Ikea Released Its Signature Swedish Meatballs Recipe

With restaurants closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, for many following stay-at-home orders, life has become an endless cycle of experimenting with new home-cooked recipes (because if not now, when?) and ordering restaurant delivery for the occasional tastes of the outside world. But what if you could do both at the same time? An unexpected coronavirus trend has seen well-known brands giving out their signature recipes to allow fans to nostalgically cook their favorite foods at home. Disney dished on how to make Dole Whip and churros. McDonald’s tweeted how to put together a Sausage & Egg McMuffin for those missing the chain’s all-day breakfast. And now, Ikea will turn you into a Swedish chef after posting the furniture brand’s famous Swedish meatball recipe.

“Missing your IKEA meatball fix? We’ve created a recipe for you to recreate this delicious dish in the comfort of your own home,” the official Ikea UK Twitter account posted yesterday. (Hopefully, they got approval from the home office in Sweden or they could be in big trouble!)

The recipe—which serves four—is pretty straightforward: a meat mix that’s two-thirds beef and one-third pork combined with onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, and salt and pepper. And, of course, these balls wouldn’t be Swedish without the sauce: a mix of oil, butter, flour, vegetable stock, beef stock, thick double cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard.

“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, said in the announcement. “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 maltid, as we say in Sweden!”

Once you’ve made your meatballs, Ikea says the final step is to “serve with your favorite potatoes—either creamy mash or mini new boiled potatoes.” But for the most authentic experience, I personally suggest capping things off by carrying a large flat box up a flight of stairs, throwing it on your bedroom floor and then shouting, “Alright, I lugged it up here; now you can put it together!”