Ella Walter
Swedish meatballs are a delicious and comforting dish, often served as an appetizer or main course. While they can be made in an oven or on a stovetop, an air fryer is a quick and easy way to cook Swedish meatballs, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish. The meatballs are cooked in the air fryer, while the gravy is typically made separately on a stovetop. The meatballs are then coated in the gravy and served with sides such as mashed potatoes, cooked pasta, or rice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time | 25-30 minutes |
| Meat | Beef, pork, chicken, turkey |
| Other ingredients | Onion, milk, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, garlic powder |
| Air fryer temperature | 360-375°F |
| Air fryer time | 6-14 minutes |
| Sauce | Gravy, lingonberry sauce or jam |
| Serving suggestions | Mashed potatoes, cooked pasta, rice, egg noodles |
| Storage | Refrigerate for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Meatball ingredients and preparation
Swedish meatballs are typically served as an appetizer or main course, either on their own or with mashed potatoes, cooked pasta, or rice. They are usually coated in a rich, creamy gravy and sometimes served with lingonberry sauce or jam.
To make the meatballs, you will need ground beef, ground pork, onion, milk, breadcrumbs, egg, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Some recipes also call for garlic powder. You will also need butter or cooking spray and flour to make the gravy, as well as beef broth, heavy cream, and soy sauce to taste. If you want to make a darker gravy, you can caramelize the onions.
Soak the bread in milk for about 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk and tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Return the bread to the bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, and form the mixture into meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. You can use a small cookie scoop to ensure evenly sized meatballs. Lightly oil your hands to prevent the meat from sticking to them.
You can freeze uncooked meatballs by placing them on a large half-sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Once they are frozen, transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Air fryer settings and cooking time
To cook Swedish meatballs in an air fryer, you'll need to preheat your air fryer to a temperature between 360°F and 375°F. The cooking time will depend on the size of your meatballs, but generally, it should take around 6 to 10 minutes to cook them through.
If your meatballs are golf ball-sized, 6 minutes in the air fryer should be sufficient, turning them halfway through to ensure even cooking. For smaller meatballs, around 1 tablespoon in size, you'll need to cook them for about 10 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through.
For larger meatballs, around 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, preheat your air fryer to 375°F and cook them for about 8 minutes. Then, flip or turn the meatballs and air fry for another 5 minutes for a more even browning.
It's important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer model and the number of meatballs you're cooking. To ensure your meatballs are cooked through, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should reach at least 160°F.
While the meatballs are in the air fryer, you can start making the gravy on the stovetop. Melt some butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add onions, and cook until soft or caramelized, depending on your preference for gravy color. Stir in flour and cook for a minute before slowly adding broth and soy sauce to achieve your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Making the gravy
While your meatballs are in the air fryer, it's time to make the gravy! This can be done on the stove in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt some butter, then add the onions and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). If you prefer a darker gravy, cook the onions until they are caramelized.
Next, stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. It should start to bubble and thicken. Now, slowly stir in the broth and soy sauce until the mixture thickens to your desired consistency (about 3 minutes). You can add salt and pepper to taste.
If you want to use the air fryer to help make the gravy, you can brown the meatballs and then put the drippings into a pan to make the gravy.
Once your gravy is ready, pour it over the meatballs before serving. You can serve the meatballs on a platter or in individual servings, ladling the gravy over the meatballs, or you can put the meatballs into the gravy and serve directly from the pan.
If you have any leftovers, store your Swedish meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Serving suggestions
Swedish meatballs are typically served with a rich, creamy gravy. You can also serve them with lingonberry sauce or lingonberry jam on the side.
For a heartier meal, serve your meatballs with a side of mashed potatoes, cooked pasta, or rice. If you're serving them as an appetizer, they can be served on their own or over a bowl of mashed potatoes, cooked pasta, or rice.
If you're making a big batch, it's best to make the gravy on the stovetop. Start making the gravy while the meatballs are cooking in the air fryer so that they finish at the same time. You can also use the air fryer to brown the meatballs and then put the drippings into a pan to make the gravy.
If you're making the meatballs ahead of time, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months. Reheat them in a shallow saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.
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Storing and reheating
Allow the Swedish meatballs to cool down to room temperature. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply use a shallow saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. You can also use a microwave for reheating. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a little water to it before reheating.
You can also freeze uncooked Swedish meatballs by placing them on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze them until they harden, for about an hour. Then, transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag or a freezer-safe airtight container. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze cooked meatballs (before tossing them into the sauce) in a similar manner. However, it is recommended to use the juices from the uncooked meatballs to flavour the sauce. To use frozen meatballs, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then cook them according to the recipe instructions.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes about 30 minutes to cook Swedish meatballs in an air fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 360°F or 375°F.
First, prepare the meat mixture by combining ground beef, ground pork, onion, milk, breadcrumbs, egg yolk, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg in a bowl. Roll the mixture into meatballs. Then, place the meatballs in the air fryer and cook for 6-10 minutes, turning halfway through.
While the meatballs are cooking in the air fryer, make the gravy on the stove. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add onions. Cook until the onions are soft or caramelized. Stir in flour and cook for about a minute. Then, slowly stir in broth and soy sauce until the mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
