Ikea Swedish Meatballs + Video

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If you’ve ever been to IKEA, chances are you’ve tried the famous IKEA Swedish Meatballs. They are one of the most popular items on the menu at the IKEA Restaurant. And, now that IKEA has released the official Swedish meatball recipe, you can make them at home! 

Ikea Swedish meatballs

I’ve been working on copycat restaurant recipes so that I can enjoy some of my favorites while I’m at home. I really love my Outback Copycat Alice Springs Chicken, my Copycat Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Shrimp, and my Olive Garden Copycat Alfredo Sauce. And, have you tried my Cracker Barrel Meatloaf copycat recipe yet?

Ikea Swedish Meatballs

The standard meatballs that you might put in a spaghetti sauce or a meatball sub are usually made with ground beef. But, a Swedish meatball is made from both pork and beef. And, of course it has a creamy gravy rather than a red sauce when you serve it.

Ikea meatball recipe ingredients in bowls on counter

What are the meatballs made out of at IKEA?

The IKEA Swedish Meatball recipe uses a combination of ground beef and ground pork. Along with that, they add onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, eggs, salt, pepper, and milk. And, of course, it is topped with a traditional Swedish Meatball sauce.

hand holding round ball of raw ground beef

Can you buy IKEA meatballs?

You can buy the IKEA Meatball sauce on Amazon. But, the meatballs will need to be purchased directly from the store. Or, you can use my delicious IKEA Meatballs recipe and make them yourself at home.  Now that you can make IKEA meatballs at home, you can serve this recipe as often as you want to.

uncooked meatballs in baking pan

How do you make IKEA sauce for meatballs?

The IKEA sauce for meatballs is simply a roux that has added cream and soy sauce. It is served alongside or on top of this Ikea Swedish Meatballs recipe.

Meatball FAQ

overhead: searing balls of ground beef in large pot
Should you fry or bake meatballs?

I prefer to bake meatballs whenever possible. Not only is it less messy, but they come out perfectly tender and evenly cooked every time!

Plus, while they are baking, you can spend time preparing side dishes for your quick and easy meal.

How do you prevent tough meatballs?

The most important thing to remember when making meatballs is to not overwork the meat! Mix just until the ingredients are combined and touch them as little as possible.

Use a scoop to portion them out before gently rolling them into shape. Wet or grease your hands before rolling — this gets them nice and smooth and prevents the mixture from sticking to your skin.

Do you cook meatballs before putting them in sauce?

In this IKEA Swedish Meatballs recipe, you will fry the meatballs and then finish baking them in the oven.
After that, the sauce is served on the side. They suggest serving the meatballs with the sauce over mashed or boiled new potatoes.

What should I serve with IKEA meatballs?

Traditionally, you would serve these over mashed or boiled new potatoes. However, you can serve them over noodles or rice if you prefer as well. IKEA Swedish meatballs are served with lingonberry jam.

whisk in saucepan of gravy

But, this may be difficult to find here in the United States. So, a delicious alternative would be to serve it with cranberry sauce. This Simple Cranberry Sauce recipe takes about 10 minutes to make and is absolutely delicious.

How to Freeze Meatballs

If you want to make a big batch of meatballs and freeze them for another night, you can.

Simply roll out the meatballs and place them on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment or freezer paper.

Put them in the freezer until they’re frozen. Once they’re frozen, you can remove them and put them in a freezer bag. This way, they won’t stick together when you take them out.

spooning sauce of Ikea meatballs

You can keep frozen meatballs in the freezer for 3 to 4 months provided they are stored in a tightly sealed freezer bag. If you want to cook them first, cooked meatballs will stay good in the freezer for up to a year.

Other Meatball Recipes

If you’re looking for a few more delicious meatball recipes, I have a few favorites to share with you.

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours. 

plate of Swedish meatballs

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meat ball on a fork

IKEA Swedish Meatballs + Video

Donna Elick
IKEA Swedish Meatballs are the most popular item on the IKEA restaurant menu, and they released the recipe! Get it here and make them soon!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Swedish
Method Oven
Servings 16 meatballs

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3.5 ounces breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 tablespoons whole milk
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Ikea Meatball Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter, 1.4 ounces
  • 3 tablespoons plain flour, 1.4 ounces
  • 5 ounces vegetable stock
  • 5 ounces beef stock
  • 5 ounces heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add beef and pork; mix thoroughly to break up any lumps.
    Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, and egg, and mix to combine. Add milk, and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Shape mixture into small, round balls. Place on a clean plate, cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours (to help them hold their shape while cooking).
  • In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, gently add meatballs and brown on all sides.
  • When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a hot oven, 350°F. or 180°C., and baked for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Whisk in the plain flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.
  • Slowly add in vegetable stock and beef stock, whisking continuously. Stir in the heavy cream, soy sauce and Dijon mustard.
  • Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Continue to stir.
  • When ready to eat, serve with your favorite potatoes or noodles.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 191cal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 196mg | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
titled collage for Ikea Swedish meatballs recipe

Originally published May 2020.

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5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love love LOVE Ikea meatballs, and am so excited that I am able to make them at home. They taste amazing, and exactly like the original.

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