Description
This Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake combines tender, flavorful meatballs with shell pasta in a rich, creamy beef sauce. The meatballs are seasoned with traditional Swedish spices like allspice and nutmeg, then browned before being baked together with pasta and a luscious cream-infused gravy. It’s a comforting, hearty casserole perfect for family dinners, served best with garlic bread and a fresh salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1½ sticks Salted Butter (12 Tbsp), divided
- 1 Medium Sweet Onion, diced
- 1 tsp Black Pepper, divided
- ½ tsp All Spice
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup Whole Milk
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 lb Ground Meat (Beef, pork, or venison – or a combination)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
Other
- 2 cups Shell Pasta
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 5 cups Beef Broth
- ½ cup Water
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Breadcrumb Mixture: In a medium bowl, add the panko bread crumbs and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a skillet, melt ½ stick (4 Tbsp) of butter. Add diced onion, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine Milk and Breadcrumbs: Pour in whole milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add to the breadcrumb bowl. Mix well and set aside to cool.
- Mix Meatballs: In another bowl, beat the eggs. Add ground meat and mix well. Once breadcrumb mixture has cooled, combine it with the meat and eggs using your hands to form an even mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the meat mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Chill Meatballs: Refrigerate meatballs for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook Pasta: Bring about 8 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add shell pasta and cook uncovered for 7-8 minutes until al dente. Drain and place pasta into a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Braise Meatballs: Wipe out skillet. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown half the meatballs, turning to brown all sides. Transfer browned meatballs to casserole dish with pasta. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
- Make Sauce Roux: In the same pot used for pasta, melt 1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter over medium heat. Stir in flour continuously for about 5 minutes to cook out raw flavor.
- Add Liquids to Sauce: Gradually whisk in beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 tsp black pepper, and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces slightly.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour sauce evenly over meatballs and pasta in casserole dish. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve warm with garlic bread and a side salad.
Notes
- For storage, cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
- Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen uncooked; thaw before baking.
- Use a combination of meats for richer flavor, such as beef and pork or venison.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially black pepper and Worcestershire sauce for depth.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp green salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.