• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Food and Journeys®
  • WORLD CUISINES
  • HOW-TOS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Notes on Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Categories
  • Countries
  • Global Pantry
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Categories
    • Countries
    • Global Pantry
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Finnish Meatballs (Lihapullat)

    Published: Dec 15, 2022 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Serve these delicious Finnish Meatballs (Lihapullat) appetizers or as mains with some potatoes — and everyone will undoubtedly be asking for seconds!  The best part?  They are so easy to prepare! 

    An overhead shot of a typical serving of Finnish meatballs, with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.

    If you’ve only tried Finnish salmon soup (or Lohikeitto) so far, you need to add these Finnish meatballs to your regular dishes from Finland for weekly rotation. 🙂

    Locally known as ‘lihapullat,’ you can serve them with your favorite sides for a complete dinner meal.

    But if you want to enjoy them like the locals, serve these Finnish meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.

    Soft, juicy meatballs, creamy potatoes, and the lingonberries’ sweetness and tartness — a guaranteed explosion of texture and flavors in every bite!

    IF YOU WANT TO TRY MORE CLASSIC FINNISH RECIPES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

    • An overhead shot of Finnish Oven-Baked Pancake, straight out of the oven, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with fresh berries.
      Finnish Baked Pancakes
    • Latest (Mar23) feature image for Finnish Carrot Casserole.
      Finnish Carrot Casserole (Porkkanalaatikko)

    Ingredients

    All the ingredients you need to make Finnish meatballs at home.
    • Onion – the idea is for the onion to disappear in the ground meat mixture, so you should chop it finely.
    • Ground meat – you can use ground beef or a mix of beef and pork.  For reference, I always use half of each kind.
    • Egg – one medium-sized egg (63 to 73 grams) to help bind all the ingredients together for this Finnish meatball recipe.
    • Breadcrumbs – feel free to make breadcrumbs from scratch if you have some stale bread.
    • Cream – double (or heavy cream) to keep the meatballs moist.
    • Olive oil – for cooking the onion.
    • Frying oil – I suggest using vegetable oil for frying these meatballs from Finland.
    • Salt and pepper – just use your favorite brand for seasoning.
    Finnish meatballs served with jam and red wine.

    Preparation

    Start making Finnish meatballs by heating the olive oil in a pan.

    Once the oil is ready, add the chopped onion.

    Cook the onions first before adding it to the rest of Finnish meatballs ingredients.

    Cook until the onion softens, then set aside to cool.

    Combine the homemade breadcrumbs, the cream, and the egg in a small bowl.

    Combining eggs with breadcrumbs to make the meatballs moist.

    Mix until you form a paste-like texture.

    Using a medium to a large mixing bowl, add the ground meat, breadcrumbs-egg paste, cooled onion, salt, and pepper.

    Combine the major ingredients for Finnish meatballs mixture.

    Mix until everything has been combined evenly.

    Use a teaspoon to scoop a portion of the meatball mix and form it into a ball.

    An image showing the size of each portion of Finnish meatball.

    Place the meatballs in a tray and repeat until there’s no more ground meat mixture left.

    This Finnish meatball recipe typically makes thirty to thirty-two pieces.

    All the meatballs ready on a tray, waiting to fry.

    Heat the frying oil in a medium-sized pan.

    Frying oil in a pan, heating for Finnish meatballs.

    Once it’s ready, add the balls carefully into the hot oil.

    Fry until the sides of the meatballs are golden in color.

    Place the cooked meatballs on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.

    Fried Finnish meatballs on a kitchen paper for excess oil.

    Transfer your Finnish meatballs into serving plates.

    Serve with your favorite sides — enjoy!

    An overhead shot of Finnish meatballs garnished with parsley.

    Helpful tips

    • Make sure you combine the egg with the breadcrumbs and cream instead of adding it directly to the ground meat.

    It helps soften the breadcrumbs and makes blending with the rest of the ingredients easier.

    • If you don’t like them fried, you can also bake these Finnish meatballs.  Set your oven to 200°C (375°F), then cook until the sides turn darker.
    Finnish meatballs served with mashed potato and lingonberry jam.

    Recipe variation

    • Raw onion.  I’ve seen some people who add the onion directly into the ground meat. 

    However, it changes the flavor of the cooked meatballs, so I always cook the onion first — feel free to decide on your preference.

    • Sour cream.  Instead of heavy cream, sour cream is combined with breadcrumbs and egg.  

    Light cream (also known as half and half) is also an excellent alternative.

    They look absolutely delicious, right?  So, give this Finnish meatballs recipe a try this week, and let me know what you think!

    IF YOU WANT MORE SCANDINAVIAN RECIPES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE RECIPES BY COUNTRY!

    • Latest feature image for authentic Swedish recipes, showing västerbottenostpaj, a midsummer favorite.
      Authentic Swedish Recipes
    • Feature image for Danish Recipes post.
      Danish Recipes

    📖 Recipe

    Feature image for Finnish meatballs showing them served with jam and wine in the background.

    Finnish Meatballs Recipe

    Serve these delicious Finnish Meatballs (Lihapullat) as appetizers or as mains with some potatoes — and everyone will undoubtedly be asking for seconds!  The best part?  They are so easy to prepare! 
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Finnish
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 32 pieces
    Calories: 61kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Chopping Board
    • Kitchen Knife
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Medium-Sized Pan/Skillet
    • Kitchen Paper

    Ingredients

    • 500 grams mixed ground meat (about 1 pound)
    • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small onion, chopped finely
    • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
    • 1/4 cup cream
    • 1 medium egg
    • vegetable oil, for frying
    • salt and pepper, to season

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a pan, then add the chopped onion.
    • Cook until it softens, then set aside to cool.
    • Combine the breadcrumbs, the cream, and the egg in a small bowl, and mix until it resembles a paste.
    • Mix the ground meat, breadcrumbs-egg paste, softened onion, salt, and pepper using a medium to a large bowl.
    • Use a teaspoon to scoop a portion of the meatball mix and form it into a ball.
    • Place the meatballs in a tray and repeat until there's no more ground meat mixture left.
    • Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan.
    • Once it's ready, add the Finnish meatballs carefully into the hot oil.
    • Fry until the sides of the meatballs are golden in color.
    • Place the cooked meatballs on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
    • Transfer your Finnish meatballs into serving plates and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Remember to combine the egg with the breadcrumbs and cream instead of adding it directly to the ground meat.  It helps soften the breadcrumbs to make blending with the rest of the ingredients easier.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Baking these Finnish meatballs is also an excellent option if you don’t like them fried.  Just set your oven to 200°C (375°F), then cook until the sides turn darker in color.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

    More Main Dish Recipes

    • A pan of Persian eggplant and tomato stew, garnished with fresh parsley.
      Persian Eggplant and Tomato Stew
    • A serving of Filipino chicken afritada, showing the chicken and vegetables in the sauce.
      Chicken Afritada (Filipino Chicken Stew)
    • Freshly baked Spanish stuffed eggplants, golden and perfect in color.
      Spanish Stuffed Eggplants (Berenjenas Rellenas)
    • A plate of traditional Pancit canton, highlighting the shrimp and vegetables.
      Pancit Canton

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Latest Pic, 2025 for food and journeys sidebar.

    Hej there!

    A smorgasbord of traditional and delicious international recipes awaits you, so feel free to look around and pick your favorites. No need to leave your kitchen to experience the real deal!

    More about me →

    Image for listing as-featured-on

    Feature of the Month: Filipino Cuisine

    Feature image for Filipino Recipes post, a serving of pancit bihon with a slice of lemon.

    Spring Favorites

    • Freshly-baked German leek pie, highlighting its golden color.
      German Leek Pie
    • Feature image for Roasted Fennel showing the dish straight out of the oven.
      Roasted Fennel (Creamy & Cheesy!)
    • Feature image for asparagus risotto, showing a serving of it, topped with grated parmigiano.
      Asparagus Risotto (Risotto agli Asparagi)
    • Feature image for German Leek Soup, highlighting the creaminess of the soup-
      German Leek Soup

    Popular Posts

    • Two servings of German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe). Both creamy potato soup servings are garnished with spring onions.
      German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)
    • A closer shot of kanelbullar on a cooling rack, highlighting the filling of the buns.
      Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
    • An overhead shot of a skillet of Spanish Garlic Chicken, straight out of the oven.
      Spanish Garlic Chicken (Pollo Al Ajillo)
    • Arroz de Tomate in a pan, ready for transferring to serving plates, with fresh cherry tomatoes next to it.
      Portuguese Tomato Rice (Arroz de Tomate)
    • Latest feature image for drommekage, highlighting the texture of the cake.
      Danish Dream Cake (Drømmekage)
    • Three freshly-baked pasticciotti sprinkled with powdered sugar and served wiith espresso.
      Pasticciotto (Italian Cream Filled Pastry)
    • An image showing two bowls of Finnish Salmon Soup served with some bread.
      Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
    • An overhead shot of a bunch of freshly baked taralli, served with a shot of espresso, with scaterred fennel seeds on the background.
      Taralli (Italian Crackers)
    • Swedish Almond Tart
      Swedish Almond Tart
    • Latest feature image (Apr23) for Filipino picadillo showing the dish on a plate.
      Filipino Picadillo
    • Latest feature image for Salt and Pepper pork belly, showing the slices garnished with more chili.
      Salt and Pepper Pork Belly
    • A slice of cardamom sponge cake, served with a cup of coffee.
      Swedish Cardamom Cake

    Favorite Snacks

    • Fried panzerotti served with a glass of wine, for snack.
      Panzerotti (Panzarotti)
    • A collage of flammkuchen toppings to choose from.
      Classic Flammkuchen (+ More Flammkuchen Toppings!)
    • Freshly cooked panelle from Palermo, served with a dustingg of ground black pepper.
      Panelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)
    • Chocolate balls served with coffee, for afternoon snack.
      Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)

    Sweet Treats

    • Traditional Swedish Cakes that you can easily make at home.
      Traditional Swedish Cakes: Make Them at Home!
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for fika post, showing some Swedish treats, and coffee and tea in the background.
      What is Fika? (Fika Meaning + Recipes)
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for Easy Italian Desserts and Pastries post.
      Easy Italian Desserts & Pastries Recipes
    • Latest (Oct22) Feature image for Traditional German Desserts and Pastries.
      Traditional German Desserts and Pastries

    Popular Cuisines

    • Latest feature image for authentic Swedish recipes, showing västerbottenostpaj, a midsummer favorite.
      Authentic Swedish Recipes
    • Feature image for Italian recipes by region post.
      Italian Recipes by Region
    • Feature image for German Recipes post.
      Authentic German Recipes
    • Feature image for Portuguese Recipes, as part of recipes by country.
      Easy Portuguese Recipes
    • Feature image for Traditional Spanish Recipes, a pan of espinacas con garbanzos.
      Traditional Spanish Recipes
    • Feature image for Finnish Recipes post.
      Easy Finnish Recipes
    • Feature image for Greek Recipes post.
      Traditional Greek Recipes
    • Feature image for Lebanese Recipes post.
      Lebanese Recipes

    Footer

    Policy

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • About Me

    Copyright

    • Notes on Copyright

    A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

    Copyright © 2025. FOOD AND JOURNEYS®

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required