Norwegian Meatballs in Brown Gravy (Easy Kjøttkaker Recipe!)

Norwegian Meatballs in Brown Gravy with broccoli, potatoes, lingonberries, and sauerkraut.

5 from 3 votes

Norwegian Meatballs in Brown Gravy (Easy Kjøttkaker Recipe!)

Kjøttkaker are classic Norwegian meatballs — tender, well-seasoned beef patties smothered in a savory from-scratch brown gravy. The meat mixture comes together quickly with warm spices like nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and fresh ginger, plus potato starch as the traditional Norwegian binder for a light, tender texture. Shape them into flat patties, brown them in a hot skillet, then build the gravy right in the same pan using those flavorful drippings. The roux gets cooked low and slow until deep golden brown — that's where the signature color and depth come from. Serve with boiled potatoes, broccoli, and lingonberry sauce for the full Norwegian experience!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Nordic, Norwegian

Servings: servings

Calories: 512kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

Ingredients

Meatballs (Kjøttkaker)

2 pounds ground beef 80/20 or 85/15
1 medium yellow onion grated
3 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
5 tablespoons potato starch about 60g
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons oil for frying

Brown Sauce (Brun Saus)

pan drippings reserved from meatballs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion finely minced, or substitute onion powder for a smoother gravy
7 tablespoons all purpose flour about 53g
4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
½ - 1 teaspoon black pepper to taste

Instructions

Meatballs (Kjøttkaker)

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, add ground beef. Grate in the onion, and ginger.
2 pounds ground beef, ½ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Next, add in the spices (black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cloves), potato starch, heavy cream, eggs, and salt. Mix everything together until a smooth mixture forms. Tip: pinch off a small piece and cook it to taste-test the seasoning before shaping the full batch.
1 medium yellow onion, 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, 5 tablespoons potato starch, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 large eggs, ½ cup heavy cream
Use a medium-sized cookie scoop or two spoons to shape the meat patties and place them in a hot skillet. Don't overcrowd the skillet, the meatballs will need to be cooked in batches.
½ - 1 teaspoon black pepper
Use a spatula and flatten the meatballs into a patty shape.
Cook until golden brown on both sides, and completely cooked through. Set aside. Do not wipe out the skillet — the browned bits go straight into the gravy.

Gravy (brun saus)

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.
pan drippings reserved from meatballs, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium yellow onion
Cook, stirring often, until the flour deepens to a rich golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Don't rush this step — it's what gives the gravy its signature color and depth.
Slowly stream in the beef broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. (Bring the mixture to a simmer to thicken.)
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
After the gravy has thickened considerably (after about 7-9 minutes), stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce for a few minutes to warm through and coat in the gravy.
Now, top with parsley and black pepper, and serve with your favorite sides. We served it with traditional sides of lingonberry sauce, broccoli, and boiled potatoes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The gravy may thicken when chilled; thin it with a little beef stock when reheating if needed.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The gravy will thicken when chilled — add a splash of beef broth when reheating to thin it out.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
Make-ahead: Prepare the meatballs and gravy up to 3-4 days in advance. Store separately and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth as needed.
Freezing: The meatballs freeze well for up to 3 months, with or without the gravy. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Salt: This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton's kosher salt, start with half the amount and adjust to taste.
Substitutions: Cornstarch works as a 1:1 swap for potato starch. For gluten-free gravy, use your favorite GF flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
Serving suggestions: Serve with boiled potatoes, broccoli, and raw stirred lingonberry sauce for the traditional Norwegian spread. Also amazing with Swedish mashed potatoes or creamy brown butter mashed rutabaga.

Nutrition