Swedish Elk Meatballs with Mushrooms
Swedish elk meatballs with mushrooms are the ultimate cozy comfort food. Tender meatballs simmer in a rich, velvety gravy with earthy mushrooms, perfect over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a hearty Nordic-inspired meal.
Servings: 6
Calories: 430kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground elk
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
Sauce
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups stock (wild game, beef, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 3-4 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- To a medium bowl add egg, milk, bread crumbs, and olive oil. Mix together with a whisk. Let mixture sit while you prepare other ingredients (onions, garlic, spices, etc.), about 5 minutes. The breadcrumbs will absorb the wet ingredients which helps the meatballs stick together.
- Add meat, onion, garlic, and spices to the bowl. Gently mix together with your hands until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to divide the meat into 24 equal portions, about 2 tablespoons each.
- Gently form each portion into a ball. Place meatballs on a parchment paper-lined pan, evenly spaced. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and the outsides are golden brown.
- If you'd like to brown your meatballs a little more, you can broil them on high for 3-5 minutes after the initial cooking time.
Sauce
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and reabsorbed it, stirring occasionally. This process is called dry sauteing and results in super flavorful mushrooms.
- Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add butter to the pan and let it melt.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add flour to the pan and stir to coat the mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add sour cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the pan and spoon the sauce over the meatballs. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Top with chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any ground wild game meat (venison, moose, etc.) or ground beef can be used in place of ground elk.
- This Swedish meatball sauce is a simple blend of flavorful stock and sour cream, thickened with a simple roux.
- Typically Swedish meatballs do not have mushrooms in the sauce. But, I love the extra rich flavor they add. Feel free to skip them if you'd like!
- Gently mix the meatball ingredients just until combined to keep the meatballs tender. Overmixing can make them dense and tough.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 4mg
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