About this Dish
Norwegian meatballs — slightly larger than Swedish versions, made from beef and pork with ginger and nutmeg, served in a brown gravy with boiled potatoes, carrots and lingonberry jam. A staple of Norwegian home cooking, kjøttkaker appear on the menu of every Norwegian canteen and family dinner table. The ginger distinguishes them from other Scandinavian meatball traditions.
IngredientsServes 4
🐄Beef mince, 400g
🐷Pork mince, 200g
🧅Yellow onion, 1 medium, finely grated
🥚Egg, 1 large
🥛Whole milk, 100ml
🌾Plain flour, 3 tablespoons, plus extra for dusting
🫚Butter, 3 tablespoons
🫙Beef stock, 600ml
🫚Single cream, 3 tablespoons
🫙Ground ginger, 1 teaspoon; ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon; salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1
Combine the beef and pork mince in a large bowl with the grated onion, egg, milk, flour, ginger, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well with your hands for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes slightly sticky and holds together — this is key to a good texture.2
With damp hands, shape the mixture into round patties about the size of a golf ball, slightly flattened. You should get around 12–14 kjøttkaker. Dust them lightly with flour on both sides.3
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the kjøttkaker in batches for about 3 minutes per side until nicely golden — don't overcrowd the pan. Set the browned patties aside on a plate.4
In the same pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook the roux for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns a light golden colour.5
Gradually pour in the beef stock, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly, then stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.6
Return the kjøttkaker to the pan, cover with a lid, and simmer gently on low heat for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and the gravy is rich and glossy. Turn them once halfway through.7
Serve with boiled potatoes, cooked carrots, a spoonful of lingonberry jam on the side, and plenty of the brown gravy spooned over everything.User Reviews
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