Swedish Meatball Pasta

Swedish Meatball Pasta – This spin on a classic recipe gives you an entire meal-in-one made with pasta shells cooked down in a rich, creamy sauce, and loaded with flavorful meatballs. You’ll need just one pot and 30 minutes to turn this dreamy, creamy dinner into a reality!

If you’ve been following my blog and the recipes I create over the years, you’ll come to learn the three things I love more than anything: Pasta, meatballs, and making dinner in just one pot. Is this Swedish meatball pasta my dream meal realized? I think so!

These meatballs are made with warm spices that cook down to perfectly flavor that simple creamy sauce. I know everyone will be pining for seconds after finishing their plate, so this recipe will make lots to mitigate any duels over the last scoop. Good thing it’s made with such easy kitchen staple ingredients! You’re going to need to add it to your dinner rotation.

What’s so special about Swedish meatballs?

There’s a reason these little meatballs have gained such popularity and traction all over the world! Every country has their own version of meatballs, but the Swedes could rival Italy with their version loaded with warm flavor and cooked in a flavorful, creamy sauce.

Swedish meatballs are smaller than what you’d usually see in an Italian restaurant, and they’re also flavored with a mixture of nutmeg and allspice rather than herbs.

If you’re familiar with making Swedish meatballs, you’ll notice I’ve replaced the classically used sour cream with heavy cream. For this one-pot pasta dish, cream is much easier to cook into the pasta and the rich flavor simply works better with pasta.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Panko breadcrumbs – You can use Italian breadcrumbs if that’s what you have handy.
• Onion – White or yellow, doesn’t matter.
• Milk – Any type, even a non-dairy alternative, will work.
• Ground beef – I used lean ground beef. You can use ground pork instead. Ground poultry will also work, but keep in mind the meatballs will be drier.
• Egg – A large egg.
• Spices – Nutmeg and allspice. You can use one or the other if you don’t have both on hand.
• Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
• Olive oil – Grape seed, avocado, canola, vegetable, sunflower, or safflower oils can be used instead.
• Chicken broth – Use low-sodium. Beef or veggie broth can work too.
• Heavy cream – Any cream with at least 35%MF. A can of full fat coconut milk will work too if you need a non-dairy alternative.
• Worcestershire sauce – Soy sauce can be used instead.
• Dijon mustard – If you aren’t a fan of dijon, you can use regular yellow mustard.
• Pasta – I used mini shells, but use your favorite.
• Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated.
• Parsley – Chopped for a fresh, bright garnish.

How to make Swedish meatball pasta

1. Form the meatballs: Add all the meatball ingredients to the bowl and mix well to combine. Use your hands to form small meatballs, using about 2 tbsp of the meat mixture per meatball. I find it easier to use a small scoop, this way all the meatballs will be the same size.
2. Sear the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large braiser or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, cooking in batches if needed, and brown on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.
3. Mix the sauce: To the same skillet add the chicken broth, cream, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir everything well. Bring the mixture to a bubble, add the pasta, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. Cook the noodles & finish: Stir often, until the noodles are cooked through and tender. It should take 10 to 12 minutes depending on your noodles. Stir in the parmesan cheese and the meatballs. Taste for seasoning, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

What to serve with Swedish meatball pasta

This creamy, dreamy pasta dish is perfect with some fresh greenery. You can serve up your favorite simple salad, some steamed or roasted vegetables, plus a good crusty bread to get every last bit of that fantastic sauce out of the pan. Here are some of my favorite sides:

• Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Avocado Tomato Salad
• Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Green Beans
• No Knead Bread
• Artisan Bread

How to store leftovers

Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. They’ll reheat best in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through. You can reheat on the stovetop if you prefer, but make sure to use a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a splash more broth if needed.

Freezing

While it’s not ideal to freeze cooked pasta, you definitely can if you don’t mind a softer texture once the pasta thaws back out. This dish will last 1-2 months frozen. Make sure everything has cooled down to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container.

Let the pasta thaw slowly overnight in the fridge before reheating. Be very careful when reheating and stirring the pasta to avoid breaking them.

Looking for more easy one-pot meals? Try these:

• Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta
• One Pot Chicken and Peas Fettuccine Alfredo
• One Pot Creamy Parmesan Pasta
• Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
• Haluski
• One Pot Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
• Cheesy Hamburger Helper
• Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce