Boller i karry (Danish meatballs in curry sauce) – classic Danish everyday cooking with homemade meatballs and a creamy curry sauce.
Homemade boller i karry – the name alone brings back memories.
A true Danish weeknight classic that lands squarely in comforting, familiar territory. And when you make it entirely from scratch, with homemade meatballs and a good curry sauce, it simply tastes that much better.
The meatballs are made from minced pork – or a mix of minced veal and pork – and poached in seasoned stock so they stay juicy and full of flavour. The poaching liquid then becomes the base for the sauce, which is made with a good, aromatic curry powder, a little butter, plain flour, whole milk or a splash of cream – and ideally some grated apple to add a mild, natural sweetness that goes beautifully with the warm notes of the curry.
Finally, the sauce is seasoned with a little lemon juice for balance, and then it is simply a matter of returning the meatballs to the pan and letting the flavours come together.
Serve with freshly cooked rice – and, if you like, a scattering of fresh parsley or diced apple for a little extra crunch and colour.
The dish can easily be made well ahead and reheated later, and it freezes beautifully – which makes it ideal for busy weeknights and Sunday batch cooking alike.
A genuine Danish favourite
Boller i karry is one of the best-loved dishes in Danish homes – and not without reason.
It combines the best of classic Danish cooking – homemade meatballs and a mild, creamy sauce – with the warm, gently spiced flavour of curry that children and adults alike love.
The dish has its roots in the colonial era’s fascination with the East, but has been adapted to Danish palates over generations. It has taken on a life of its own and is today a fixture in many meal plans and family kitchens. It is a safe bet, easy and irresistible – and with a couple of small tweaks, such as grated apple and fresh lemon juice, it becomes better still.
Danish meatballs in curry sauce (boller i karry)
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 600 g
minced pork
- 1 onion, blended or finely chopped
- 1
egg
- 50 ml
whole milk
- 2 tbsp rolled oats or breadcrumbs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Chicken stock, for poaching
Curry sauce
- 60 g
butter
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 4 tsp curry powder – curry powders vary in flavour and strength, so adjust to taste
- 1 tsp
ground turmeric
- 1 apple, peeled and finely grated (optional)
- 500 ml stock – chicken, vegetable or the poaching liquid from the meatballs
- 250 ml whole milk (replace 100 ml with cream, if you like)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
To serve
- Rice and boiled vegetables, if you like
Method
Meatballs
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatball mixture in a bowl and stir well. If the mixture is too dry, add a little extra milk.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil – with a couple of stock cubes added.
- Shape the meatballs with a spoon and your hand and lower them gently into the hot water.
- Let them simmer until they rise to the surface, then leave them a couple of minutes more so you can be sure they are cooked through.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside until all the meatballs are done.
Curry sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the curry powder and turmeric for about a minute over a medium heat.
- Add the plain flour and whisk it thoroughly into the butter, then let it bubble for a couple of minutes while you keep whisking.
- Add the grated apple and the stock, whisking the stock in a little at a time.
- Bring the sauce to a full boil, whisking thoroughly so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Add the milk/cream and let the sauce simmer for a further 10 minutes – whisking regularly.Add a little more stock if you would like a thinner sauce.
- Season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper and a little lemon juice.
- Finally, fold the meatballs into the sauce and let them heat through.
- Serve with boiled rice and, if you like, steamed vegetables.
Nutrition
Premium
Jeg har god erfaring med at bruge kokosmælk istedet for fløde/mælk
Hej Jesper
Ja det er jeg også virkelig glad for – men vores piger foretrækker en (desværre) uden 🙂
Dbh Dianna
Super god opskrift
Hej Malgorzata
Tak for de søde ord, det er jeg så glad for at høre 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Hvis man gerne ville komme grønsags tern i, evt. lidt gulerøddder og bladselleri hvornår i processen skal det så gøres? mens sovsen laves eller skal de koges for sig og så kommes i til sidst sammen med kødbollerne? tak for mange gode opskrifter 🙂 Vh Julie
Hej Julie
Min erfaring er, at gulerødder kræver nogen mere tilberedning end bladselleri.
Så jeg ville nok forkoge gulerødderne, og så bare putte dem i, i små tern, evt. med tern af frisk bladselleri, så snart saucen er opbagt og skal simre.
Jeg har en opskrift på boller i karry med grøntsagssauce, den skal du næsten prøve. Den gemmer på masser af blendede grøntsager 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Warm wishes, Dianna
Hvis man gerne vil komme lidt gulerodtern, løgstykker i, hvornår i processen skal de så i? Skal de koges for sig inden de kommer i sovsen, ligesom med kødbollerne eller skal de svitses med når sovsen laves? tak for mange skønne opskrifter 🙂 Vh Julie
Hej Julie
Løg vil jeg stege klare til at starte med, altså før karry mv. tilsættes:)
Gulerødderne kan du evt. koge inden, så de når at tilberede færdigt, og så blot tilsætte dem, når saucen er opbagt og skal simre 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Virkelig lækker opskrift:)
Hej Frederikke
Tusind tak for din besked, hvor gør det mig bare glad at høre 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Til min karrysauce bruger jeg kokosmælk i stedet for mælk. Det kan alle lide. Hilsen moster Vibeke
Lækker hjemmeside
Det smager også super dejligt, det bruger jeg altid i mine karry wok retter:)