These scandi-style meatballs with gravy are tender, perfectly seasoned, and served with a rich, creamy gravy. A cosy, Nordic-inspired dinner that pairs beautifully with chips, mash, lingonberry sauce, or greens.
The recipe appeared in the February 2022 BBC Good Food magazine, alongside another meatball recipe that we couldn't resist making...meze meatballs! We always love to order the meatballs and gravy...and chips when we visit an IKEA restaurant! They're delicious with mashed potatoes too.
The seasonings used in these meatballs make them absolutely delicious, and along with the gravy and berry sauce...you could feel like you're sitting in an IKEA restaurant and not your own home! Go on, make them...you know you want to!
Tips
- Berry sauce – if you struggle to get fresh or frozen cranberries in your local supermarket, cranberry sauce, redcurrant jelly or lingonberry spread (sold by the jar in IKEA) are great alternatives!
- Make ahead - the meatballs will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hours.
- Freezable (for up to 2 months) – freeze a batch of these meatballs for another day – they’re actually best frozen before being cooked. Defrost overnight and they make for an easy, speedy midweek meal.
- Vegetarian option - use lentils, mushrooms and oats to create hearty vegetarian meatballs.
- This scandi-style meatballs with gravy recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Featured Comment
"A really tasty dish and easy to make although I did get bored rolling out the meatballs. Quite rich in our case as we used double cream!"
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Traditional pairings include - mashed or boiled potatoes, buttery noodles or egg pasta, steamed greens or pickled cucumber, and lingonberry jam for a sweet contrast.
Yes — use plant-based cream or oat milk for the meatballs and gravy.
Yes - try turkey, chicken, or plant-based mince for lighter versions.
Yes — use gluten-free breadcrumbs or oats in the meatballs, and cornflour or gluten-free flour for the gravy.
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How to make these Scandi-Style Meatballs with Gravy
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 75g breadcrumbs
- 50ml milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- 300g beef mince (at least 12% fat)
- 300g pork mince (at least 5% fat)
- 0.5 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 0.5 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- a drizzle of vegetable oil
- a small handful of dill, leaves picked, to garnish
Berry sauce (see Tips):
- 150g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 75g caster sugar
Gravy:
- 20g butter
- 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
- 400ml good quality beef stock
- 50ml single cream (I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
- a splash of Worcestershire sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve (optional):
Instructions
- Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 10 minutes, or until the milk has been absorbed.
- Combine the beef mince, pork mince, allspice, flour, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce and salt in a large bowl, add the milk-soaked breadcrumbs and use your hands to squash everything together for a few minutes until well combined. Roll the mixture into meatballs about the size of a cherry tomato (you'll end up with around 32 meatballs). Chill for at least 30 minutes on a baking tray or plate. Note: the meatballs will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hours, or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Make the berry sauce by cooking the cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat with a splash of water for 5 to 8 minutes, until the berries have burst and the sauce looks syrupy and glossy. Add a little more water if it becomes too thick. Leave to cool.
- Heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4 and have a baking tray to hand. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the meatballs, in batches if needed, for 8 to 10 minutes until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to the baking tray and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Melt the butter over a medium heat in the same frying pan you fried the meatballs in (no need to wash it first), and stir in the flour. Sizzle for a minute or 2, then slowly add the stock, whisking to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken. Turn off the heat then add the cream and Worcestershire sauce and some seasoning, to taste. Tip the meatballs back into the gravy, scatter with the dill and serve with mashed potatoes or chunky oven chips, if you like, and the berry sauce.
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Scandi-Style Meatballs with Gravy
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 75 g (2.6 oz) breadcrumbs
- 50 ml (3 ½ tbsp) milk I use semi-skimmed
- 300 g (10.6 oz) beef mince at least 12% fat
- 300 g (10.6 oz) pork mince at least 5% fat
- 0.5 tsp ground allspice
- 0.5 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- a drizzle of vegetable oil
- a small handful of dill leaves picked, to garnish
Berry sauce (see Notes):
- 150 g (5.3 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 75 g (2.6 oz) caster sugar
Gravy (see Notes):
- 20 g (0.7 oz) butter
- 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
- 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) good quality beef stock
- 50 ml (3 ½ tbsp) single cream (I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
- a splash of Worcestershire sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve (optional):
Instructions
- Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 10 minutes, or until the milk has been absorbed.
- Combine the beef mince, pork mince, allspice, flour, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce and salt in a large bowl, add the milk-soaked breadcrumbs and use your hands to squash everything together for a few minutes until well combined. Roll the mixture into meatballs about the size of a cherry tomato (you'll end up with around 32 meatballs). Chill for at least 30 minutes on a baking tray or plate. Note: the meatballs will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hours, or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Make the berry sauce by cooking the cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat with a splash of water for 5 to 8 minutes, until the berries have burst and the sauce looks syrupy and glossy. Add a little more water if it becomes too thick. Leave to cool.
- Heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4 and have a baking tray to hand. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the meatballs, in batches if needed, for 8 to 10 minutes until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to the baking tray and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Melt the butter over a medium heat in the same frying pan you fried the meatballs in (no need to wash it first), and stir in the flour. Sizzle for a minute or 2, then slowly add the stock, whisking to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken. Turn off the heat then add the cream and Worcestershire sauce and some seasoning, to taste. Tip the meatballs back into the gravy, scatter with the dill and serve with mashed potatoes or chunky oven chips, if you like, and the berry sauce.
Notes
- Berry sauce – if you struggle to get fresh or frozen cranberries in your local supermarket, cranberry sauce, redcurrant jelly or lingonberry spread (sold by the jar in IKEA) are great alternatives!
- Make ahead - the meatballs will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hours.
- Freezable (for up to 2 months) – freeze a batch of these meatballs for another day – they’re actually best frozen before being cooked. Defrost overnight and they make for an easy, speedy midweek meal.
- Vegetarian option - use lentils, mushrooms and oats to create hearty vegetarian meatballs.
- This scandi-style meatballs with gravy recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Graeme says
A really tasty dish and easy to make although I did get bored rolling out the meatballs. Quite rich in our case as we used double cream!
Deborah says
Thanks Graeme for your comment and star rating - much appreciated. Yes, there's a lot of meatballs!!