IKEA Meatballs
Ever been to IKEA and not had lunch/dinner there? If so, you’re really missing out, because it’s one of the best parts about going there in the first place. Apart from the cheap furniture, of course. Our family IKEA tradition has always been to get lunch (usually Swedish meatballs) and then a frozen yogurt on the way out. Yum!
What’s Unique About Swedish Meatballs?
Anyway, in addition to being a delicious dish popularized by IKEA, köttbullar are also a staple dish in Sweden. You may be asking, what differentiates Swedish meatballs from other meatballs? Well, these meatballs are small, spiced with nutmeg and allspice, and traditionally made with a mix of pork and beef (although we use something called “meatloaf mix” in the US). At IKEA, they are served with a cream sauce (also included in our recipe), mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam!
The Recipe
The recipe truly could not be more simple. Just mix together the meatball ingredients, shape into small balls, and fry them up. If making our gravy recipe, start with a basic roux, then add stock and cream to create a thick, delicious sauce. Serve however you would like, although we would recommend mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam! Enjoy, and let us know below if you try out this recipe!
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Köttbullar (Swedish Meatballs)
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 680 grams meatloaf mix (if you can't find meatloaf mix, use a blend of 50% ground pork and 50% ground beef, or even 100% of either!)
- 1 large egg
- 40 grams breadcrumbs (you can use regular or panko; if you are using panko breadcrumbs, the equivalent cup measurement should be doubled since they are so light!)
- 118 ml milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Neutral oil or butter for frying
GRAVY
- 28 grams butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- Beef stock (or stock of your choice!) (we don't measure this exactly, but you will likely need at least 475 ml (~2 cups) of stock!)
- 60 ml heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of allspice
- Dash of nutmeg
Instructions
- Start by finely dicing your onion.
- Add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl, except for the milk!
- Add the milk to the mixing bowl, reserving about a third of the milk to add later.
- Begin mixing together, adding a bit more milk at a time until it holds together, but isn't too wet to keep its shape. If it's still a bit dry and not sticking together, add more milk! While you've already added salt and pepper, we recommend frying a small piece of the mix before you form the meatballs to check for seasoning! You can also cook a piece of the mixture in the microwave to check for the seasoning. Add more salt and/or pepper if needed.
- Form meatballs about 1 inch in diameter (we like to do this as we're adding them to a pre-heated pan, but it may be easier to do ahead of time!). Heat up a skillet or pan on medium heat.
- Add oil or butter and place your meatballs in the pan, leaving at least an inch around all sides of the meatballs. You will likely have to fry these off in two or even three batches depending on the size of your pan.
- Flip your meatballs once they have gotten a golden brown crust. Make sure to lower the heat if they start to brown too quickly. Cook until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, or if you like to check the temperature, cook until they reach 160F on a thermometer. Continue with your second and/or third batch. (Note: if there's anything burnt to the bottom of the pan, we do recommend cleaning out your pan between batches to avoid any burnt/bitter taste on the meatballs)
- Once you're done, set the meatballs aside and keep warm until ready to serve!
- Optional (but highly recommended) step: Make a gravy! Start by melting butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Once the butter has fully melted, add your flour and whisk to create a roux base.
- Once the flour has toasted for about a minute, start adding your stock while whisking to dissolve the flour and butter. It may appear quite lumpy, but just keep whisking and they will disappear!
- Add stock until you have reached your desired consistency, whisking constantly. A good measure of thickness is checking whether it coats the back of a spoon, and if you run your finger along the coating, it should leave a clear trail across the back of the spoon. Make sure the gravy comes to a boil to fully thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste; we like to add a dash of nutmeg and allspice to the gravy for extra flavor!
- Add in heavy cream and whisk to incorporate.
- Transfer gravy to a serving container and keep warm until ready to serve!
- Serve your meatballs with the gravy, mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam for an IKEA style meal! You can also eat them by themselves, or with other vegetable side dishes!
