IKEA Revealed Exactly How to Make Its Famous Swedish Meatballs

Since shops and dine-in restaurants are closed during social distancing, we're getting insider scoops with recipes from favorite spots like Disney World and Cheesecake Factory. IKEA is now the next company to kindly share the love with the recipe for their famous meatballs. Now anyone missing the delicious (and affordable) $5.99 plate can practice their cooking skills by making a batch of these meatballs with cream sauce at home.

"We know that some people might be missing our meatballs, which is why we've released an at-home alternative which, using easily accessible ingredients, will help those looking for some inspiration in the kitchen," says IKEA Country Food Manager Lorena Lourido in a release. "Staying at home can be hard, but we want to help make everyone's lives that little bit easier and more enjoyable. Bon appétit or, smaklig måltid, as we say in Sweden!"

Perhaps the most exciting part (to me, at least) of IKEA's release of the Swedish meatball recipe is the fact they created instructions to visualize all the steps just like the ones they include with their ready-to-assemble furniture and storage.

IKEA's Swedish Meatball Recipe

IKEA is based in Europe, so the six-step recipe card lists metric measurements. We went ahead and converted the recipe ingredients to imperial measurements, which we use in the U.S.

For the Meatballs

• 1 lb. ground beef (Technically 500g equals 1.1 lb., so if you have a bit more, go ahead and use it.)
• ½ lb. ground pork (Same as beef: 250g is .55 lb., so you can also add a little more here.)
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
• 1 scant cup (not packed) breadcrumbs
• 5 Tbsp. whole milk
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Cream Sauce

• dash of oil
• 3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. butter
• 5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• ​⅔ cup vegetable stock
• ​⅔ cup beef stock
• ​⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1. Combine beef and pork 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.
2. 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).
3. In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides.
4. When browned, add to an ovenproof dish ($16, Bed Bath & Beyond) and cover. Place in a 350°F oven and cook an additional 30 minutes.
5. For the cream sauce melt butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook through. Add vegetable stock and beef stock and continue to stir. Add 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.

Now that you've got the Swedish meatballs and cream sauce ready to go, serve them with mashed potatoes and green beans (or whatever veggies you want) for a comforting dinner. IKEA usually serves the plates with a side of lingonberry jam for a sweet-tart contrast to the dish, but cranberry sauce would be an equally enjoyable swap.