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Bowl of Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) garnished with green onions. Red cabbage and gravy on the side.
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4.98 from 46 votes

Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)

Frikadeller, or Danish Meatballs, are savory meatballs served with a rich, creamy gravy sauce that is comfort food at its finest.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Danish
Keyword: Danish Meatballs, Frikadeller, Meatballs
Servings: 8
Calories: 465kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

  • Skillet

Ingredients

Frikadeller:

  • 3/4 pound ground beef (or ground veal is even more authentic)
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 onion large, grated
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage leaves
  • half & half or milk for consistency (1/4 to 1/2 cup)
  • butter

Gravy:

  • 3/4 - 2 tablespoons drippings from Frickadeller
  • butter if needed
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream milk works too
  • 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

Frikadeller:

  • Combine beef, pork and onion. Add breadcrumbs, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and sage leaves. It works best if you mix it with your hands.
    Bowl of ground meat, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper and flour for Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs).
  • Slowly add half & half for consistency. You want the mixture to be slightly sticky, you shouldn't be able to form them into a perfect ball. Coat large skillet well with butter. Drop clumps of mixture (a heaping tablespoon-size) onto the skillet.
    Bowl of meat mixture with cream on top for Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs).
  • Fry on medium to medium-low heat until browned. Press the meat down a lightly with a fork so it flattens out a little. It should look like a small, but fat hamburger, Flip and brown on the other side, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add more butter with each batch.
    Fork pressing on Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) in a skillet.
  • Serve with gravy and Rødkål (Danish Red Cabbage).
    Browned and cooked Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) in a skillet.

For the gravy:

  • Remove meatballs from the skillet, and use the same skillet to make the gravy using the brown bits and drippings from the meatballs. Add the flour to the drippings to form a roux. Add butter if needed.
    Wooden spoon stirring the roux in a skillet for Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs).
  • Slowly add cream or milk until mixture reaches gravy consistency. Add beef bouillon, salt & pepper to taste.
    Skillet full of Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) gravy with a wooden spoon.

Video

Notes

  • For extra savory meatballs, use entirely pork and leave out the ground beef.
  • Don't wash the frying pan - you can use the browned bits for delicious gravy.
  • If you don't have half-and-half, use whole milk or 2%.

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2.6mg