We all know Swedish Meatballs are super delicious comfort food, and we all know that Ikea are best at it, right? Well… you might be surprised that making your own is surprisingly easy and SO delicious.
Whether you love an Ikea meatballs, or you’ve never ventured into that yellow and blue cafe, you need to try this version at home. Creamy, comforting and so delicious. You’ll love this recipe.
This recipe for Homemade Swedish Meatballs uses pork and beef mince which is traditional, and they are cooked in a rich creamy gravy.
Disclaimer – this recipe is not totally fuss-free as you need about 15 minutes to form and roll the meatballs, BUT that time is so worth it, and I find it quite therapeutic on days when I have the time.
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ Perfect comfort food
⭐️ Hearty and so tasty
⭐️ No need to buy 100 tea lights in the process of making them (if you know, you know – right?)
About Swedish Meatballs
I really wanted to recreate the Swedish style of cooking meatballs so I’ve taken inspiration from traditional recipes, such as using pork and beef together, making a gravy with the pan juices and some dairy to slightly offset the creaminess, and – of course – that inclusion of dill.
When I make this recipe I like to make extra meatballs and freeze another portion (uncooked) for another day. I prefer to serve it with mash and green beans, but you could also serve it with:
- Pickled cucumber
- Cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly
- Chips (à la Ikea!)
- Rice
- Broccoli
- Peas
If you prefer tomato based sauces, try my Italian-Style Meatballs.
What you’ll need
- Oil – I use sunflower oil but you can use olive oil. Just not extra virgin.
- Pork mince – I prefer a lower fat one
- Beef mince – I prefer a lower fat one
- Onion
- Garlic granules
- Breadcrumbs – Dried
- Egg
- Fresh dill
For the sauce: - Butter
- Flour
- Beef stock
- Milk
- Worcester sauce
- Dijon mustard
- Cranberry sauce – Optional
- Extra dill – For serving
How to make it
1. Mix together the pork, beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and dill in a box. Use damp hands to form the meatballs.
2. Fry half of the meatballs in hot oil for as per the recipe below, remove and place on a plate, then cook the other half.
3. To make the sauce, heat some oil and butter until melted, then add the flour. Cook, stirring or whisking.
4. Gradually add the beef stock, stirring until you have a thick sauce. Add the remaining ingredients and gently add the meatballs, cover cook as per the recipe below.
Hint: The sauce will thicken very quickly when you add the stock, make sure the hob is at the lowest setting. If it thickens too much you can add a little more water or stock.
Substitutions
- Cranberry sauce – The classic Swedish accompaniment would be lingonberry jam for this dish. It’s not that easy to get hold of so I’ve used cranberry as a close substitute, however you can use the real thing if you prefer.
- Dill – You can use parsley if you prefer but fresh dill is really vital here to give it that Swedish flavour.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving.
In the freezer These meatballs can be frozen easily, so keep the leftovers. You can freeze in an airtight container with the sauce and defrost in the fridge overnight.
Top tips
Chill before cooking
Chill the meatballs for an hour or two before frying if you have time to help the meatballs keep their shape.
Carefully does it
Be gentle with the meatballs or they will break up.
Crispy bits
Crispy stuck bits on the bottom of the pan are what helps to make the tasty gravy, so while you don’t want burnt bits, some flavour left behind is good. Use a wooden spatula to gently lift it from the pan into the sauce.
Finish in the oven
These meatballs can be popped in the oven at stage 7, so if you wanted to leave them there for 20 minutes to cook (covered) they would be safe.
FAQ
This recipe makes 36 meatballs – or 30g each to be exact – so you can make this for 4 people plus leftovers, or it will stretch to 6, serving 6 meatballs each.
This style of meatballs, with a mixture of meats, plus the creamy sauce made with beef stock and fresh dill are generally Swedish style.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Homemade Swedish Meatballs {Ikea-Style}
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 500 g Pork mince
- 250 g Beef mince
- 1 Onion
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 50 g Breadcrumbs Dried or fresh
- 1 Egg
- Salt and pepper
- 10 g Fresh dill
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Flour
- 500 ml Beef stock
- 150 ml Milk
- 2 tbsp Worcester sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Cranberry sauce Optional
- Salt and pepper
- Extra dill For serving
- Cranberry sauce For serving
Instructions
- Put the pork mince, beef mince, onion, garlic powder, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and dill into a large bowl and mix well.
- Using damp hands, form 36 balls (they will be about 30g each if you want to be exact).
- Heat the 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and add half of the meatballs. Stir for 5 minutes to brown and then remove and place on a plate.
- Continue with the other meatballs until they are all coloured.
- Heat the oil and butter spread in the same frying pan until melted and add the flour. Heat for 1 minute, stirring (with a small whisk if you have one).
- Gradually add the beef stock, stirring well until you have a thick sauce. Add the milk, Worcester sauce, mustard and cranberry sauce (if using) whisk in. (See notes below).
- Gently put all the meatballs into the sauce and cover the frying pan with a lid.
- Simmer over a gentle heat for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through (if you have a meat thermometer use it to check them).
- Serve 6 meatballs per person and scatter over some extra dill.
Notes
Nutrition
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