Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs – An Easy Swedish Recipe

Meatballs are a crowd-pleaser any night of the week, and they are perfect for a warm winter meal. If you’re looking for a simple and quick recipe, look no further. This Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs recipe takes just ten minutes of prep time and 25 minutes to cook, including both the meatballs and the sauce.

My Instant Pot has become such a great time saver in the kitchen, and with the holidays approaching, I always find myself in a rush to do everything. I can’t wait to use the Instant Pot throughout this winter, as I know it will allow me to cook delicious, hearty meals for my family, without having to spend an excessive amount of time in the kitchen. I’d rather save my energy for the main festivities that are going on when I set out to create massive feasts for all my family and friends to enjoy. The Instant Pot is an amazing kitchen tool that anyone would love to receive as a holiday gift, and every day I’m so grateful for how much it has transformed my cooking!

During the fall and winter seasons each year, I always crave sitting around with my family and enjoying my favorite comfort food. I love casseroles and pasta dishes, and always like to feature carbs and creamy sauces throughout the colder months. This meal combines some of my favorite foods, including ground turkey, noodles, and a delicious sauce.

The recipe uses just one pot and so is perfect for busy parents. While it sounds like it could be quite a heavy dish, it’s actually not too calorific. This is why I love preparing food at home, instead of getting take out or eating at restaurants too often, as you know exactly what you are putting into each meal.

It’s the perfect recipe for active kids and teens after a busy day at school or playing in any sports activities. It will give them all of the fuel they need to get their homework done after dinner!

Meatballs are a typical Swedish dish, and in Sweden, you’ll find that their meatballs are typically served with a thick, brown gravy and mashed potatoes. They also like to serve a side of pickled cucumber and lingonberry jam alongside the meal. The lingonberry jam is what really sets the Swedish dish apart from other country’s servings, and it’s a wild berry, quite similar to a cranberry.

But did you know that Swedish meatballs actually came from Turkey? Charles XII lived in Turkey during his reign as King of Sweden in the Great Northern War. When he returned home, he brought the meatballs with him and adapted them to the Swedish köttbullars. If you are familiar with IKEA, over 2 million meatballs are eaten each day in their stores around the world!

If you’ve never had the chance to try Swedish meatballs before, they aren’t the same as your typical Italian meatballs. They are held still together with egg still but have a different flavor, which is achieved by adding Worcester sauce. Traditional Swedish meatballs are flavored with all-spice, which gives them a distinguishing flavor and aroma. The sauce is also a departure from the typical tomato-based spaghetti sauces and is made with beef broth and half-and-half, with some added freshness from the parsley.

When cooking this recipe, I always try to choose healthy ingredients and use high-quality seasonings. Ground turkey is a great alternative to beef, and it makes this dish slightly more nutritious. When it comes to cooking the pasta, remember that pasta cooks incredibly quickly in the Instant Pot, so keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t overcook! That’s why the quick release is so handy, as it releases the pressure right away.

As far as the ingredients go, plain breadcrumbs will be your best bet for the meatballs, and homemade ones would work perfectly. Try to avoid Italian or panko crumbs though, and you’ll want to finely dice the onion for the sauce, trying to avoid big chunks.

Especially if you are cooking for kids, it’s good to try and keep the meatballs nice and even. I like to use a cookie scoop to create even sized balls of meat, which kids will appreciate eating much more. The 25-minute cooking time includes first cooking the meatballs and then preparing the sauce and noodles before combining it all together to serve.

I find that the pressure of the Instant Pot cooks these Swedish meatballs to perfection, and the rich sauce in our recipe complements the meatballs perfectly. If you are looking for an alternative to pasta, this dish would be delicious served over mashed potatoes. Continue reading on for the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen. Our step-by-step instructions will show you how to create this simple dish that your whole family will think you’ve spent all afternoon in the kitchen creating!

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs (serves 3-4)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes (including both meatballs and sauce)

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients for Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs recipe:

Ingredients for Meatballs:

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pepper 
• 1 tbsp parsley 
• 1 tsp of Natures Seasoning 
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbsp of Worcester
• 1 lb. of ground turkey (85/15)

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 8 ounces of egg noodles

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs Step by Step Instructions:

1. Mix together all of the ingredients for your meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to create even meatballs if you want each one to be the exact same size.

2. Place aluminum foil on your Instant Pot trivet, as the turkey meat is a bit thinner than regular beef.

3. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place your trivet inside and place each meatball on your trivet. You can stack the meatballs on top of each other, or if you have a tall trivet, repeat the same step on that trivet.

4. Close your Instant Pot and close the ceiling valve. Set your Instant Pot to high-pressure for seven minutes. Once the time is completed, do a manual release of the pressure. Remove your Trivet from the Instant Pot and transfer to a plate or cookie sheet.

5. Press cancel on your Instant Pot, followed by sauté mode.

6. Once your Instant Pot becomes hot, add your olive oil. Add in your diced onions and sauté them for about 3 to 4 minutes to soften your onions.

7. Add your fresh dill and cook your dill and onions together for about one minute more.

8. Add the beef stock to your Instant Pot. Stir the ingredients in the Instant Pot together.

9. In a separate bowl, mix together your cornstarch and water. Once that is fully mixed, add it to your Instant Pot.

10. Add in your half-and-half and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another three minutes on sauté mode to allow everything to thicken.

11. Add in 8 ounces of egg noodles. Stir into the sauce. Place the lid back on your Instant Pot for about 5 to 7 minutes. Once your noodles are done cooking, add in your meatballs, and mix well.

12. Serve in a bowl and top with parsley! Enjoy!

Your whole family will adore this recipe, and it’s a fantastic addition to your collection of warming meals to serve this winter. It’s an easy to create dish that needs minimal skill and is ready in under thirty minutes. This meal can be served however you wish, so try out different serving ideas, such as mashed potatoes instead of the noodles. Whichever way you choose to serve these meatballs, they’re sure to be a hit with kids and teens alike. I always love trying out new recipes in the Instant Pot, so come back soon for more simple and creative recipes to try.