Frikadeller — Danish Meatballs

About This Recipe

Frikadeller are Denmark's answer to meatballs and the country's most comforting home-cooked dish: flat, oval-shaped patties made from a mixture of ground pork and veal (or all pork), onion, egg, flour and milk, seasoned with nutmeg and white pepper, pan-fried in butter until golden with a slight crust on the outside and moist and tender within. They are fundamentally different from Italian meatballs — flatter, more tender, without tomato sauce — and are instead served with new potatoes, brown gravy (brun sovs) and sweet-sour pickled red cabbage (rødkål). Frikadeller are the quintessential Danish family dinner, the food of Danish nostalgia, and one of the most satisfying simple dishes in Scandinavian cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gpork mince
• 200 gveal mince(or extra pork)
• 1 mediumonion(very finely grated)
• 1egg
• 3 tablespoonsplain flour
• 100 mlwhole milk
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 0.5 teaspoonwhite pepper
• 0.5 teaspoonnutmeg
• 50 gbutter(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the mixture

   Combine both minces with grated onion, egg, flour and milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and slightly sticky. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

   The resting period firms the mixture and makes it easier to shape. The mixture should be softer than you expect — this is what makes them tender.

2. 2

   Shape

   Using two wet spoons, shape the mixture into oval patties about 2cm thick — not round balls. This is the traditional frikadel shape.

3. 3

   Pan-fry

   Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Fry frikadeller for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through. Resist the urge to move them — let the crust form first.

4. 4

   Serve

   Serve alongside boiled new potatoes, brown gravy and pickled red cabbage.

Variations

• •

  Cold frikadeller in rye bread sandwiches are a Danish classic.

• •

  Fish frikadeller (fiskefrikadeller) use white fish mince instead of meat.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Excellent cold in sandwiches.

Frequently Asked Questions