Swedish meatballs are as comforting in a blanket of gravy as they are doused in brothy soup. Sometimes you just want a bowl of something really rich and balanced with a few vegetables and some starch. If you love Italian wedding soup, then you’ll appreciate this twist on the classic. In this soup, the broth base is just as important as its meatball counterpart. Adding the addition of lager instead of white wine (the usual deglaze alcohol of choice) gives this soup a touch more Swedish character. Spicy mustard for a little back-end punchiness, cream, and melted sharp cheddar cheese give the broth a light richness so it’s neither too brothy nor creamy. Here are some steps to help you along your soup journey.
The spices matter:
Typically Swedish meatballs are made with nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and sometimes onion or garlic. The key word here is “balance.” Too much of those pungent spices might overwhelm the dish. Grated fresh nutmeg is used here because it’s actually a bit more subtle than the pre-ground kind. This recipe calls for bulk pork sausage over ground pork because sausage has some additional spices and fat added to it, which nicely contrasts with the beef. A 3:1 ratio of beef to pork is used here, but feel free to experiment.
More than one starch, please:
Potatoes are forgiving, so it’s okay if they overcook a little bit once you’ve made the soup, store, and reheat it. But If you’re not planning to eat this soup right away, cook the noodles in boiling salted water separately, adding a little butter to prevent sticking, and store them in their own container. The hot soup will cause the noodles to sop up as much liquid as possible—this is never pleasant.
The broth:
Swedish meatballs are typically made in a beefy gravy, but chicken broth is used because it’s a little more approachable for a soup and a better slate for “lighter” brothy bases. If you want to add half chicken broth and half beef broth, go for it. If you’d like other soups using chicken as the base, try our chicken soup or slow cooker tortilla soup.
Storage:
As if you wouldn’t sop up the entire pot with a hunk of bread…the soup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the meat mixture in advance, freeze for up to 3 weeks, thaw, and cook.
Made this recipe? Let us know in the comments.
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- Yields:
- 6 - 8 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 25 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2
large eggs
- 2/3 c.
fresh bread crumbs
- 1
clove garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp.
heavy cream
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp.
ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp.
grated fresh nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp.
ground white pepper or black pepper
- 1/4 tsp.
ground ginger
- 12 oz.
ground beef
- 4 oz.
ground sweet pork sausage
- 1/4 c.
extra-virgin olive oil
Soup
- 1
small red onion, chopped
- 3
medium stalks celery, sliced into 1/2"-thick half-moons
- 2
small carrots, sliced into 1/2"-thick half-moons
- 5
cloves garlic, grated
- 8 oz.
russet potatoes, peeled, chopped (about 1 1/2 c.)
Kosher salt
Ground white or black pepper
- 2 tbsp.
all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp.
spicy mustard
- 1 c.
lager beer
- 2 qt.
low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 oz.
egg noodles
- 4 oz.
grated sharp cheddar
- 3/4 c.
heavy or light cream
- 1/4 c.
chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Meatballs
- Step1In a large bowl, mix eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, cream, salt, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, and ginger. Add beef and pork and mix until well combined.
- Step2Form mixture into 18 to 20 balls (about 1 heaping tablespoonful each). Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Step3In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until golden brown (they’ll be about three-quarters of the way cooked), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Return to baking sheet lined with clean parchment.
Soup
- Step1In same pot over medium-high heat, cook onion, celery, and carrot, stirring constantly, until onion and celery start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potatoes and cook, stirring frequently to make sure starch doesn’t stick to pot, until edges are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
- Step2Add flour and mustard, stirring to coat vegetables. Add beer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step3Add broth, reduce heat to medium-low, and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs (the soup should not be boiling) and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and meatballs and carrots are tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Add noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, just until al dente, about 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Step4Remove from heat. While stirring, add cheese and cream until cheese is melted.
- Step5Divide soup among bowls. Top with parsley.
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