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    Home » Dinner » 30 Minute Meals » Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs

    Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs

    Oct 15, 2021 · 6 Comments

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    This quick and easy Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs is delicious. The perfect accompaniment to either store bought or homemade meatballs, it will tip the flavor of your midweek meal over the edge!

    I use IKEA ready made meatballs in my Swedish style meatball dinner so that I can get it prepared and on the table in less than 30 minutes.

    Any ready made meatballs will work - and kudos to anyone with time to make delicious homemade meatballs! But with 3 kids and a busy after school schedule it's not usually happening for me.

    By the way, this creamy mustard and dill sauce elevates anything it touches. So no one will even notice if the meatballs are store bought 😉

    Serve with mash or rice and some buttered veggies for a fast, great tasting meal that everyone will enjoy.

    Why You Should Make This Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce

    • Using precooked meatballs this recipe can be prepared and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Fast enough for even the busiest of weeknights.
    • Don't let the speed of this sauce for Swedish meatballs fool you! It tastes amazing and is so flavorful.
    • If you are a fan of great tasting dinners that can be cooked and on the table in under 30 minutes why not try my Lemon Caper Chicken Breasts; my Chicken Fajita Sheet Pan Dinner; my Creamy Pancetta, Pea & Mint Pasta or my Grilled Corn, Feta & Black Bean Tacos?

    How to serve Meatballs

    Swedish meatballs are often served with mashed potato. I also like to serve these meatballs with my No Mayo Herby Vegan Potato Salad.

    But don't be limited to serving potatoes, this great tasting sauce for meatballs would also work with sides of steamed rice or buttery veggies like my Honey Butter Roasted Carrots. Egg noodles also work to mop up that sauce.

    In Sweden it is traditional to serve meatballs with lingonberry jam. If you make your own that's great, I pick mine up at my local IKEA store where they sell it in jars.

    Difference between Swedish & Italian Meatballs

    Swedish meatballs differ from Italian meatballs, they are smaller with a more compact texture and tend to be flavored with spices like allspice and nutmeg. Whereas Italian meatballs are generally larger, have a more open texture and are flavored with herbs rather than spices.

    Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce Ingredients

    Find the full list and quantities in the recipe below.

    Meatballs - you can use any variety of meatballs and even make your own if you have time. However, for ease I have used store-bought Swedish meatballs. My particular favorite are IKEA's Swedish meatballs. These meatballs come ready cooked so they only need to be reheated in the meatball sauce.

    It's also worth mentioning that IKEA meatballs can be cooked from frozen. Just remember they might just take a little longer to defrost and warm through in the sauce (usually around 15 minutes extra.)

    Dijon Mustard - is a mild mustard and adds great flavor to the meatball sauce.

    If you don't have Dijon mustard you can substitute with wholegrain mustard. However, I'd avoid English or yellow mustard as they are too strong and would overpower the fresh dill in the creamy meatball sauce.

    Fresh Dill - is the herb most associated with Scandinavian cookery and works really well with fish and meat dishes and also in creamy sauces. It's a great tasting herb with a real fresh, almost grassy flavor. A great substitute for dill would be fresh parsley.

    How to Make this Sauce for Meatballs

    Find the full printable recipe below.

    Sauté chopped onion in olive oil until soft then add minced garlic.

    Add chicken broth, heavy cream and mustard then bring to a boil.

    Season then add the meatballs.

    Simmer for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are piping hot.

    Check the seasoning, then serve with fresh dill.

    Variations of Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce Meatballs

    IKEA in the US sells plant based, veggie and chicken meatballs as well as the regular pork/beef based meatballs.

    To make my meatball sauce for vegetarian diners, look for a veggie based meatballs and swap the chicken stock in the sauce for vegetable stock instead.

    This recipe can be easily adapted for dairy-free or vegan diners. Firstly opt for a plant based vegan "meatball". Then replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and the heavy cream for a plant based vegan cream.

    Fresh dill is used to flavor the creamy mustard meatball sauce, however you can use other herbs like thyme or parsley.

    Tips For Making Sauce for Meatballs

    • Ready cooked Swedish meatballs not only taste great, but save real time when it comes to preparing this dish. They only need to be heated up in the meatball sauce.
    • If making your own meatballs, take the time to brown them first in a separate pan before adding them to the meatball sauce. This will really add to the flavor of the finished dish.
    • Also if making homemade meatballs ensure they are small and fairly even in size, otherwise they may take longer to cook through.

    How To Reheat Sauce for Meatballs?

    Once cooked and cooled, any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    When ready to eat, simply heat the meatballs up gently in the sauce over a medium heat until warmed through. If the sauce is a little thick you can add a splash of stock or water to loosen it.

    How to Freeze Sauce for Meatballs?

    This sauce for meatballs can be made in advance, cooled and stored in a suitable container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost the sauce and warm it up in a pan over a medium heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce to warm through.

    If you make your own meatballs from scratch, you can freeze them once they are cooked along with the meatball sauce. Simply allow the dish to cool completely then place in an airtight container suitable for the freezer. You can store the sauce and homemade meatballs for up to 3 months.

    However, if you are using ready made meatballs that have already been frozen they cannot be refrozen!

    Pin This Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs Recipe For Later

    Pinnable image with recipe title and cast skillet with cooked meatballs covered in sauce, a bowl with berry sauce and a sprig of fresh dill.

    What Do You Think?!

    I'd love to know what you think about this recipe! I'd be so grateful if you scroll down to the bottom of the page and leave a star rating and comment.

    Don't forget to go over to Facebook and Instagram and make sure you're following me so you can join in the chat. And remember to save this recipe to your Pinterest too!

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    Printable Recipe

    Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs

    This quick and easy Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs is delicious. The perfect accompaniment to either store bought or homemade meatballs, it will tip the flavor of your midweek meal over the edge!
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Share Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Nordic
    Servings 4
    Calories 755 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1 Onion - peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 clove Garlic - minced
    • ½ cup Chicken Stock
    • ½ cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
    • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
    • 2 lbs Swedish Meatballs - store-bought or homemade
    • 1 tbsp Fresh Dill - chopped
    • Sea Salt and Black Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • 1 tbsp Olive Oil | 1 Onion
      In a large lidded frying pan or dutch oven, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil on a medium low heat until soft - around 10 minutes.
    • 1 clove Garlic
      Add the minced garlic, and sauté a further minute.
    • ½ cup Chicken Stock | ½ cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream) | 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
      Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and mustard then bring to a boil.
    • Sea Salt and Black Pepper | 2 lbs Swedish Meatballs
      Season well to taste then add the meatballs and turn the right heat down to a low simmer. Cover with a lid.
    • Simmer for 15 minutes, removing the lid to stir occasionally, until meatballs are piping hot and completely cooked through. The sauce will have thickened somewhat. If the sauce looks too thick add a splash more stock and cream.
    • Sea Salt and Black Pepper | 1 tbsp Fresh Dill
      Season again if needed and finish with the fresh dill.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 755kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 40gFat: 63gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 205mgSodium: 225mgPotassium: 753mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 457IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be taken as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and the Family Food Kitchen can't guarantee the accuracy of this information.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This recipe was shared with the #cookblogshare community, this week hosted by Helen at Family Friends Food.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Helen says

      October 18, 2021 at 8:24 am

      5 stars
      What a terrific speedy dinner! This sauce looks delicious.
      Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare.

      Reply
      • Jo Keohane says

        October 21, 2021 at 11:09 am

        Thanks so much Helen, hope you love this as much as my family do.

        Reply
    2. Chloe Edges says

      October 19, 2021 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      Oh this is fab, I always have Ikea Meatballs in the freezer but I do get a bit bored with their standard sauce. The chicken balls are my favourite and this sauce goes fab with them!

      Reply
      • Jo Keohane says

        October 21, 2021 at 11:07 am

        So glad you can use this recipe. Love chicken meatballs too, thanks so much for your comment.

        Reply
    3. Katie Lynch says

      November 16, 2021 at 6:56 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious mid-week dinner that was a winner with the whole family. Really straight-forward, easy-to-follow recipe too!

      Reply
      • Jo Keohane says

        November 17, 2021 at 8:05 am

        So glad you enjoyed this one, thanks so much for your comment Katie

        Reply

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    I'm Jo. As a recipe developer and busy mum of 3, I can help you eat well when time is short! This blog contains loads of delicious, fast and easy-to-achieve recipes. Follow along and feed your family with less stress.

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