Homemade Swedish Meatballs – Recipe Inspired by Princess Anna and Elsa

This easy homemade Swedish Meatballs Recipe is inspired by Princess Anna and Princess Elsa from Frozen. Tender beef meatballs cooked to perfection in a cast iron skillet, surrounded by a delicious and easy cream sauce. Topped with lingonberry preserves, this weeknight meal is like no other comfort food! Get your children excited to try new foods as they learn to eat like a princess! 

These homemade Swedish Meatballs can be done in one skillet and in 30 minutes, making them perfect for a weeknight meal – an Anna and Elsa from Frozen Inspired Recipe your kids will love! Serve them with mashed potatoes or egg noodles, and lingonberry preserves!

Welcome to the Eat Like A Princess Series!

I designed this series as a fun way to teach my daughters about new cultures through the Disney Princesses in hopes that they will become more open to trying new foods, to understand other cultures better, and to enjoy exploring the world around them. And still staying within the 30 minute weeknight dinner theme. You can see other “Eat Like A Princess” Recipes here, like:

• Easy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for Princess Tiana
• American Harvest Bison Bowl for Pochahontas
• Eat Sausage Rolls for Princess Merida

Frozen is big in my house. Like – SUPER BIG.

My youngest can barely go a day without watching Frozen, reading a Frozen book, or playing with her Frozen dolls. And since I am always experimenting with ways in which to explore new cuisines with my children, and help them discover new and interesting things, I have developed this “Eat Like A Princess” series to help bridge the gap between what people typically think of as “kid food” and what children can actually enjoy. I decided to create an Anna and Elsa from Frozen Inspired Recipe!

Frozen’s Princess Anna and Princess Elsa

Elsa and Anna are some of our favorite princesses (yes, I know Elsa is technically a Queen). Princess Anna is brave, quirky, and so loyal to her sister. Queen Elsa constantly shows that she is selfless and how deeply she cares for her sister. She also learns to be confident in who she is. I also totally loved the “you can’t be in love with someone you just met” nod even though it seems like all the other princesses do.

Besides chocolate, sandwiches and snow cones, there isn’t a whole lot of food mentioned in the movie. Thankfully the regionality of this movie was pretty easy – as they mention fjords, mountains covered in snow, and the gorgeous art work (called kurbits) that is prominent on clothing and buildings throughout the movies. Arendale is obviously based off of the Nordic Countries, a region that includes Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark and Norway.

**Note: This recipe is not intended to be 100% authentic. Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are fictional princesses who live in a made-up land loosely based on Nordic culture. This recipe is intended to be easy enough that children can help you prepare it, as well as interesting enough to pique their interest in new cultures and foods. 

Homemade Swedish Meatballs – A Recipe Inspired by the Movie Frozen

I decided to highlight Swedish Meatballs for Anna and Elsa – it’s easy to make in 30 minutes, it’s a one skillet meal, and kiddos can help to stir together the ingredients for the gravy. They could also help you make the meatballs, depending on their age/maturity level – my oldest daughter helped me shape them and thought it was so fun! The meatballs themselves aren’t really that different from the typical Italian style everyone knows. What makes them fun is the unique gravy and the lingonberry preserves you eat them with.

How to prepare Swedish Meatballs Ahead of Time:

Swedish Meatballs can easily be prepared ahead of time. Simple bake the meatballs and store in the fridge until ready to eat. Make the simple gravy to add to the meatballs right before you eat.

What to serve with Homemade Swedish Meatballs

I suggest serving this with either mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

For a well rounded meal, add this crisp and refreshing Swedish Cucumber Salad, this easy and delightfully pink Swedish Red Beet and Apple Salad,  and don’t forget dessert – these easy Swedish Chocolate Balls are fantastic and easy!

For extra credit, check out these awesome kids books about Nordic culture. And you totally have to make Swedish Pancakes as well!

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How to Make Swedish Meatballs Kid-Friendly

Swedish Meatballs are naturally very kid-friendly! Kids LOVE meatballs, and the mild flavors here will go over really well. Plus, everyone loves gravy, right?

Serving the lingonberries on the side to dip in will be a fun and new treat your kids will enjoy.

Family Dinner Conversations

Dinner time should be more than micromanaging each and every bite your kids take. Use this opportunity to 

• Talk about where Anna and Elsa are from and what the land and weather were like there.
• Talk about the textures, flavors, colors, and smells of the Swedish meatballs, and other parts of the meal.
• Ask questions about what their favorite part of the Swedish Meatballs are, what they would like to change next time, or how you could make it better?

How to Serve Swedish Meatballs to your Family

Homemade Swedish Meatballs are a great meal to serve family style! Place the skillet with the meatballs and sauce on the table and allow everyone to serve themselves. The Lingonberry jam can also go in a bowl on the table, with a small spoon to serve with. When kids are allowed to choose how much of each food they get, they love that responsibility and independence, which means they are more likely to eat more of what they pick. 

Kids in the Kitchen: How your Kids can Help you Cook Swedish Meatballs:

One of the best ways to get kids interested in eating new foods (besides making food inspired by their favorite characters, books, and movies…) is to get them involved! Here are some easy ways your kids can help you cook these Homemade Swedish Meatballs:

• Kids aged 1-3 can help you measure out ingredients and wash the chives.
• Kids aged 4-6 can help you do everything above, chop the chives, plus dish out the lingonberry jam for the table, 
• Kids aged 7-10+ can help you do everything above, plus help make the meatballs, and whisk the gravy. 

*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.

Food tastes better when its shared with the ones you love!

There’s nothing I love more than seeing you having an amazing meal with your family! If you make this easy Swedish Meatball recipe, take a picture of you making or sharing them with someone you love!  

Then post your photo on Instagram or Facebook and  tag @thegingeredwhisk and use the hashtag #gingeredwhisk. I can’t wait to see what you’re cooking and share it!

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Easy Swedish Meatball Recipe for Queen Elsa and Princess Anna - Eat Like A Princess

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These easy Swedish Meatballs can be done in one skillet and in 30 minutes, making them perfect for a weeknight meal! Serve them with mashed potatoes or egg noodles, and lingonberry preserves! 

Print

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 TBSP dried chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 lb ground beef

Gravy:

• 1 TBSP butter
• 3 TBSP flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 TBSP lingonberry preserves

Serving:

• lingonberry preserves
• chives or parsley, chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs.

Form roughly 16-20 meatballs with the mixture.

Place the meatballs in a large cast iron skillet, heated with 1 TBSP olive oil.

Cook the meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Remove the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.

Cover with foil and set aside.

Place the butter in the skillet

Whisk in the flour, and whisk, whisk, whisk, until it is all incorporated.

Slowly (like 2 TBSP at a time) whisk in the beef broth. Fully incorporate each addition before you add more.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in the sour cream and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the lingonberry preserves and season with salt and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the gravy and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with either chopped parsley or chives.

Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 562 Total Fat: 35g Saturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 14g Cholesterol: 142mg Sodium: 761mg Carbohydrates: 26g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 12g Protein: 36g