Homemade Ikea Meatballs (Printable)
Tender beef-and-pork balls, lightly spiced and pan-seared, finished in a creamy stock-and-mustard sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 9 ounces ground beef
02 - 9 ounces ground pork
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1/4 cup milk
06 - 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for frying
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
→ Cream Sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 1 1/4 cups beef or vegetable stock
17 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
18 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To:
01 - In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
02 - Add ground beef, ground pork, onion, garlic, egg, salt, black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix gently until the ingredients are just incorporated.
03 - Shape the mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut (approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter).
04 - Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove meatballs from skillet and set aside.
05 - Melt butter in the same skillet. Add flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to cook the flour.
06 - Gradually whisk in beef or vegetable stock to avoid lumps. Stir in heavy cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
07 - Return meatballs to skillet and toss to coat with the sauce. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until meatballs are warmed through.
08 - Plate meatballs hot with cream sauce. Traditionally accompanied by mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and steamed vegetables.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Once you taste the silky homemade gravy, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for cafeteria trays.
- Each batch is loaded with the kind of cozy flavors that make the kitchen feel like a refuge from the world outside.
02 -
- Once, I overmixed the meat and ended up with dense, rubbery meatballs—always mix just until blended.
- Letting the browned bits from the pan become part of the sauce gives extra flavor you’d never get from a clean skillet.
03 -
- Frying in batches keeps the temperature even and prevents steaming, so every meatball crisps perfectly.
- Letting the formed meatballs rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before frying helps them hold their shape.