Norwegian Meatballs in Brown Gravy (Kjøttkaker i Brun Saus)

This hearty Norwegian Meatballs Recipe, known as Kjøttkaker in Norwegian, features tender, well-seasoned beef patties smothered in a rich brown gravy. These traditional meatballs are deeply flavored with warm spices like nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and fresh ginger, making them warm and ultra comforting! Similar to their Swedish neighbors, these patties are larger, flatter, and a bit easier to cook. We just know you will love them!

Everyone has heard (and loves) Swedish meatballs, and we even have a keto Swedish meatballs recipe on our site from years ago, but we're actually partial to Norwegian-style meatballs!

When I was an exchange student in Norway in high school, meatballs were one of my favorite dinners. They're a common Nordic food, and they're not even always made from scratch. In fact, you can find great tasting meatballs available at all Norwegian grocery stores.

Today, we're making our own, because obviously they're even better that way! After reading dozens of articles online, and recipes from Norwegian cookbooks, we've found that everyone's grandma has a little bit of their own recipe.

We tend to lean towards things that have a lot of seasonings and warm spices, so we made sure to add in a really good blend of delicious spices, and even grated in some fresh ginger! If you have a family recipe for similar meatballs, we'd LOVE to hear how your family makes them!!

These are served with boiled potatoes, veggies like broccoli, some form of cabbage, or even Norwegian pickled cucumber salad, and lingonberry sauce, they're truly such a warm, comforting, and easy-to-throw-together meal.

If you're looking for more cozy Nordic recipes to try, check out our Finnish salmon soup, or this Swedish shrimp toast! Don't forget to serve these with a Swedish almond cake for dessert or these aromatic Swedish cardamom buns!

❤️Why We Love This Recipe

• Authentic Norwegian flavors. The combination of warm spices like nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves creates that distinctive Scandinavian taste that's comforting and sophisticated.
• Perfect comfort food. These meatballs are hearty and satisfying, making them ideal for both cozy cool nights in.
• Make-ahead friendly. You can prepare the meatballs in advance and reheat them in the gravy when ready to serve, making them perfect for entertaining, or just meal-prepping them for the week like we do.
• Made with simple, humble ingredients. You can get the taste of Norway at home with very simple ingredients available at most grocery stores!

🧅Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Ginger. This ingredient is technically optional, but adds a layer of depth to the meatballs.
• Butter. We recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe to make it easier to control the salt level.
• Oil. Anything that is good for higher-heat cooking (to cook the meatballs) will work well here. Olive oil, avocado oil, or anything you prefer.

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & Variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• No potato starch. Feel free to swap for cornstarch!
• No onion. You can use onion powder instead if you prefer.
• Gluten-free. Use cornstarch, or your favorite gluten-free flour blend (we like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour) to thicken the gravy.
• Less or more spiced. Feel free to add or omit ingredients as you see fit to suit your personal preference. One thing we recommend is taking a small piece of meat before preparing the whole batch, cooking it up, then giving it a taste, so you can adjust the seasonings to suit your preference. That way, if you'd like more of something, than you can add it before making all of the meatballs.
• Creamier gravy. You can add cream to the gravy if you'd like to make a creamy sauce, for these meatballs, we tend to leave it out, but feel free to add some if you'd like.
• Add brown cheese! For an even more authentic and delicious gravy, add some Norwegian brunost, or, a sweet, caramelized brown cheese. Sometimes it is made from cow's milk, and sometimes from goat's milk. This is not as easy to come by stateside, but our friends in Norway tend to send us some at Christmas time, so we're fortunate to have some in the fridge at all times. Grating some of this cheese and adding it to the gravy will add a delicious richness and depth of flavor! In some American grocery stores, you can find it under the name "gjetost" - and the brand is "Ski Queen" by Tine!

This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

🔪Prep Work

• Grate one onion for the meatballs, and mince the other really fine for the gravy.
• Grate ginger.
• Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Make the meatballs

In a large bowl, add ground beef. Grate in the onion, and ginger. (Image 1)

Next, add in the spices (black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cloves), potato starch, heavy cream, eggs, and salt. (Image 2)

Mix everything together until a smooth mixture forms. (Image 3)

⭑Pro tip: Before cooking up the entire batch, take a small piece of meat and cooking it, then taste it, so you can adjust the seasonings to suit your preference. That way, if you'd like more of something, than you can add it before cooking all of the meatballs.

Cook the meatballs

Use a medium-sized cookie scoop or two spoons to shape the meat patties and place them in a hot skillet. (Image 4) Don't overcrowd the skillet, the meatballs will need to be cooked in batches.

Use a spatula and flatten the meatballs into a patty shape. (Image 5)

Cook until golden brown on both sides, and completely cooked through. (Image 6) Set aside.

Make the gravy

In the same pan you cooked the meatballs in without draining it, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the butter to melt, followed by the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions have begun to soften, about 3 minutes, then add in the flour. (Image 7)

Cook, stirring often, until the flour has deepened in color, about 10-15 minutes. (Image 8)

Slowly stream in the beef broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. (Image 9) Bring the mixture to a simmer to thicken.

⭑Pro tip: Allowing the onions and flour to brown (not burn!) is what gives the gravy the signature brown color and distinct deep flavor. Be patient and stir often to prevent burning!

After the gravy has thickened considerably (after about 7-9 minutes), stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Image 10)

Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce for a few minutes to warm through and coat in the gravy. (Image 11)

Now, top with parsley and black pepper, and serve with your favorite sides. We served it with lingonberry sauce, broccoli, boiled potatoes (all traditional sides), and a less traditional, but delicious non-the-less, sauerkraut!

✨Top Tips

• Don't overmix the meatballs. Handle the meat mixture gently to ensure tender meatballs. Once completely combined, stop handling them, or they may end up tough!
• Consistent sizing. Try to make the patties uniform in size for even cooking. We recommend using a medium-sized cookie scoop.
• Test the seasoning. Cook a small piece of the meat mixture to check the seasoning before shaping all the patties.
• Brown the meatballs, onions, and flour properly: Don't rush the browning process when making both the meatballs and the gravy- it adds crucial flavor.
• Be careful not to burn the flour. While browning is important, you want to make sure not to burn the flour or onions in the gravy, or your sauce may end up bitter.
• Whisk constantly for a smooth gravy. For the smoothest gravy, whisk constantly while adding the beef stock, or you may end up with chunks and lumps of flour in the gravy.