Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe (2024)

Last Updated on: August 28, 2023

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Have you always wished for an authentic Ikea Swedish meatball recipe? Well, wish granted. Because Ikea just released their famous recipe for their succulent Swedish meatballs.

They’re melt-in-your-mouth delish, covered in creamy gravy, and not to be missed.

Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe (1)

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Ikea started serving food in the 1960’s, declaring that no one should have to shop on an empty stomach.

And although no one would ever expect such tasty dishes from a furniture shop, they’ve turned it into an unforgettable experience.

One that you can now recreate at home!

In fact, they even drew up some directions to look just like assembly instructions. (Similar to the instruction manuals that come with their furniture!)

Missing your IKEA meatball fix? We’ve created a recipe for you to recreate this delicious dish in the comfort of your own home #IKEAmeatballs pic.twitter.com/d89lRsJxH7

— IKEA UK (@IKEAUK) April 20, 2020

But don’t worry, we also have traditional instructions as well 🙂

Homemade Ikea Swedish Meatballs

Ikea’s Swedish meatballs, aka Köttbullar, are iconic. In fact, they’re almost as famous as their flat-pack furniture!

If you have them in the store, they’re loaded with rich and hearty flavors.

And they’re typically served with creamy gravy, mashed potatoes, and the all-important lingonberry jam.

Made from a blend of pork and beef, they’re subtly spiced, which plays so well with the sweet-tart jam.

Of course, you can also buy them frozen to take home.

But if you’re feeling adventurous, why not try them homemade? You won’t be disappointed.

What Makes Swedish Meatballs Different?

There are a few factors that distinguish Swedish meatballs from traditional ones, including:

  • They’re made of 50% ground beef and 50% ground pork instead of 100% of either.
  • They’re usually smaller than “traditional” – i.e., Italian – meatballs.
  • They have different flavor add-ins, such as nutmeg and allspice.
  • They typically don’t contain cheese, whereas classic meatballs often include parmesan.

What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs

Ikea serves their meatballs with their signature lingonberry jam (recipe below). They also include mashed potatoes and gravy on the plate.

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If you don’t want mashed potatoes and gravy, check out my post on what to serve with Swedish meatballs for inspiration. Here are a few of the highlights:

  • Buttered noodles
  • Seasoned rice
  • Green beans almondine
  • Pasta

Lingonberry Jam Recipe

Lingonberry jam is an essential component of any Swedish meatball meal.

That said, you can serve these with any meatball sauce you like.

But for those interested in the traditional recipe, here’s how to make lingonberry jam:

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of fresh lingonberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar

Method:

  1. Rinse the lingonberries and throw away any that look soft or discolored.
  2. Add the berries and water to a large pot over medium heat, then bring the water to a boil.
  3. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until the berries start to burst.
  4. Stir in the sugar and turn the heat up to medium.
  5. Heat and mix until it’s fully dissolved, about 10-15 minutes. (Be careful, as it may spit and bubble.)
  6. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it to cool.
  7. Transfer the jam to a clean glass jar, secure a lid on top, and store it in the fridge.
Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe (2)

Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1 onion (finely chopped)

  • 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)

  • 2/3 cup breadcrumbs

  • 1 egg

  • 5 tablespoons of milk (whole milk)

  • Generous salt and pepper

  • For the cream sauce:
  • Dash of oil

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 3 tablespoons plain flour

  • 2/3 cup vegetable stock

  • 2/3 cup beef stock

  • 2/3 cup thick double cream

  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

  • Meatballs:
  • In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork. Mix thoroughly to break up any lumps. Add the chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix well. Add milk and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Roll the mixture into small meatballs and place on a clean plate. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
  • In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. Once the pan is heated, gently add the meatballs and brown on all sides.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the meatballs in an oven-safe dish and cook for 30 minutes.
  • Cream Sauce:
  • In a skillet or frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter.
  • Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  • Add 2/3 cup of vegetable stock and 2/3 cup of beef stock and continue to stir.
  • Add 2/3 cup of double cream, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and allow sauce to thicken. Continue to stir.
  • Pour the cream sauce over meatballs and enjoy!

Many cult followers have already made this Ikea classic on Instagram. Feast your eyes on these tasty treats!

Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe (3)

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Ikea Swedish Meatball Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Ikea meatball gravy made of? ›

Iconic Swedish cream sauce: Melt 40g of butter in a pan. Whisk in 40g of plain flour and stir for 2 mins. Add 300ml of bouillon (or consommé) and continue to stir. Add 150ml double cream, 2 tsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of (Dijon) mustard.

Why are Ikea Swedish meatballs so good? ›

They're made with all-natural ingredients

The Ikea website lists the ingredients of their meatballs (which Ikea calls ALLEMANSRÄTTEN), and the rundown is surprisingly simple: Meat (a combination of pork and beef, for texture, flavor, and juiciness), onion, breadcrumbs, egg, water, salt, and pepper.

What is the jam they put on Ikea meatballs? ›

Product details. Swedes love to eat lingonberry jam with meatballs, mashed potatoes and cream sauce. But, the light sweetness is also great with other classic dishes like potato fritters, dumplings and pork pancakes.

What is Swedish meatball sauce made of? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

Why are Ikea meatballs so cheap? ›

Like many other things in business, selling inexpensive meatballs is a strategy for the company to turn more profit. To sell their products, they need to get people in the door. To do that, they entice people with cheap meatballs.

Can you make Ikea gravy with milk instead of cream? ›

Cream is nice in all gravy, not just Ikea. I've never used cream, I use a little less water and a bit more milk, it thickens fine.

Why did Ikea stop selling meatballs? ›

STOCKHOLM - Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat. Stores in the U.S. and Canada were not affected, Ikea said.

Why do Swedish meatballs taste different? ›

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

How many meatballs do Ikea cook a day? ›

Although meatballs didn't join the menu until 1985, once there they quickly gained a cult following. Today two million meatballs are eaten in Ikea stores every single day.

What can I use instead of lingonberry jam? ›

But we do know that Swedish meatballs. are commonly served with lingenberry jam. And that if you can't find it, good old fashioned cranberry sauce. makes for an acceptable substitute.

Does IKEA put horse meat in their meatballs? ›

Czech authorities alerted the discount furniture maker that they had found horsemeat in a sample of meatballs, and Ikea subsequently pulled the product from stores in 14 countries.

What do you eat IKEA meatballs with? ›

Either serve them classically with mashed potatoes, cream sauce and lingonberry jam, a dish with both harmony and flavour contrasts – or choose new, more unexpected combinations. Regardless of how they're enjoyed, our meatballs are always a tasty icon!

Can you buy Ikea meatballs anywhere else? ›

Use all your newfound free time to come up with your own recipe for Swedish meatballs, because while you can buy Ikea's meatball sauce on Amazon, the meatballs themselves still require a trip to the giant blue box. It's the only way to ensure that people still have to come to an actual Ikea on occasion.

What's the difference between Swedish and Norwegian meatballs? ›

Norwegian meatballs are served in a brown gravy, while Swedish meatballs are made with a cream sauce.

What ethnicity is Swedish meatballs? ›

Swedish meatballs, the signature national dish, are really Turkish. The country's national Twitter account made the announcement in a tweet this week. “Swedish meatballs are actually based on a recipe King Charles XII brought home from Turkey in the early 18th century,” the tweet said.

Is gravy vegan at IKEA? ›

Ikea gravy is also known as cream sauce or its Swedish name, allemansrätten. This gravy is meat-free and vegetarian but sadly it's not vegan because it contains milk protein. In Ikea stores, the vegan-friendly veggie balls come with a tomato sauce rather than cream sauce.

How do you make Ikea gravy not lumpy? ›

Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium-sized bowl. Pour the gravy through the sieve, pressing gently with a rubber spatula to strain that thick gravy goodness into the bowl. Pour the strained no-lump gravy back into your pan and give it a little whisk to make sure all the lumps are gone and your gravy is smooth.

What are Ikea plant based meatballs made of? ›

Developed with meat lovers in mind, the plant ball is made from pea protein, oats, potato and apple. The meaty taste is achieved by adding umami flavors, such as mushroom, tomato and roasted vegetables.

Is Ikea lingonberry sauce vegan? ›

The lingonberry jam, which usually completes the dish, has always been vegan, thankfully. And the meat-free balls are a positive step for reducing meat consumption all the same.

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