Swedish Meatballs Recipe — The Ultimate Guide Few dishes manage to be both rustic comfort food and an international icon, but Swedish meatballs — or köttbullar in Swedish — are one of them. Whether you first discovered them in your grandmother’s kitchen, on a trip to Stockholm, or in the food court at IKEA, there’s something universally irresistible about these tender, flavorful morsels bathed in creamy gravy. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into their history, ingredients, cooking techniques, and all the little details that make them special. By the end, you’ll be ready to make Swedish meatballs so good they might outshine your local Swedish restaurant. Image Credit: Pixabay The History of Swedish Meatballs While meatballs are a culinary concept found all over the world, Swedish meatballs have a unique origin story. Historical accounts suggest that King Charles XII of Sweden brought the concept back from Turkey in the early 1700s after his time in exile in the Ottoman Empire. Ov...