Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/2 stick Salted Butter (4 Tbsp, divided)
• 1 Medium Sweet Onion, diced
• 1 tsp Black Pepper (divided)
• 1/2 tsp All Spice
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup Whole Milk
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 lb Ground Meat (beef, pork, venison, or combination)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 cups Shell Pasta
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 5 cups Beef Broth
• 1/2 cup Water (additional)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 stick Salted Butter (8 Tbsp)
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare breadcrumb mixture: In a medium bowl, place the panko bread crumbs and set aside.

2. 2

   Sauté onions and spices: In a skillet, melt ½ stick butter (4 Tbsp), add diced onion, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook until the onion becomes translucent.

3. 3

   Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Make breadcrumb mixture: Add milk to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Pour this mixture over the bread crumbs and mix well. Let it cool.

5. 5

   Mix meatball components: In a separate bowl, beat eggs and combine with ground meat. Once breadcrumb mixture is cooled, combine it with the meat and egg mix thoroughly by hand.

6. 6

   Shape meatballs: Form mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

7. 7

   Chill meatballs: Refrigerate the meatballs for 30 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.

8. 8

   Cook pasta: Bring about 8 cups of salted water to a boil. Add shell pasta and cook uncovered until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

9. 9

   Brown meatballs: Wipe skillet clean, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown half the meatballs on all sides without overcrowding. Then brown the remaining meatballs in batches. Transfer all browned meatballs to the casserole dish with pasta.

10. 10

    Make sauce roux: In the pasta cooking pot, melt the remaining 1 stick butter (8 Tbsp). Stir in flour continuously for about 5 minutes to cook out the raw flavor.

11. 11

    Prepare sauce: Gradually whisk in beef broth, ½ cup water, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 tsp black pepper, and heavy cream. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces slightly.

12. 12

    Assemble bake: Pour the creamy sauce evenly over the meatballs and pasta in the casserole dish. It may seem like a lot of sauce, but it will reduce while baking.

13. 13

    Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and browned around the edges.

14. 14

    Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm alongside garlic bread and a fresh salad.