Meatballs are great. But IKEA meatballs are a godsend! For those of you Pandas who have tried IKEA meatballs, you know what I’m talking about. And for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of supping on these divine morsels, these tiny pieces of heaven, well, things are about to change.
IKEA published their recipe for how to make their delicious meatballs at home. Since a lot of us are stuck at home during the quarantine, now’s a great time to sharpen our cooking skills. And what better way to do it than with the perfect recipe that’s bound to make most people happy?
As we all could have expected, the Swedish furniture giant’s recipe went viral and people are ecstatic to have some quarantine meatballs on their tables. Scroll down for the full recipe and for Bored Panda's interview with IKEA UK!
These are IKEA's iconic Swedish meatballs that most of us know intimately
Image credits: IKEAUK
"The IKEA meatball recipe was developed back in 1985. Founder Ingvar Kamprad enlisted the help of famed chef Severin Sjöstedt to perfect the recipe. Severin was so determined to get it right he spent the best part of 10 months in his kitchen!" a representative of IKEA UK told Bored Panda about the origins of IKEA's awesome meatballs in their food halls.
IKEA got the internet excited when it posted a recipe for making its meatballs at home!
Image credits: IKEAUK
"IKEA meatballs have become an essential part of the IKEA shopping experience and were developed with passion and care. The now-famous dish is a true IKEA icon, just as known as the BILLY bookshelf or the KLIPPAN sofa. As Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA founder, put it: ‘It is tough to do business with hungry stomachs.’" Truer words have never been spoken. All I can think of right now is a big plate of Swedish meatballs.
Here is the recipe. IKEA's meatballs are very easy to make
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
Image credits: IKEAUK
"With the UK facing at least three more weeks of lockdown, we wanted to do something that would help bring a smile to people’s faces, and given that we know how much customers love our meatballs, we thought to release a meatballs recipe so people can have a go creating their own, could help to provide a little culinary inspiration," the IKEA representative revealed what inspired them to share the recipe.
"Seeing people spend the extra time at home getting creative, be it by redesigning rooms or cooking up a storm in the kitchen, is wonderful—we want to help as many people as possible fall in love with their home all over again, and having a go recreating their favorite dish is just one way of achieving that."
"Bon appétit or, smaklig måltid, as we say in Sweden!"
“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," Lorena Lourido, country food manager at IKEA in the UK and Ireland, said in a press 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!" she added.
The pandemic had closed all 22 of IKEA’s stores in the UK last month. Fortunately, some of their food halls are now reopened so that essential workers and the vulnerable can pop by for a quick but filling meal.
Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with potatoes, lingonberry jam, and cream sauce. According to IKEA, the lingonberry sweetness contrasts and harmonizes with the meatballs, while the cream sauce serves as a “mediator between the two.
Here's how ecstatic some people were about the recipe!
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Here’s IKEA’s recipe for meatballs written out for your convenience, dear Pandas. Are you ready to start cooking?
This recipe makes between 16 and 20 meatballs and CNN was kind enough to write it all out.
Ingredients for the meatballs:
- 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground beef
- 250 grams (slightly more than ½ pound) ground pork
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 5 tablespoons of whole milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for the cream sauce:
- Dash of oil
- 40 grams (1.4 ounces) butter
- 40 grams (1.4 ounces) plain flour
- 150 ml (5 fluid ounces) vegetable stock
- 150 ml (5 fluid ounces) beef stock
- 150 ml (5 fluid ounces) thick double cream
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Here's how you start making those fantastic Swedish meatballs:
Combine the beef and the pork mince and mix all of it 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 the mixture into small, round balls. Place on a clean plate, cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours. This helps them hold their shape while cooking. In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides. When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a hot oven, 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius, and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Now, it's time to make the cream sauce:
Melt the butter in a frying pan. Whisk in the plain flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and beef stock and continue to stir. Add the thick double cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Continue to stir. When ready to eat, serve with your favorite potatoes—either creamy mash or mini new boiled potatoes. And voilà, dear Pandas, we're ready to start eating!