Ikea Swedish Meatballs

A few weeks ago I made a road trip to Ikea with my friend Jo. After shopping for a little we decided we were hungry.  So for the first time, I tried Swedish meatballs. Oh, my goodness, what have I been missing? They were so delicious. And why did I wait so long to try them? I read that people have actually driven 2 ½ hours to eat these awesome meatballs. 

All I can tell you is if you have never eaten them, next time you're shopping at Ikea, do it. It will be worth it. If you do not want to fight the crowds at Ikea and want your meatball fix right now, you can make these wonderful meatballs at home. This Swedish meatball recipe sounds great, looks even better, but tastes great.

Swedish meatballs are called "Köttbullar" and they are made popular by IKEA's cafes. In the Netherlands, a meatball goes by the name "Gehaktbal" (ball of chopped meat). Meatball is and has been for many years the most common dish in Swedish and Dutch households.

The Swedish meatball recipe has made Nordic cuisine famous. There are several recipes for Swedish meatballs, popular in all Scandinavian countries. Immigrants introduced these little meatballs in the USA. Thanks to Ikea, the Swedish meatball recipe became well-known all over the world.

Enough with the talk, let’s cook and eat!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, I used olive oil
• 2/3 lb ground beef, lean
• 1/3 lb ground pork, lean
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, I used olive oil (for frying)
• ½ cup Half & Half, fat free
• 1 (10 ounce) cans beef gravy
• 2 cold boiled medium Yukon gold potatoes, I made mashed potatoes 

 Preparation

1. Saute onions in first tablespoon of oil until translucent. Set aside and let cool. Combine breadcrumbs and milk, let soak for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine onions, breadcrumbs, milk egg, meat and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Form tablespoon of the meat mixture into balls.
3. Over medium heat, fry meatballs in second tablespoon of oil until brown on all sides. 
4. In a small saucepan, combine gravy and cream; heat through but do not boil.

Serve meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes.  And don't forget the lingonberry preserves!