I could have sworn that I smelled the hearty deliciousness of my great-grandma’s Swedish meatball recipe, and possibly the sweet cinnamon and sugar in my favorite treat – rice pudding (risgrynsgröt) – while I worked in one of my client’s gardens. These special recipes used to be reserved for the Christmas table, but with time, had begun to be served throughout the year. No on else that I was gardening with seemed to be able to smell Swedish food, but the smell sure made me hungry. So, you know what had to happen:
A Swedish dinner!
My mother’s side of the family and my father’s side of the family have Swedish roots that run deep, but it was my father’s side of the family that brought the Swedish recipes to our table. We know that my Great-Grandma Larson (my grandmother’s mother) had the recipes, but the recipes most likely came from those before her – from her family who lived in Värmland County, Sweden – the Larson’s homeland.
On the way back from my gardening job, I told the kids that I was going to make Swedish meatballs and rice pudding for dinner, and in return, I received all sorts of hoots and hollers in celebration. Everyone in the family loves and cherishes the Swedish recipes. So, without further adieu, here are the recipes:
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are a staple when our family cooks up our traditional Swedish meals. The recipe is simple, savory, and delicious. A definite comfort food for our family. We bake up the meatballs (I usually do 4+ pounds at a time so I can freeze the leftovers for future dinners), smother them with gravy, and eat!
Great-Grandma Larson’s Swedish Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/3 cup onion
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients well, roll into 1-inch balls, bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature reaches 165F degrees (about 30 minutes), and serve in gravy of your choice. We usually use a favorite beef broth base, mix it with water, favorite herbs (marjoram/thyme), black pepper, and thicken with a little bit of rice flour or corn starch. Simple!
Rice Pudding or Risgrynsgröt
My mouth is watering when I look at this photo of rice pudding. Of all the Swedish recipes, rice pudding is my favorite. Warm rice enveloped in a rich, vanilla pudding and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon is what rice pudding is all about – it’s divine! This is the taste that reminds me of the magic of Christmas (I know, it’s still summer), the Christmases of my childhood, the fondness of family coming together, and the importance of family recipes – ha! It’s nice when I can eat rice pudding in the summer, and have all of these warm memories and feelings come flooding back.
Great-Grandma Larson’s Rice Pudding
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar (I sometimes cheat and add an extra 1/4 cup)
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups whole milk
- Butter
- Cinnamon and sugar
Boil rice and water for 15 minutes. Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk. Spread cooked rice in 2 quart casserole dish and poor milk mixture over rice. Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350F degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
Enjoy
On the night I made our Swedish dinner, we had fresh zucchini and yellow squash ready to pick in the garden. So, I cubed those, added some sliced onion, and sautéed them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. The zuchini and yellow squash alongside the Swedish meatballs and rice pudding made for a delightful meal which we ate outside on the deck on that warm summer evening. Skål!
I would love to hear your thoughts on these Swedish recipes if you try them. Also, if you have any traditional family recipes you’d like to share, feel free to post them below!
Tack för besöket (thanks for visiting)!
~Erin
Now that’s interesting. Those are exactly my recipes. My Grandma (father’s side) was Swedish, and I might have learned them from her, but I don’t think so. I think I learned them from my Scots/Irish/Swiss mom who got them from her mom. Cooking is a huge mystery. I first suspected my Swiss heritage when I ate a particular kind of macaroni and cheese that they make in ONE small canton in Switzerland and… .
Martha, that is interesting! And, I LOVE that they match your recipes – what are the chances?!? My parents have traveled to Sweden a few times, and my mom keeps asking our relatives in Sweden if they have these recipes, but no one seems to have them. I’m not sure if my parents have spoken to the Larson side of the family – I’ll have to ask.
I just did a 23 and Me kit and have found that I have Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Polish, Russian, and Irish blood in me. Almost 70% comes from the Sweden. I guess many of the NW European countries intermingled through migration, Viking invasions, etc., so I’m betting our recipes aren’t 100% Swedish. 🙂 Maybe they’re Irish or Scottish, or Swiss? 🙂
I learned that I’m very predominantly Irish/Scots (37%) and Welsh/British/N Europe (how vague is that?) (47%)with a scosche of Scandinavian 15% (Swede, Norwegian). The Swiss ancestry (the most completely tracked) is a very small percentage. I like all those people so I’m happy with it. 🙂 I just imagine all those generations of pioneers having church suppers and exchanging recipes.
Ha! Yes!!! I’m sure that’s exactly how it happened too. 🙂
I love my mams homemade rice pudding – perfect winter comfort food especially with a little bit of her homemade strawberry jam in the middle. The Swedish meatballs look delicious too.
Yes, rice pudding is a perfect winter comfort food! Strawberry jam sounds like a delicious addition – I’m going to have to try that next time I make rice pudding. Thanks so much for you comment, Rachael!
It’s fantastic to carry on your traditions. Those recipes, at the very least, are 150 years old!
Gives me goosebumps to think about it! I wish we could find out exactly how old they really are. And yes! It’s a special thing to carry on traditions.
OK makes me hungry for that!! Love to have the meatball recipe.
Sheila, me too! And, the meatballs are so easy to make. You can whip up a batch quickly anytime. 🙂
It’s simple and looks delicious Erin!!!
A perfect combination, right? Thanks so much for your comment, Paulo!
Tack, Erin! Oh, I can’t wait to try the rice pudding recipe. I adore rice pudding–and no one else here does, so I get it all to myself! For a while I was going around Tack-ing everyone–when my husband and I were immersed in the Danish/Swedish detective show, The Bridge. Your lovely blonde hair–no wonder, you’re Swedish! Not us, pretty German on both sides. I do have a spetzle recipe somewhere! And, of course, we eat a lot of brats. And this summer, my husband (the non-German) made his own sauerkraut, which turned out great. Fun post!
Rebecca, I love that you were going around tack-ing everyone – ha! I may have to check out The Bridge as it sounds intriguing! Yes, strong Swedish roots here, but I do have a bit of German too – my maternal grandfather’s side of the family. Must be where I got my love of brats and sauerkraut. 🙂 My husband has talked about making sauerkraut from the cabbages we grow in our garden, so we may be attempting that in the next few weeks. Thanks so much for your comment, and I hope you love the rice pudding. Lucky you having it all to yourself!!!