Better than IKEA Swedish Meatballs

I have a strong love for IKEA, especially their Swedish meatballs. If it were closer, I would probably go there just for the meatballs. Now, IKEA's meatballs aren't horrible for you but they're definitely dangerous. One serving of 6 meatballs is roughly 200 calories and 13 grams of fat but let's be honest, who stops at just 6 bite sized meatballs? Not me that's for sure. 

I have been going through IKEA withdrawals and was really craving their meatballs so I made a quick trip to the grocery store and picked up my brother and sister on the way (Kaylee and Kyle are the perfect little helpers...)

Just a warning, this is a time consuming recipe. 

Swedish Meatballs

Yield: 6-8 servings

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 3 cups low sodium beef stock
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 lb. 80% lean ground pork
• 1 lb. 99% lean ground turkey
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup beef stock in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes). Transfer onion to large bowl.

Add beef, pork, eggs, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, black pepper, sugar, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl with the onion and mix to combine - use your hands! Add the breadcrumb mixture and mix. Do not over mix! Over mixing the ingredients will result in tough meatballs. Using either your hands or a tablespoon measure, roll mixture into meatballs and place on a greased baking sheet (you will end up with roughly 80 tablespoon meatballs or 40 large ones if you measure by hand). 

Bake meatballs for 15 minutes until just cooked through. Transfer meatballs to a plate and allow to slightly cool. While meatballs are cooling, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and lightly browned. Add remaining beef stock and bring to a simmer, whisking often over medium heat. Add sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce; whisk to combine.

Return meatballs to pan; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until meatballs are heated through and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and serve meatballs over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. 

Heavily adapted from: A Farmgirl's Dabbles