This legendary Ikea meatball recipe was created in 1985 when IKEA was having trouble selling food in its restaurants. Ingvar Kamprad, company founder envisions a restaurant in every Ikea store so that Ikea customers can sit down with Ikea shop assistants and discuss decorating their homes.
The then store manager, a Mr. Hullberg, made this idea a reality. He has a mission: no one left an Ikea store because of being thirsty or hungry.
The Ikea meatball recipe was decided upon because this menu is popular in many countries with different cultures, inexpensive, and efficient to freeze, transport, and quickly prepare at Ikea's kitchens, thus a meatball recipe was created, made from beef and pork (note in this video recipe I use chicken instead of pork. Feel free to use pork like the original if desired.
This recipe eventually became famous, and now, at Ikea, there are several kinds of meatball menus: the original one, chicken, salmon, vegetarian, and a newer plant-based meatball.
When the Ikea restaurant closed due to the Covid pandemic, Ikea decided to release its iconic meatball recipe so that Ikea meatball fans can make their own at home.
Here's an Ikea meatball recipe
Ikea Meatballs
Ingredients:
Meatballs:
500g beef mince
250g chicken mince (original recipe uses pork mince)
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
100g breadcrumbs
1 egg
5 tablespoons of whole milk
1.25 tsp salt
0.25 tsp ground pepper
Sauce:
40g butter
40g plain flour
150ml vegetable stock
150ml beef stock
150ml thick double cream
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Method:
Meatballs
Combine beef and pork mince and mix thoroughly to break up any lumps. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, and mix. 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 whilst cooking).
In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown them on all sides.
When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a hot oven (180°C or 160°C fan oven) and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Swedish cream sauce
In a frying pan, melt 40g of butter. Whisk in 40g of plain flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook through. Add 150ml of vegetable stock and 150ml of beef stock and continue to stir. Add 150ml thick double cream, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Continue to stir.
Note: Served with mashed potatoes, cream sauce, lingonberry jam, and vegetables.
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