Everyone who lives near an IKEA has had their legendary meatballs. They are rather delicious, and the perfect excuse to peruse the store.
Did you know that in Canada alone, over 11.3 million customers dined at IKEA in their restaurants over the past fiscal year, and in fact they ate nearly 1.7 million meatball plates and 1.1 million veggie dogs?
Without a doubt, meatballs are the best known of all Swedish dishes, traditionally served with potatoes, lingonberry jam, and cream sauce. The dish is an "unexpected meeting of flavors as the lingonberry sweetness contrasts, yet harmonizes, with the meatballs, while the cream sauce serves as a neutral “mediator” between the two". Naturally, you’ll find all the ingredients in the IKEA store.
Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad, was worried that customers would get hungry while browsing his massive warehouses. He tasked then store-manager Sören Hullberg to come up with a brief menu for a food department that would be in line with Ikea's cost-cutting strategies.
It had to be cheap, and it had to be really, really Swedish. Meatballs were the answer, along with salmon, roast beef and smoked reindeer steak, the latter did not make the cut.
During the pandemic, it seems that people are missing the cheap yet hearty meals that IKEA has to offer.
IKEA heard the call of their allen key loving fans and answered.
They have released the recipe so we can make their meatballs at home.
"Satisfy the craving with a DIY dish! We’ve created a recipe inspired by our iconic meatballs for you to enjoy at home. Get cooking and share yours with us using #IKEAInspo!"
In order to make the meatballs themselves, you will need:
- 500g beef mince
- 250g pork mince
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
- 100g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 5 tablespoons of milk (whole milk)
- Generous salt and pepper
For the cream sauce, chefs should use:
- Dash of oil
- 40g butter
- 40g plain flour
- 150mL vegetable stock
- 150mL beef stock
- 150mL thick double cream
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard