Name: Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Recipe)
Prep time: 2 h 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 36
Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients: Olive oil; 3 tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons flour, all purpose; 2/3 cup vegetable stock; 2/3 cup beef stock; 2/3 cup heavy cream; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1 pound ground beef; 1/2 pound ground pork; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3/4 cup bread crumbs; 1 egg; 5 Tablespoons whole milk; Salt and pepper

Swedish meatballs in creamy gravy sauce were first introduced to me at Ikea. This is my variation of the authentic Ikea recipe that was released in 2020.

swedish meatball on a fork with gravy and lingonberry jam

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.

Swedish Meatballs Ingredients:

ground beef
ground pork
onion finely chopped
garlic (crushed or minced)
breadcrumbs
egg
whole milk
salt and pepper to taste

Swedish Meatball 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

What is thick double cream?

Double cream is a whipping cream found in Britain and other European countries. Double cream has a butterfat percentage of 48%. It is so high that it is easily over whipped and quickly will turn to butter. Double cream is not commonly found in the United States but check with your local dairy to see if they offer it.

Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream contains the next highest butterfat percentage at 36-38%. This recipe calls for heavy cream but if you can’t find heavy cream, whipping cream is your next best substitute at 30% butterfat.

3 photos showing how to make the meatballs for swedish meatballs from Ikea

How do you make IKEA Swedish meatballs?

Gently combine the ground beef and pork in a bowl using your fingers to break up any lumps.
Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg gently fold in to mix together.
Add milk and season well with 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.
When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides.
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?

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.
Whisk in the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and bubble.
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.
Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.
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.

Yield: 36 meatballs

Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Recipe)

Swedish meatballs in creamy gravy sauce were first introduced to me at Ikea. This is my variation of the authentic Ikea recipe that was released in 2020.

Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients

Meatball ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
5 Tablespoons whole milk
Salt and pepper

Creamy Gravy Ingredients

Olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour, all purpose
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2/3 cup beef stock
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Instructions

How to make the meatballs

Gently combine the ground beef and pork in a bowl using your fingers to break up any lumps.
Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg gently fold in to mix together.
Add milk and season well with 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.
When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides.
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.
Whisk in the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and bubble.
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.
Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.
Continue to stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Add the cooked meatballs back into the creamy gravy and serve.