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Every time I make this Swedish Meatball Pasta, my kitchen fills with the warmth of nutmeg and allspice. It's become my favorite twist on traditional Swedish meatballs, combining everything we love about them into one cozy pot. The way the creamy sauce coats each pasta shell makes every bite perfect.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
What makes this dish so special is how it transforms fancy Swedish meatballs into an easy family meal. That rich sauce with its hint of spices gets soaked up by the pasta shells, creating little pockets of flavor. And cleaning just one pot at the end of dinner? That's my kind of cooking.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
For the Pasta and Sauce:
- 1 pound medium shell pasta
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the Meatballs:
- Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add ground meats, egg, diced onion, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper. Mix gently, then shape into 1-inch meatballs.
- Brown the Meatballs:
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Start the Sauce:
- Melt butter in the same pot. Add remaining onions and cook until softened. Pour in beef broth, scraping up any browned bits.
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Cook the Pasta and Sauce
I love watching the pasta shells soak up all that flavorful broth as they cook. Keep an eye on them and stir occasionally - they love to stick together! When you add that cream at the end, the sauce transforms into something truly magical.
Combine and Finish
That final simmer brings everything together beautifully. The meatballs finish cooking while sharing their flavors with the sauce, and the pasta soaks up all that goodness. Those five minutes of resting at the end might test your patience, but trust me, it's worth the wait.
Serving Suggestions
We love this with a simple green salad on the side - the fresh crunch balances out all that creamy comfort. Sometimes I'll toast up some garlic bread to catch every last drop of sauce. It's hard to beat a bowl of this on a cold evening.
Storing and Reheating
The leftovers might even taste better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld. Just add a splash of cream when reheating to bring back that silky sauce. It's become my favorite lunch to pack for work.
Freezing Tips
Having a batch of this in the freezer is like having a warm hug waiting for a busy day. While the pasta texture might change slightly, those comforting flavors stay just as delicious. It's saved dinner more times than I can count.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why grate the onion?
- Grating the onion helps it blend better into the meatballs and releases more flavor. No big chunks means better texture in the finished meatballs.
- → Can I use different meat?
- Ground pork or a mix of beef and pork works well. Just keep the fat content around 15-20% for juicy meatballs.
- → What pasta shape works best?
- Medium shapes like rotini, penne, or medium shells work best. They cook evenly and catch the sauce well.
- → Can I make this ahead?
- You can make the meatballs ahead and freeze them raw or cooked. Make the pasta fresh when ready to serve.
- → Why do my meatballs fall apart?
- Let the breadcrumb mixture sit to absorb the milk, and don't skip the egg. Both help bind the meat together.