15 February 2024

Swedish Meatballs - For Now or Later - Homemade Freezer Meals

Swedish Meatballs for Now or Later - Freezer Meals / www.delightfulrepast.com

Swedish Meatballs is one of our favorite meals, but a bit of a faff for just one or two meals for two; so I added it to my list of favorite recipes to add to my "streamlined cooking" repertoire.

It doesn't take much longer to make a double batch and divide it amongst five 3-cup lidded glass storage dishes, making five—yes, five!—meals for two to pop into the freezer for future busy-day dinners.

I served the first of my freezer stash over rice with a salad on the side. Also great with noodles or mashed potatoes. It's wonderful having homemade food with the convenience of frozen foods!


Swedish Meatballs for Now or Later - Freezer Meals / www.delightfulrepast.com

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Some of my other freezer meals are: Shepherd's Pie, Salisbury Steak, and Stuffed Shells. I'm always trying to think of meals that might freeze well.

Do try it and let me know how you like it. AND please tell me about any meals you make ahead and freeze. I like to have variety in my "frozen food section" at all times. (Ohhh, and I just realized, this is Delightful Repast's 14th blogiversary!)
 

Swedish Meatballs for Now or Later - Freezer Meals / www.delightfulrepast.com


Swedish Meatballs  

(Makes about 70, 10 main-dish servings) 

The Meatballs 

About 4 slices good white or sourdough bread (4 ounces/113 grams) for 1 1/2 packed cups breadcrumbs 
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces/80 grams) finely minced onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2/3 cup (5 1/3 fluid ounces/151 ml) milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) lean ground beef
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) ground pork

The Sauce 

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons (1 7/8 ounces/53 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 ml) lower sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/114 ml) heavy cream
Garnish: sour cream and chopped dill 


Use food processor to make perfect fresh breadcrumbs. Cut slices of good white or sourdough bread into four to six pieces. You only need to remove the crust if it's coated with seeds. Process until it becomes breadcrumbs. Don't worry about overdoing it; it's pretty foolproof. You should have 1 1/2 cups, fairly firmly packed. Add crumbs to a 3- to 4-quart mixing bowl. 

Cut a small piece of onion into a couple of chunks and use the food processor (no need to clean the bowl) to finely mince the onion. Sauté in oil until soft. Add to bowl. 

3 Add salt, pepper, allspice, milk, eggs and Worcestershire sauce to bowl. Mix well. Add ground beef and ground pork, and mix well. Just use one impeccably clean hand to mix, if you like. Put mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before shaping meatballs.

Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. Using a #60/0.5-ounce/1 tablespoon scoop, scoop out all the meatballs (makes 70) and place them on an 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan (10 rows of 7). Then go back and roll each one into a smooth round ball and place back on the sheet. Bake for 30 about minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

In 12-inch skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour, cooking and stirring to make a smooth, browned roux. Don't rush it; get the roux browned. Add beef broth and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cream. If serving immediately, transfer meatballs to sauce and heat on low for 10 minutes.

For freezer meals: Choose your lidded glass storage containers suitable for the number of servings you need. I use five of these 3-cup lidded Pyrex dishes and put 14 meatballs in each. Divide the sauce among the dishes. Put on the lids, cool, chill, then freeze. To serve, get one out of the freezer the night before and put it in the refrigerator to thaw; heat in the microwave (lid removed) or in a small pan on the stove. Plate and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

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42 comments:

ellen b. said...

Five meals for two sounds great. Thanks for the recipe and suggestions, too.

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Spot on! Swedish meatballs, or Italian et al, are a “faff” saver (love that word). They also lend themselves to sauces galore, mincing up with starches like spaghetti, a cold-haste meal on the run, and even immersion in soups like Tomato or Mushroom. They can be revived from the dead with a bit of snappy garnish like an onion. And they soak up a bar-b-cue mellowness like Jack Daniel’s or Wee Willy’s like it was aged in oak barrels for half a century.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ellen, whenever possible, I don't cook just one meal at a time anymore!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Sully! I know readers will appreciate your magical meatball methods!

Lorrie said...

Cooking once and eating twice or thrice is the way I often cook. Plain meatballs in the freezer are so versatile. I make a Chicken Broccoli Bake that freezes well and is handy to have available. Swedish Meatballs are so delicious and I like the idea of mixing beef and pork for them.

Jeanie said...

I love the idea of freezer meals. Actually, most of mine are freezer meals except right after shopping day! But it's nice to have something there and on the ready. These look very good!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Lorrie. Love the idea of a Chicken Broccoli Bake. Since you say it freezes well, I think that will be my next batch of freezer meals!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jeanie. I *have* to pull out a freezer meal on shopping day. Can't shop, put away groceries, *and* cook!

acorn hollow said...

I will pin this I love swedish meatballs.
Cathy

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Cathy, thanks. I hope you'll try them soon!

Donna G said...

These sound good-and easy! I had just tried some frozen “Swedish” meatballs, but there was not even a hint of nutmeg or anything else purporting to be Swedish meatballs. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Donna! I've had so many "Swedish" meatballs that were just ... meatballs. Without allspice and dill, to *me* they are not Swedish meatballs.

Cheryl said...

We love Swedish meatballs around here! The recipe I have used includes some lingonberry jam and it is a treat. I don't know why, but I had never thought to freeze them, but that is a great idea! Fortunately, all three of us like leftovers, so we often get two (or even three) meals out of one night's cooking.

Happy Blogiversary, Jean!

Bernideen said...

I love them - over mashed potatoes and usually use equal parts ground hamburger, turkey and pork. Everything you make is so delicious and I love your spice ideas!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Cheryl. And, yes, lingonberry jam—love that stuff! I like to offer it as a garnish. If someone wants to stir it in or not, it's up to them. I keep mine separate and just have a little bite of the jam every so often.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Bernideen, that is so kind of you to say! And, yes, please—on mashed potatoes is my personal favorite, but Mr Delightful has been into rice lately for some reason. Go figure!

Esme Slabbert said...

WOW Jean, these are looking divine and the fact that one can freeze them, so much the better.
I visited you via To Grandma’s House we go! Wednesday Link Party #388
My links: 42+43. We will be so happy if you share your blog links with us at SeniorSalonPitStop. Link under BLOGGING.

Lowcarb team member said...

Swedish meatballs are a popular dish, many thanks for sharing your recipe.

All the best Jan

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Esme, thank you so much. And, yes, I'll be joining *your* link party *next* week.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jan!

Sherry's Pickings said...

I love meatballs! I really like to make German meatballs I have to confess. The ones cooked in a lemon and caper sauce but any meatball will do :=)

Jeff the Chef said...

I love this kind of cooking. I depend on it all the time. Anything I cook has to do double-duty as a leftover, or as something I can haul out of the freezer when I don't have time to cook.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sherry, I've never had German meatballs. But I'll eat chunks of cardboard with lemon and caper sauce, so I'm sure to like them!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeff, I'm glad to hear that! I don't think I could function without my homemade freezer meals!

Gail Is This Mutton? said...

Congratulations on your 14th blogversary! Who doesn't love Swedish meatballs? I love having meals like this in the freezer. I make chilli, curries and casseroles to freeze. Thanks for linking Jean, you are the featured recipe favorite on Wednesday.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much, Gail. And good ideas for more freezer meals; think I'll do chili next. And thanks for the feature. Much appreciated.

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

I always say, cook once, eat twice - or more! You've got a great recipe there that is so nice to have on hand for the nights you don't want to cook!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Marilyn, thanks so much. Just used the last one today! Need to make another batch. But I still have three taco meals in there, so ...

Phil in the Kitchen said...

Oh yes, they'd be a great addition to my freezer. I definitely applaud the notion of producing all those extra portions to look forward to. I love a meatball and I can't think of many countries that don't have their own version. At the moment my freezer seems to be full of various flatbreads from the Indian subcontinent (it's a long story) but I'd make room for these. When I have the freezer space I do tend to make big batches of beef ragu (cooked in milk initially) in the winter and caponata in the summer.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Phil. Those sound like some good things to have on hand in the freezer. It just makes sense to make extra of whatever and pop it in the freezer. I've never frozen caponata, but I'm going to remember your mention of it when summer arrives.

David Scott Allen said...

Jean — I love Swedish meatballs… but I don’t like leftovers! Isn’t that the oddest thing? I always want new food and generally cook for the number of people at the table that night. I have no idea where that came from as my mother loved having leftovers around. Go figure. I will make your meatballs next time I have a party!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

David, does it make a difference if you think of it as simply cooking ahead rather than leftovers? But, hey, whatever works for you is okay!

Esme Slabbert said...

It's so perfect for packing and stacking your freezer with these meatballs.
Thank you for linking to and participating and sharing at SSPS 299. See you again next week!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Esme. Yes, These dishes are perfect for stacking. And it makes me so happy to open my freezer and see them stacked 6-high!

Melynda@Scratch Made Food! said...

I can't wait to make these, I especially like that it is also a freezer meal! This lovely recipe is one of my features for this week's SSPS #300. Pinned. Have a great week ahead.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Melynda! Much appreciated.

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Congratulations on your 14 years of blogging, that is wonderful. Your Swedish meatballs sound like a delicious addition to the freezer. We make a large pot of Italian ragu with sausage once a month and freeze in portions for the two of us. It is so easy to take out a container for a meal when we don't feel like cooking.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Karen! I can't believe it's been so long. Sounds like you and I are of one mind about the joys of keeping a stash of homemade freezer meals!

Anonymous said...

I love that they can be a freezer meal!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Oh yes! I couldn't manage without my homemade freezer meals!

Jennifer Wise said...

Stopping in again with congratulations! This post was one of the most popular at the Will Blog for Comments #46 linkup. It will be in the spotlight for two weeks, starting today. You're welcome to save the "This Blog Post Was a Featured Favorite" image from there to share with your readers here. We look forward to seeing more of your posts--linkup #47 opens Monday morning. :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jennifer, thanks so much!