Tender meatballs in a dill cream sauce with Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon plenty of sauce on top for a cozy family dinner.
Fresh dill and Parmesan are such a good match here, especially once they melt into that creamy sauce. Parmesan adds savory depth, while fresh dill keeps things bright. I let the dill lead and use just enough cheese to round out the flavor without taking over. A squeeze of lemon at the end brings everything together.
The meatballs are seared until golden, then finished in the sauce so they stay tender and soak up all that flavor. It’s hard to beat with a generous scoop of mashed potatoes.
If you love easy comfort food, try my Salisbury meatballs in onion gravy, hamburger steaks in dill sauce, or chicken meatballs with fried cabbage next.
Watch how to make it
Follow along with my step-by-step video, or watch it on YouTube.
About the ingredients
For the meatballs: I use ground pork mixed with salt, pepper, dried onion, egg, and breadcrumbs. Ground chicken or turkey work too.
For the sauce: Garlic starts things off, flour helps thicken it, and chicken broth with cream makes it silky. Stir in finely grated Parmesan over low heat, then add plenty of fresh dill at the end. Finish with lemon to wake everything up.
Tips for tender meatballs
- Mix gently. I use my hand and stop as soon as everything is evenly combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs firm.
- Use an ice cream scoop. It keeps them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Roll loosely. Gently roll each portion between your hands for about 10 seconds, just until round. No need to pack the meat tightly.
- Start with a hot skillet. Let the oil and butter heat up before adding the meatballs. Sear until golden, then let them finish cooking in the sauce.
Serving ideas
Mashed potatoes are my favorite here because they catch all that sauce. Boiled potatoes, rice, pasta, buckwheat, or other grains like barley all work too.
For something crisp on the side, add pickles or a cucumber salad. Green beans or asparagus are also a good fit.
Storage
Let leftovers cool, then refrigerate the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened.
Meatballs in Creamy Parmesan Dill Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1.1 lb ground pork - chicken or turkey
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp dried onion
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil - for searing
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter - for searing
Parmesan dill cream sauce
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup cooking cream
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp chopped dill
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, salt, pepper, dried onion, egg, and breadcrumbs. Mix gently with your hand just until evenly combined. Use an ice cream scoop to portion the mixture, then loosely roll each portion between your hands until round. Avoid pressing the meat too firmly.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and chop the dill.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and finely grated Parmesan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then return the meatballs and any juices to the skillet. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Remove the lid and stir in the dill and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 more minutes, then serve. Enjoy!
Video
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