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–+ servings

Creamy Swedish Ikea Meatballs

Created by: Sarah Mock
Swedish Meatballs in sauce
prep time2 hours 15 minutes
cook time40 minutes
total time2 hours 55 minutes
Makes 36 meatballs

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 Ground Beef, ½ pound ground pork
    A mixing bowl containing ground meat, chopped onions, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and a cracked egg — the perfect base for an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg gently fold in to mix together.
    1 onion, ¾ Cup bread crumbs, 1 Egg
    A bowl containing chopped onions, minced garlic, and raw ground meat, great for perfecting your own IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Add milk and season well with salt and pepper.
    5 Tablespoon Whole Milk, Salt and pepper
    Close-up of a hand mixing ground meat, chopped onions, and breadcrumbs in a metal bowl, reminiscent of preparing homemade IKEA Swedish meatballs.
  • Shape mixture into small, round balls using a medium cookie scoop.
    A baking sheet with rows of uncooked meatballs with chopped onions, placed on a wood surface.
  • Place on a clean cookie sheet or a plate, cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours.
    A baking tray filled with rows of uncooked meatballs mixed with chopped onions.
  • 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
    a smoking hot cast iron pan.
  • 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.
    Close-up of several browned meatballs cooking in a black skillet, following an authentic IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a 350 oven and cook for 30 minutes.
    A cast-iron skillet filled with cooked meatballs, browned on the outside and appearing to be well-seasoned, reminiscent of an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • 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
    A close-up of a whisk stirring browned butter in a black skillet, reminiscent of the first step in creating the perfect IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Whisk in the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and bubble.
    3 Tablespoon Flour, All Purpose
    A close-up of a whisk stirring a pot of cream sauce, creating a swirled pattern, reminiscent of preparing an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Add the vegetable stock and beef stock to the pan and continue to stir.
    ⅔ Cup vegetable stock, ⅔ Cup beef stock
    A close-up of a whisk stirring a pot of cream sauce, creating a swirled pattern, reminiscent of preparing an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • 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 Heavy Cream, 2 Teaspoons soy sauce, 1 Teaspoon dijon mustard
    A metal whisk stirs a pan of light brown gravy with visible specks of seasoning, reminiscent of the savory goodness in an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Continue to stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
    A close-up of a whisk stirring a pot of cream sauce, creating a swirled pattern, reminiscent of preparing an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.
  • Add the cooked meatballs back into the creamy gravy and serve.
    A skillet filled with browned meatballs simmering in a creamy sauce, garnished with chopped parsley, reminiscent of an IKEA Swedish meatballs recipe.

Notes

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.

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