only need 25 minutes of prep time to get it ready. Then pop it into the oven and let it cook to perfection!
- This casserole is wonderful for potlucks and parties. It serves eight hearty servings, so it’ll go a long way!
- You can easily adapt and change this recipe to make it exactly how you want. For example, you can add ingredients like mushrooms or make substitutions in this dish to make it gluten free!
Ingredients for Swedish Meatball Casserole
- Wide egg noodles – I like to use wide egg noodles in this Swedish meatball casserole, but you can use any kind of noodles that you want!
- Heavy cream – If you do not have heavy cream, you can use half and half or whole milk.
- All-purpose flour – Use a bit of all purpose flour to make the gravy a bit more thick and make it super smooth and creamy.
- Sour cream – Even if you’re not a fan of sour cream, try it out in this recipe! It makes the gravy so creamy and rich and adds a great depth of flavor.
- Olive oil – Use olive oil to brown the Swedish meatballs on all sides.
- Finely minced onion – Finely mince an onion and mix it into the meat mixture to add tons of delicious flavor!
- Egg – Egg acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together. It is really important to the structure of the meatballs, so don’t leave it out.
- Minced garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds loads of flavor to the meatballs.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter in the gravy. Just keep in mind that you can have more control over the salt level if you use unsalted butter and add the salt yourself.
- Dried parsley flakes – Feel free to use fresh parsley if you prefer, but dried parsley is super easy to use and adds so much flavor!
- Low sodium beef broth – Using low sodium beef broth allows for you to easily control the salt level in this Swedish meatball pasta bake.
- Ground beef – For best results, use a lean ground beef so that they aren’t super greasy.
- Italian style bread crumbs – Use some Italian breadcrumbs to help bind the meatballs together.
- Salt and black pepper – With a bit of salt and pepper, you can add tons of flavor to this Swedish meatball noodle bake.
How to Make Swedish Meatball Casserole
Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the wide egg noodles on the stovetop according to package instructions. Cook to al dente, then drain and cool.
In a large bowl, combine the lean ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley flakes, minced garlic, minced onion, egg, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon or your hands.
Then use clean hands to roll the meat mixture into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in size.
Put some olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Then add meatballs and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer cooked meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.
Drain the excess grease out of the skillet and then reduce to medium heat. Melt butter in the skillet and then whisk the flour in until it is lightly browned.
Gradually whisk in the low sodium beef broth and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Then stir in the sour cream, heavy cream, salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until heated through and thickened.
Add the cooked noodles to a 9×13 baking dish and then spread the meatballs in a even layer over the top.
Pour gravy over the dish and then bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through.
How to Store Leftover Swedish Meatball Casserole
FRIDGE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
FREEZER: Leftovers, stored in an airtight container, can be frozen for up to 3 months. For best results, allow to thaw before reheating.
Keep in mind that the texture of the noodles may change a bit after freezing. And the longer you store this dish in the fridge, the more the noodles will soak up the sauce. Feel free to add a bit broth when reheating to keep the leftovers from being too dry.
Can I make swedish meatball casserole ahead of time?
This dish can be made all the way up to baking and then be frozen! Allow it to cool completely, then wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for 2-3 months. Keep in mind that you may need to add on some extra cook time so that the casserole will cook through from frozen.
What is good to serve with Swedish meatballs?
Serve this “stick-to-your-ribs” comfort food meal with sides like air fryer garlic bread, fresh breadsticks or warm dinner rolls.
Green beans with bacon and glazed carrots are also great sides to serve with this Swedish meatball bake. For something a little unique and different, make smashed potatoes as a side!
What if my meatball mixture is too wet?
If you end up with a meatball mixture that is too wet or sticky, then add some more panko breadcrumbs. You need a dry ingredient/binder that will help combine the wet ingredients so that they will more easily hold together.
How do I thicken my meatball sauce?
Things like all purpose flour and cornstarch are a great way to thicken up meatballs sauce. Just add a bit to your saucepan and whisk it well until the sauce begins to thicken.
Pro Tips for the Best Swedish Meatball Casserole Recipe
- Mushrooms are a classic ingredient often added to Swedish meatballs. Feel free to dice some up and mix them into the sauce.
- Do not over-cook your noodles! Cook them just to al dente so that they do not become mushy after being baked in the oven.
- Be careful not to cook the meatballs or gravy over too high of heat. If you find that the meatballs are sticking, then turn the heat down and maybe add a bit more oil. The gravy can simmer a bit, but stir continuously and don’t let it get too hot.
This lovely meatball noodle bake is such a delicious dinner! I hope you enjoy!
More Casserole Recipes You’ll Love!
- Taco Casserole is super easy to make and is one of our most favorite dinner meals.
- This Chicken Noodle Casserole takes all the comforting things about the classic soup and turns it into a hearty casserole!
- Cheeseburger Casserole is gooey, cheesy, and oh so delicious. Such a fun meal to make!
- This easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is one of my go-to comfort meals. A classic that never gets old!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Swedish Meatball Casserole
Tender meatballs with a homemade gravy and pasta! This Swedish Meatball Casserole is an easy dinner recipe favorite.
Video
Ingredients
Swedish Meatballs:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ¾ cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup finely minced onion
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Gravy:
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the wide egg noodles according to the package to el dente. Drain and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley flakes, minced garlic, minced onion, egg, salt and pepper.
- Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined. Use clean hands to roll the mixture into meatballs about 1 ½ inches in size (it should make about 20-24 meatballs).
- Put the olive oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain the excess grease out of the skillet.
- Turn the heat down to medium and Melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream, heavy cream, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the cooked noodle to a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Spread the meatballs evenly over the top of the noodles.
- Evenly pour the gravy over the dish.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 min or until heated through.
Tips
FRIDGE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
FREEZER: Leftovers, stored in an airtight container, can be frozen for up to 3 months. For best results, allow to thaw before reheating.
Keep in mind that the texture of the noodles may change a bit after freezing. And the longer you store this dish in the fridge, the more the noodles will soak up the sauce. Feel free to add a bit broth when reheating to keep the leftovers from being too dry.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 639kcal (32%), Carbohydrates: 46g (15%), Protein: 27g (54%), Fat: 38g (58%), Saturated Fat: 18g (113%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 149mg (50%), Sodium: 897mg (39%), Potassium: 683mg (20%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 695IU (14%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 82mg (8%), Iron: 4mg (22%)
Candace says
Can the meatballs be cooked in the crockpot or oven?
Linus says
They’re called Köttbullar, not “Swedish Meatballs”!! 🤓
But the recipe is delicious… 😋
Sarah Hill says
Thank you! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed these!