Go Back

Swedish Meatball Casserole

Joan
Serves 4
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Meatballs

  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/3 cup onion, chopped very fine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil (not needed if baking the meatballs)

Pasta

  • 8 oz medium shell pasta

Sauce

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • **Optional - I threw in some sautéed mushrooms that I had in the fridge! It was delicious!**

Instructions
 

Meatballs

  • Add the panko bread crumbs to a large bowl, set aside
  • Spray a skillet with non stick spray.
  • Over medium heat, saute onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stir often
  • Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Turn the heat down, add the milk and bring to a simmer. Once it comes to a simmer, pour it onto the panko bread crumbs and stir to combine.. The mixture will be thick. Set aside to cool.
  • In another large bowl, add the egg and beat. Them crumble ground beef over egg and add onion mixture. Mix well (the easiest way is to mix with your hands)
  • Form about 16 meatballs and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
  • Once the meatballs have chilled, heat oil in a large skillet **** see below
  • Add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.
  • Transfer meatballs to a dish and set aside
  • **I baked my meatballs in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time!

Pasta

  • Cook pasta al dente according to the package directions. When done cooking, strain and put into a 11x7 baking dish

Sauce and Assembly

  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Place the meatballs into the baking dish nestling them into the pasta
  • In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter
  • Add the flour, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes
  • Stir in the beef broth, water and Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir often
  • Reduce heat to med/low and add the parsley and half and half. Stir everything together constantly and cook it until it thickens, about 10 minutes. **At this point I added sautéed mushrooms!
  • Pour the sauce over the meatballs and pasta.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.

Video