Better than Ikea Swedish Meatballs Recipe

We came up with this better than Ikea Swedish meatballs recipe after having real Swedish meatballs in Sweden, of course, and by making them taste as close as possible to the original ones.

Eating the famous Swedish Meatballs was almost at the top of our to do list on our trip to Stockholm. And to make sure we would know how to make them at home, we ate not only once, but three times! 

By the time we got home we started looking for recipes. We looked at a few, but mixed them, twiked, adjusted and ended up with our own version.

What do Swedish meatballs taste like?

What makes these meatballs so special?

Swedish meatballs are seasoned with cardamom and nutmeg. These two spices make them taste completely different from regular meatballs. The sauce they are served with also helps to distinguish them from their Italian counterpart

The sauce is an almost gravy like, velvety smooth beef dressing to these little tasty treats. It helps to round up the flavors so well that we cannot imagine having them without it.

Are these meatballs better Ikea's?

Yes! Swedish Meatballs from Ikea are quite good, but the ones you will get from this recipe are way better!

First of all, they are not mass produced! And that makes all the difference as you can taste the fresh ingredients.

They will be perfectly browned on the outside but still soft and moist on the inside with the right amount of flavors from the cardamom and nutmeg (and much more noticeable than Ikea's).

But we gotta admit: one thing you will need from Ikea is the lingonberry jam!

📋 Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• bread
• milk
• onion
• butter
• ground pork
• ground beef
• egg
• black pepper
• nutmeg
• cardamom
• salt
• vegetable oil - for frying

For the sauce:

• butter
• all-purpose flour
• beef stock
• Worcestershire sauce
• heavy cream
• apple cider vinegar
• salt

🍳 How to make it

To make the meatballs

1. Start by placing the bread in a shallow bowl and pour in the milk. Let it rest.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan and add half the onion. Cook until translucent (2 - 3 minutes). Set aside.
3. In a large bowl (or baking pan) place drained bread, fried onion, uncooked onion, pork, beef, egg, spices and salt.
4. Using your hands, mix everything together.
5. Form the meatballs by grabbing some of the mixture and then rolling them in your hands. Set meatballs in a greased baking sheet.
6. Add vegetable oil to a large frying pan (enough to cover half meatball).
7. Heat oil to 375F (180C), place meatballs (work in batches so you do not crowd the pan) and brown them on all sides.
8. Remove from oil and set aside.

Sauce

1. In a medium pan melt the butter, wisk in the flour and stir until smooth.
2. Cook mixing constantly until you get a light brown color.
3. Add beef beef stock, little by little, and stir.
4. Add the Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream and stir until you get a silky sauce.
5. Add vinegar and salt.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Now add the meatballs to the sauce and let them simmer for around 10 minutes.
8. Stir once in a while, but be gentle so the meatballs don't break.

Can I make ahead?

Yes! This recipe is not complicated, but it does take some time, specially shaping the meatballs and then frying them. So, if you can, do make them ahead.

How to store and freeze

You can keep the meatballs in the sauce in the refrigerator for two days. They will not dry and the sauce will even end up getting some of the flavors from the meatballs.

To freeze them, it is best to freeze the meatballs separately from the sauce - as they will not break apart when defrosting.

Place meatballs in a baking pan and then place the baking pan in the freezer. When the meatballs are frozen, transfer to sealable bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.

To defrost/reheat

To defrost them, remove from the freezer the night before and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to reheat. Or you can microwave them

But, in our opinion, what works the best, is to first reheat the sauce in a pan (or even make a new one) and then place the meatballs in the sauce. If still frozen, on low heat and then increase to medium after about 10 minutes, simmering until they are hot.

Always stir gently so they don't break!

Best sides to Swedish meatballs

In Sweden we had these with mashed potatoes or Swedish potatoes, Swedish pickles (a must) and lingonberry jelly, that you can get through Amazon or at Ikea - or you could substitute for cranberry jelly.

I can't wait to have them again 😉

📖 Recipe

And if you are in the mood for more Swedish recipes you have to try the Kanelbullar: Swedish Cardamom and Cinnamon Buns