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Swedish Meat Balls

Swedish Meat Balls reads richness 7.9, umami 7.3 and salinity 3.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Other main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 8.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 7.9 · Umami 7.3 · Salinity 3.7 · Allium 3.0 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Sweetness 1.6 · Earthy 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.8 · Sourness 0.7 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (11)

• 1 1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
• 3/4 c. milk
• 3 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 tsp. pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 c. stock or cream

Time & effort: about 25 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 250.1 kcal, 17.2 g protein, 16.1 g fat, 9.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Soak bread crumbs in milk.
2. Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter until soft.
3. Add to bread crumbs.
4. Add beef, seasonings and egg.
5. Form into balls 1-inch in diameter.
6. Roll in flour.
7. Saute in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
8. Add stock or cream.
9. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove meat balls to dish.
10. Thicken gravy with 1 1/2 tablespoons flour blended with equal amount of water.
11. Pour over meat balls.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Pierekaczewnik (Podlasie Tatar Layered Meat Pie) — Polish
• Cemita Poblana de Milanesa — Mexican · Puebla
• German Pizza — German
• Dyrlægens Natmad (The Veterinarian's Midnight Snack) — Danish
• Rouladen Rats — German

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.