Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)

Serve them as part of a sandwich for brunch or an appetizer or main dish for lunch and dinner — Frikadeller or Danish Meatballs will always have you asking for seconds! 

While the ingredients are slightly different than Italian meatballs, frikadeller are just as delicious.

You don’t like them round?  Then you can also form your Danish meatballs like patties — just remember to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

This frikadeller recipe will always give you delicious, moist meatballs that you can enjoy as they are or with some slices of bread.

IF YOU WANT MORE CLASSIC DANISH RECIPES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

• Ground pork – sometimes called ‘minced pork,’ is traditionally used for making frikadeller.

Although it is now quite common to find some combination of beef and pork.

• Egg – you need one medium-sized egg (63 to 73 grams) to bind everything together.

• Onion – a small onion that’s finely sliced.

• Milk – I typically use regular full cream milk when making frikadeller. 

• Breadcrumbs – don’t add all of it at once.  Instead, add it slowly to ensure you have the right consistency for your Danish meatballs.

• Oil – use your favorite oil for frying; I generally use canola oil.

• Salt and ground black pepper – traditional seasoning for frikadeller.

Preparation

Start preparing your Danish meatballs by combining ground pork, egg, onion, milk, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl (photo 1).

Use a fork to mix everything evenly (photo 2).

Use a spoon to take a portion from the meatball mixture (photo 3).

Use that same spoon to shape and slightly flatten the meatball in your hand (photo 4).

While forming the rest of the mixture, use a medium-sized pan to heat oil over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is ready, start frying the shaped Danish meatballs by placing them carefully into the pan (photo 5).

Do not overcrowd the pan when frying your frikadeller.

Turn the meatballs to the other side once they turn darker in color.

Once they’re cooked and evenly colored, place your Danish meatballs on kitchen paper to drain excess oil (photo 6).

Transfer your frikadeller into plates and serve!

Helpful tips

• Add more breadcrumbs if the frikadeller mixture is too wet, but do it slowly.  For example, start with a tablespoon first, mix, add another tablespoon, etc.

• If you feel that a fork or a wooden spoon is not combining everything well, feel free to use your hands to mix all the ingredients,

• Make sure you lower the heat once the frikadeller are frying in the oil.  It prevents the meatballs from getting dark too soon.

Recipe variation

• Grate the onion.  Some prefer to grate the onion to get an even finer texture.  

In doing this, the onion completely disappears when combined with the rest of the ingredients for frikadeller.

• Oats and flour.  Instead of just using breadcrumbs, you can use a mix of oats and flour or one of the other.

• Frikadeller shape.  It’s quite common to form them into patties of oval shape instead of perfectly round frikadeller.  

• Shallow frying.  Instead of deep-frying, you can pan fry your Danish meatballs in a skillet with less oil.

Make sure you still place them on kitchen paper to drain excess fat.

HOW TO SERVE FRIKADELLER?

They’re typically served with boiled potatoes.  

But my favorite way to serve it is on top of Danish dark bread as an open sandwich.  

As you can see from my image above, you butter the bread, place the frikadeller, and go crazy with what else you want to add.

I love adding fresh or pickled cucumber for that contrast in flavor in every frikadeller bite.

So, what are you waiting for?  Give these Danish meatballs a try this week, and let me know how you prefer to serve them! 🙂

📖 Recipe