Swedish Meatballs (Homemade IKEA Meatballs) with Creamy Gravy Recipe
Homemade Swedish Meatballs inspired by Ikea’s classic recipe. Juicy meatballs made soft and flavorful with soaked bread and grated onion, smothered in a rich, creamy gravy flavored with nutmeg and allspice. Perfect served over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash, with a dollop of lingonberry jam for an authentic touch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 25-30 meatballs (serves 5)
- Category: Mains
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, chopped into small cubes
- 1 small onion (brown, white, or yellow)
- 300g / 10 oz ground beef (mince)
- 300g / 10 oz ground pork (mince) or substitute with more beef
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp allspice powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Gravy
- 40g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups beef broth or stock (salt reduced), or substitute with chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy or thickened cream
Instructions
- Prepare Onion and Bread: Grate the onion using a box grater and scrape the grated onion and its juices into a mixing bowl. Add the chopped bread cubes and mix well to soak; the bread should become soggy from the onion juice. If it doesn’t, add a tiny splash of milk. Set aside to soak for 1 minute.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, and salt to the soaked bread and onion mixture. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined, but do not add the oil yet.
- Shape Meatballs: Using a tablespoon measure or an ice cream scooper, portion out heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture onto your work surface. You should get 25 to 30 meatballs. Roll each portion gently into a ball shape.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and brown them on all sides; this should take about 3 minutes—the meatballs will be browned but still raw inside. Remove them to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs. If there’s excess oil in the skillet, pour it off and discard. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Make Gravy Base: Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a roux.
- Add Broth to Gravy: Gradually add about a quarter of the beef broth while stirring; the mixture will thicken quickly. Continue adding the remaining broth slowly, stirring well to keep the gravy lump-free. Switch to a whisk if needed.
- Simmer Meatballs in Gravy: Once the gravy starts simmering, add the browned meatballs along with any juices on the plate back into the skillet. Increase heat slightly to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens to a thin but creamy consistency and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Finish with Cream: Stir in the cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve the Swedish meatballs hot over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash. For an authentic Swedish experience, add a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side.
Notes
- Bread: Use plain white sandwich bread for the softest texture; wholemeal is fine too. Avoid seeded or grain breads to prevent seeds in the meatballs. Homemade emergency no-yeast bread or artisan bread recipes also work well.
- Meat: A mix of pork and beef provides authentic flavor and softness, but you can use all beef, all pork, or even chicken or turkey as alternatives.
- Allspice: This spice smells like cloves and is commonly available. You can substitute with mixed spice or equal parts nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Cream vs. Sour Cream: Most recipes use normal cream, but if you like a tangy flavor similar to stroganoff sauce, sour cream can be used. Yogurt or reduced fat cream options work too but might require extra simmering time and will have a lighter mouthfeel.
- Nutrition: The nutrition information includes both meatballs and gravy, excluding any fat discarded during cooking.
