This Swedish meatball noodle bake is the ultimate comfort food that will make your tastebuds dance. With its creamy sauce, cheesy topping, and tender meatballs and noodles, it’s a dish everyone will love. Best of all, it comes together in a single casserole bake, making it a convenient and easy weeknight dinner. I’ve been cooking this for years, and my family just can’t get enough!
Should I Use Beef or Pork for the Meatballs?
Both beef and pork work perfectly in this recipe. I prefer using 100% ground beef because I love the deeper, beefier flavor the casserole takes on. However, mixing in some pork adds nice flavor and moisture too. Use whatever ground meat you prefer!
What Type of Noodles Are Best?
While the original recipe calls for egg noodles, feel free to substitute any small pasta shape like farfalle or even mini penne. The key is to use a bite-sized noodle that can soak up all that delicious sauce. Stay away from long noodles like spaghetti which would be tricky to bake.
How Can I Prepare Ahead?
One of the best parts of this recipe is that the entire casserole can be prepped 1 day in advance then cooked when you’re ready. Even freezing the assembled, unbaked casserole for up to 3 months works beautifully. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed, adjusting cooking time if needed. So easy!
Can I Double the Sauce?
If you love extra sauce like I do, you certainly can double the sauce ingredients. I’d suggest still only using 1 cup beef broth to keep the liquid ratio balanced. So double the heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce then proceed with the recipe as written. You’ll end up with a lot of luscious sauce covering those meatballs and noodles! Perfection.
Meatball Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: 1 lb
- Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup
- Large Egg: 1, beaten
- Onion: 1/2, grated
- Ground Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon
- Garlic Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Kosher Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon, freshly ground
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
Casserole Components:
- Beef Broth: 1 cup
- Heavy Cream: 1 pint
- Worcestershire Sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Egg Noodles: 2 1/2 cups
- Swiss Cheese: 1 1/2 cups, grated
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: to taste
- Fresh Parsley: chopped, for garnish
Instructions:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F and lightly greasing a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Combine beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Form into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs in olive oil over medium-high heat, then set aside.
- Partially cook the noodles in boiling salted water.
- Use the same skillet to combine broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring in any remaining meatball flavors.
- After simmering the sauce for about 10 minutes, layer noodles, meatballs, and sauce in the baking dish. Top with cheese.
- Bake until the cheese bubbles, about 20 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy this hearty and comforting bake, a delightful twist on traditional Swedish meatballs!
