Name: Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; ½ pound ground pork; ¼ cup fresh minced parsley (plus more for garnish); 2 tablespoons dried minced onion; 2 teaspoons dried sage; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or use mace if on AIP); ½ teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon black pepper (leave out if on AIP); ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds (leave out if on AIP); 8 ounces baby bella or button mushrooms (sliced (about 4 cups worth)); 1 large yellow or white onion (diced (about 2 cups worth)); ¼ cup coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce ((use coconut aminos if on AIP)); ¼ cup chicken or beef stock or bone bone broth; ½ cup full fat coconut milk (from the can); 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder; Mashed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, zoodles, or cooked spaghetti squash

Jump to Recipe

This dish is packed with so much flavor, and the Instant Pot makes it so fast and easy to make—it’s just an all-around winner-winner-meatball-dinner.

When I first made these meatballs back in 2018, these Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs were an immediate hit. My husband requested them weekly. My daughter happily ate her mini meatballs. They feel like good stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.

What makes Swedish meatballs different from regular meatballs?

Swedish meatballs tend to be smaller than Italian meatballs—you should be able to pick them up with a toothpick and eat them in one bite! Where Italian meatballs use herbs and spices like garlic, oregano, and basil, Swedish meatballs call for things like allspice, nutmeg, and fennel.

Ingredients—What you need

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy.

Ground beef and ground pork. We like the flavor and weight that a mix of ground meats give these meatballs, but you can use all ground beef or all ground pork if you’d like.
Fresh parsley. Fresh will give the meatballs a brighter, fresher flavor, but dried parsley will do in a pinch.
Seasonings. Dried minced onion, dried sage, ground nutmeg, sea salt, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed fennel seeds make up the flavor profile of Swedish meatballs.
Baby bella or button mushrooms. Though not necessarily a traditional ingredient in Swedish meatballs, we add sliced mushrooms for even more flavor and texture.
Yellow or white onion.
Soy sauce. Tamari or coconut aminos are suitable substitutes.
Chicken or beef broth. We like to use bone broth for the gravy, but standard stock will also work.
Full-fat coconut milk. Swedish meatballs are often simmered in a rich gravy made with pan drippings, bone broth, and heavy cream. For our version, we swapped out the heavy cream for coconut milk (the kind in a can). It won’t curdle in the face of the heat, and you can’t taste the coconut.
Arrowroot powder. This helps thicken the gravy for the meatballs.

What size Instant Pot do I need?

As far as models go, I have the Instant Pot DUO 6-quart. BUT, because I do so much bulk cooking, I wish I had gotten the 8-quart instead. The six-quart works fine, but more often than not, I’ve wished for just a little more room (especially when trying to wedge spaghetti squash halves in there).

Want to save this recipe?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

My recipe tester Isabel has the DUO Plus 6-quart (which is what you see in these pics and in the video). It’s got a few more bells-and-whistles, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth more than $15-$20 more than the regular DUO—don’t pay more than that.

Don’t have an Instant Pot? Ain’t no thang. I’ve included oven/stovetop instructions in the recipe below, too. I got you.

Instructions

Mix and form the meatballs. Combine the meat with the parsley and other seasonings. Don’t be afraid to get in there with your (clean) hands—it really is the best way to get all the ingredients incorporated. Form into 1″ meatballs.
Start the gravy. Add the mushrooms, onion, soy sauce, and bone broth to the Instant Pot. Layer the meatballs on top of the sauce.
Cook the meatballs. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to the “Meat/Stew” setting for 20 minutes. Immediately vent to let the steam out.
Finish the gravy. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Whisk the coconut milk with the arrowroot powder to make a slurry, and gently stir into the Instant Pot to thicken the gravy. When the gravy is to your desired consistency, turn off the Instant Pot.
Serve. We love these Instant Pot Swedish meatballs over a bed of mashed cauliflower or on top of the world’s most buttery mashed potatoes. I’m a total mashed potato snob. This would also be amazing over a bed of egg noodles, zoodles, spaghetti squash, or even mixed roasted root veggies. The meatballs and gravy are so incredibly flavorful that the vehicle for delivery isn’t nearly as important.

Want more easy Instant Pot recipes like this one?