Jolly old Saint Nick goes by a lot of names around the world, including Jultomten in Sweden. To honor the Swedish Santa Claus, we picked out a recipe that befits Swedish cuisine while being as warming as the big red guy flying in the sky on Christmas Eve. Jultomten’s Meatball Soup places the savory, hearty meatballs front and center, ensuring plenty in each pool of beefy, creamy broth. Buttery potatoes and bright peas round out each super-duper sip of Jultomten’s Meatball Soup and will make you want to laugh out loud with a booming, “ho, ho, ho!”
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups half-and-half, divided
- 1 cup soft breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 3 cups water
- 1 pound red potatoes, cubed
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, beat the egg.
Step 2 –Add 1/3 cup of the half-and-half, the breadcrumbs, the onion, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the egg.
Step 3 –Crumble the beef over the egg mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly.
Step 4 –Shape the meat mixture into 1/2-inch balls.
Step 5 –In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 6 –Add the meatballs to the Dutch oven in batches and brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Step 7 –Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside. Drain the fat from the Dutch oven.
Step 8 –Add the flour, the bouillon, the pepper, the garlic salt, and the remaining salt to the Dutch oven, stirring until smooth.
Step 9 –Gradually add the water to the soup and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 10 –Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Step 11 –Add the potatoes and the meatballs to the soup.
Step 12 –Reduce the heat, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
Step 13 –Stir in the peas and the remaining cream.
Step 14 –Heat through.
Step 15 –Serve.
