IKEA Swedish meatballs are tender, savory meatballs simmered in a creamy pan gravy, the same ones served at the IKEA cafeteria. The original recipe from IKEA is written in grams and milliliters; I converted it to standard measurements and caught two errors in the process. I also turned it into a one-pan version so you have less to clean up. Ready in about an hour, most of that is hands-off chill time.
The Ikea recipe was given in grams and milliliters as the metric system used in Sweden. I converted it to standard measurements and checked it to be sure that it converted correctly. I did find 2 mistakes in the recipe given and corrected them.
I also converted the recipe to be a one-pan recipe. I will include the original instructions but I was able to get it all in one pan for easier cleanup! This is the meatball recipe I am referring. Be sure to read about meatball appetizer recipes that use frozen meatballs.
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- IKEA's gram-to-standard conversion does not always translate cleanly. I found two spots where the math was off and corrected them here.
- Double cream (48% butterfat) is standard in Sweden and Britain but nearly impossible to find in a US grocery store. Heavy cream is the closest match and what this recipe uses.
- The one-pan method skips the butter in the sauce entirely; the browned bits left in the pan from searing the meatballs do that work instead.
- Chilling the shaped meatballs for 2 hours before searing keeps them from falling apart when they hit the hot pan.
Ingredients needed:
- ground beef & ground pork - I use a mix of ground beef and ground pork here because the pork adds fat and moisture that beef alone leaves out. Straight beef meatballs turn out tighter and less tender; the pork keeps the texture soft even after searing and a 30-minute bake.
- Onion finely chopped -Chop the onion fine so it melts into the meat as it cooks rather than showing up as a bite of raw onion in the middle. Fold it in gently after combining the beef and pork so you don't overwork the meat.
- breadcrumbs -Breadcrumbs bind the meatballs and keep them tender by soaking up some of the moisture from the milk and egg. If you're making your own, my guide on how to make bread crumbs covers the method I use here.
- Egg - The egg is the glue holding everything together. Skip it and the meatballs are more likely to fall apart when they hit the hot pan.
- Whole milk - Whole milk softens the breadcrumbs into a paste before they go into the meat, which is what keeps these meatballs tender instead of dense. Don't swap in a low-fat milk here; the fat is doing real work.
- salt and pepper -Season the meat mixture itself, not just the outside of the shaped meatballs. Ground meat needs more salt than you'd think to taste seasoned once it's cooked through.
Can I use only ground beef instead of a beef and pork mix?
You can, but the meatballs will be firmer and less juicy. The fat in the ground pork is doing real work here; if beef is all you have, look for a higher fat percentage, like 80/20, to compensate.
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
Cream Sauce Ingredients
- olive oil
- butter *
- flour, all-purpose
- vegetable stock
- beef stock
- thick double cream **
- soy sauce
- Dijon mustard
* butter is used if you do NOT use the one-pan method.
** Heavy cream is substituted for thick double cream
Double cream runs about 48% butterfat, standard in Britain and Sweden, but you will not find it on a typical US shelf. Heavy cream, at 36 to 38% butterfat, is the closest match and what I use here. If you can't find heavy cream, whipping cream (30% butterfat) works too; the gravy will be slightly thinner but still good.
Delicious!👌🏼
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How do you make IKEA Swedish meatballs?
Combine
Gently combine the ground beef and pork in a bowl using your fingers to break up any lumps.
Fold
Add finely chopped onion, and gently fold in to mix together.
Add
Add garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, milk and season well with salt and pepper.
Scoop
Shape mixture into small, round balls using a medium cookie scoop
Refrigerate
Place on a clean cookie sheet or a plate, cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours.
Sear
After 2 hours remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and in a cast-iron pan or heavy-bottom pan heat olive oil over medium heat.
Brown on all sides
When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides, in two or three batches depending on the size of your pan. I tested crowding a full batch into a 12 inch cast iron pan at once and the meatballs steamed instead of browning; working in batches keeps the pan hot enough for a real sear, and it's what gives the drippings you need for the one-pan sauce.
Cook through fully
When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a 350 oven and cook for 30 minutes.
OR if you are doing the one-pan method, leave the meatballs in the pan, cover with an oven safe lid and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.
How do you make IKEA meatball sauce?
Make a roux
Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, until it bubbles and smells toasted, not raw. Skip this step and your gravy will taste like paste instead of sauce.
If using the one-pan method, no butter is needed as the drippings from the meatballs will serve in place of the butter. Remove the cooked meatballs from the frying pan and place on a clean plate while you make the sauce in the pan you pulled from the oven.
Add the liquids
Add the vegetable stock and beef stock to the pan and continue to stir.
Pour in the heavy cream, soy sauce and Dijon mustard, whisking to combine.
Simmer
Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.
Add cooked meatballs
Continue to stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Add the cooked meatballs back into the creamy gravy and serve.
What to serve with Swedish meatballs
Ikea suggests mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. Personally I love them over egg noodles and served with a bit of lingonberry jam. If you have a sous vide machine you can make my sous vide potatoes. Crispy on the outside, creamy and velvety on the inside.
If you haven't had lingonberry jam you need to try it with this recipe at least once! The sweetness of the jam along with the tartness of the berries is the perfect finish to an amazing bite of swedish meatballs with gravy.
Seasonal Favorite
This is my award-winning Crisco pie crust recipe; flaky, tender, and made with simple ingredients you already have.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453 ⅗ g) Ground Beef
- ½ pound (226 ⅘ g) ground pork
- 1 (1) onion finely chopped
- 1 clove (1 clove) Garlic minced
- ¾ Cup (81 g) bread crumbs
- 1 (1) Egg
- 5 Tablespoon (5 Tablespoon) Whole Milk
- Salt and pepper
Creamy Gravy Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 3 Tablespoon (3 Tablespoon) Butter
- 3 Tablespoon (3 Tablespoon) Flour, All Purpose all purpose
- ⅔ Cup (156 ⅔ g) vegetable stock
- ⅔ Cup (160 g) beef stock
- ⅔ Cup (158 ⅔ g) Heavy Cream
- 2 Teaspoons (2 Teaspoons) soy sauce
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) dijon mustard
Instructions
- Gently combine the ground beef and pork in a bowl using your fingers to break up any lumps.1 pound (453 ⅗ g) Ground Beef, ½ pound (226 ⅘ g) ground pork
- Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg gently fold in to mix together.1 onion, ¾ Cup (81 g) bread crumbs, 1 Egg
- Add milk and season well with salt and pepper.5 Tablespoon Whole Milk, Salt and pepper
- Shape mixture into small, round balls using a medium cookie scoop.
- Place on a clean cookie sheet or a plate, cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and in a cast-iron pan or heavy-bottom pan heat olive oil over medium heat.Olive oil
- When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides, in two or three batches depending on the size of your pan. I tested crowding a full batch into a 12 inch cast iron pan at once and the meatballs steamed instead of browning; working in batches keeps the pan hot enough for a real sear, and it's what gives the drippings you need for the one-pan sauce.
- When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a 350 oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- OR if you are doing the one-pan method, leave the meatballs in the pan, cover with an oven safe lid and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.
- How to make the sauce
- In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat.( if not using the pan you cooked the meatballs in. If using the one-pan method, no butter is needed as the drippings from the meatballs will serve in place of the butter.Remove the cooked meatballs from the frying pan and place on a clean plate while you make the sauce in the pan you pulled from the oven.3 Tablespoon Butter
- Whisk in the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and bubble.3 Tablespoon Flour, All Purpose
- Add the vegetable stock and beef stock to the pan and continue to stir.⅔ Cup (156 ⅔ g) vegetable stock, ⅔ Cup (160 g) beef stock
- Pour in the heavy cream, soy sauce and Dijon mustard, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.⅔ Cup (158 ⅔ g) Heavy Cream, 2 Teaspoons soy sauce, 1 Teaspoon dijon mustard
- Continue to stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Add the cooked meatballs back into the creamy gravy and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions
Swedish meatballs are one of those dishes that reward a little advance work. Here's how I prep mine ahead of time.
- Shape the meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined tray, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before searing. The chill firms them up and makes searing easier, on top of the 2 hour chill already built into the recipe.
- You can also fully cook the meatballs and gravy up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
- If you're feeding a crowd, make the gravy a day ahead and keep it separate from the meatballs; combine and reheat together just before serving so the meatballs don't overcook.
Storage Instructions
Leftover Swedish meatballs keep well and reheat nicely, so don't hesitate to make a double batch.
- Let the meatballs and gravy cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before storing.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of beef stock if the gravy has thickened too much.
- To freeze, cool completely and store the meatballs and gravy together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.
Yes. Freeze the cooked meatballs and gravy together in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally so the gravy doesn't separate.
The roux is what gives this gravy its body, so I don't recommend skipping it. If you're cooking gluten free, substitute an equal amount of cornstarch for the flour and whisk it into the stock instead of cooking it in the fat first.
Regular brown gravy typically relies on drippings and stock alone. This sauce adds heavy cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, which is what gives IKEA's version its rounder, slightly tangy flavor instead of a straight meat gravy taste.
I don't recommend it for this recipe. Searing builds a browned crust on the outside of the meatballs that adds real flavor to both the meatball and the gravy; baking alone skips that step entirely.
Yes, don't skip this step. The chill firms up the fat in the meat, which keeps the meatballs from falling apart when they hit the hot pan.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Michelle says
If it does not have Allspice and Nutmeg, then it is NOT Swedish Meatballs.
Sarah Mock says
thanks Michelle! I was just riffing off of the recipe that IKEA shared. How much allspice and nutmeg would you add?
Sarah
Nancy says
I would love to make these for a shower in a few months. What about make the meatballs and sauce a day ahead and combining them when it is time to serve? How about making the meatballs in advance and freezing them?
Thank you.
Sarah Mock says
That sounds like a great party, Nancy! Yes. Go ahead and precook your meatballs. Remove them to a plate to cool, and freeze in an air-tight container. Make your sauce, and do the same thing. Warm in a slow cooker on low until heated through.
Leslie Jean Mickelson-Carter says
Hi Sarah,
Since my father's family is Norwegian, we grew up on some Swedish recipes. My meatball recipe is similar but I always added ground nutmeg to the meat mixture (about 1/4 tsp) and a dash of cardomom. When the meatballs are browned nicely, I removed them from the pan and added two beef bullion cubes, a tbsp of flour to about about 1/2 to 1 cup of water depending on the amount of meat used, making a roux first, and then adding, and finally 1/2 tsp grated lemon. Once the sauce was mixed, I re-add the meatballs and simmered for about 20 mins. Then to serve, I added 3/4 cup of sour cream to the sauce. We served with rice or noodles.