This quick and easy Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs is flavor packed! It's the perfect accompaniment to either store bought or homemade meatballs for a fast and delicious weeknight dinner.
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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 fresh 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 one of those wonderful everyday meals.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Dill Mustard Sauce Recipe
- Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs Ingredients
- How to Make Meatballs in Mustard Cream Sauce
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions
- Tips & Tricks
- How to Serve
- How to Reheat
- How to Freeze
- Pin This Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Under 30 minute recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce Recipe for Meatballs
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Dill Mustard Sauce Recipe
- Using precooked meatballs this recipe can be prepared and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Fast enough for even the busiest of weeknights and a great way to get dinner on the table.
- Don't let the speed of this sauce for Swedish meatballs fool you! It tastes amazing and is so flavorful even though it's made from very simple ingredients.
- If you're a fan of 30 minute recipes, try some of my most popular:
Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce for Meatballs Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card 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 Meatballs in Mustard Cream Sauce
Find the full printable recipe card below.
Sauté chopped onion in olive oil until soft then add minced garlic.
Add chicken broth and the other remaining ingredients, 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 chopped dill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Swedish and 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.
What is mustard and dill sauce used for?
This easy sauce pairs really well with a variety of different dishes. I've used it here with meatballs, but you can use it with a variety of meats and seafood. It pairs particularly well with pork, beef or chicken.
I also like to serve it with some poached or roasted salmon, smoked salmon or gravadlax. Or add some to a seafood platter.
Variations & Substitutions
IKEA in the US sells plant based, veggie and chicken meatballs as well as the regular pork/beef based meatballs.
To make this delicious sauce for vegetarian diners, look for a veggie based meatballs and swap the chicken stock in the sauce for vegetable stock instead.
This sauce is not just for meatballs - serving it with chicken or fish also makes a delicious combination.
If you like your sauce a little sweeter but you want to avoid unrefined sugar, try a splash of maple syrup or honey. You could also use sweet mustard or honey mustard for a touch of sweetness.
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 fresh herbs like thyme or parsley. I would avoid dried dill since it won't give the same flavor.
Tips & Tricks
- 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 Serve
Swedish meatballs are often served with Mashed Potato. I also like to serve these meatballs with my No Mayo Herby Vegan Potato Salad or these amazing Cheesy Smashed Potatoes.
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 or this healthy Egg noodles also work to mop up that sauce.
In Sweden the traditional pairing is to serve meatballs with lingonberry jam. I pick mine up at my local IKEA store where they sell it in jars.
How to Reheat
Once cooked and cooled, any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Next time 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
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
What Do You Think?!
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More Under 30 minute recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce Recipe for Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Extra-Virgin 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 Extra-Virgin Olive Oil | 1 OnionIn 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 GarlicAdd the minced garlic, and sauté a further minute.
- ½ cup Chicken Stock | ½ cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream) | 1 tbsp Dijon MustardAdd the chicken broth, heavy cream and mustard then bring to a boil.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper | 2 lbs Swedish MeatballsSeason 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 DillSeason again if needed and finish with the fresh dill.
Nutrition
This recipe was shared with the #cookblogshare community, this week hosted by Helen at Family Friends Food.
Helen says
What a terrific speedy dinner! This sauce looks delicious.
Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare.
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much Helen, hope you love this as much as my family do.
Chloe Edges says
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!
Jo Keohane says
So glad you can use this recipe. Love chicken meatballs too, thanks so much for your comment.
Katie Lynch says
Delicious mid-week dinner that was a winner with the whole family. Really straight-forward, easy-to-follow recipe too!
Jo Keohane says
So glad you enjoyed this one, thanks so much for your comment Katie
Barbara says
Wanted something different for my meatballs and this sauce really made them pop with flavor. Will make again. This one is a keeper.
Jo Keohane says
Barbara I'm so glad you loved this one!! It's a favorite in our house as well. Thanks for your lovely feedback.
Celeste says
Can Italian frozen meatballs be used in this recipe?
Jo Keohane says
Hi Celeste - yes absolutely! I often use the frozen Ikea kind. Thanks for your comment and hope you enjoy
Rachel says
I have only eaten meatballs with a tomato sauce, so this was a revelation! I chose meatless meatballs and the only other adaption to the recipe was using light cream instead of heavy and adding pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon. I served it over long fusilli, it was incredibly easy to make and utterly delicious. I can't wait for my son to come back from college and experience this! Thank you, Jo - game changer.
Jo Keohane says
Sounds amazing Rachel, love the idea of adding lemon to brighten those flavors. Thank you so much for your comment and so happy you enjoyed!!