Gluten Free Swedish Meatballs (IKEA Copycat)

My favourite part of going to IKEA as a kid was the treat of meatballs in the cafe after what felt like 6 hours of trekking round and round and my Mum just coming out with 6 glasses (We have all done it right!)

These easy gluten free Swedish meatballs are juicy & packed full of flavour, whilst the creamy, rich & savoury gravy is delicious spooned over some piping hot mashed potato. Why not serve these little balls of goodness with some Lingonberry Jam with them to get the authentic IKEA copycat experience as well as some honey-glazed air fryer carrots?

If this has got your taste buds tingling why not check out some of my other gluten free dinner ideas like these Chinese Style Baked Salt & Pepper Wings or Sticky Sausage Tray Bake With Honey & Mustard.

❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe..

• They Are Allergy Friendly:  This Swedish meatballs recipe is not only gluten-free but also dairy-free and egg free too, making them ideal for people with allergies.
• Rich & Juicy: These meatballs are so succulent and juicy!
• Adaptable: Don’t need the recipe to be egg and dairy free? No problem! Check out the ingredients and substitution section below to find out how to adapt the recipe to use egg and regular cream.
• Perfect For Batch Cooking: Cook up double the amount of meatballs and store them in the freezer for when you need them at a later date. Perfect for a busy weeknight when you need a quick dinner.
• Kid Friendly: I mean, what kid doesn’t like meatballs?? They will also love dipping them in the delicious savoury gravy.

🤔 Are Ikea Swedish Meatballs Gluten Free?

Unfortunately not. For nostalgia, I wanted to take my kids, but eating out is hard. (which is why I created this post about the 7 best chain restaurants to eat out with kids if you have allergies) After looking at the allergy menu I realised the IKEA meatballs contained gluten, milk and eggs, so Mammas kitchen got to work again!

My version of IKEA’s traditional Swedish meatballs are gluten free, egg free and dairy free. I can promise that you and your kids will love them!

🤔 Do Meatballs Need Breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs are often included as a common ingredient in many meatball recipes, but you do not necessarily need them and it is possible to achieve a juicy meatball without them, like in this recipe and my dairy free and egg free meatballs & spicy lamb meatballs too!

• Breadcrumbs absorb moisture from the meat which makes them tender and juicy inside. By using ground meat with a fat percentage of at least 10% you can achieve that succulent texture without using breadcrumbs.
• They can also add volume to the meat mixture, allowing you to make more meatballs from the same amount of meat. If you want to make your mixture go further without breadcrumbs, why not add some crushed gluten-free crackers or grated carrots or zucchini (courgette) instead?
• Breadcrumbs can also act as a binder to help the meatballs stay together whilst cooking. Instead of using breadcrumbs, you can chill the meatballs in the fridge before cooking to help them firm up.

Meatballs

• Pork & Beef Mince - I have used a 50/50 ratio of ground pork and ground beef mince as this is what they use in the original IKEA recipe. I would advise using a mince with at least 10% fat as the fat in the mince ( like I have in these Five Guys burgers) really helps the juiciness in the meatballs and stops them drying out.You just won’t get the same end result with low-fat mince. You can also use turkey or chicken mince in place of beef or pork for a lighter flavour.
• Aromatics - Grate or chop the onion extremely finely, you want it to be as small as possible. Grate or mince the garlic with a garlic press.
• Herbs & Spices -I have added allspice, parsley & nutmeg as I feel they really lift the flavour of the meatballs. I would advise using fresh parsley chopped really finely.

Gravy

• Coconut Cream - Coconut cream is used instead of standard thick double cream to make the recipe dairy free. (Feel free to use regular double cream (heaving whipping cream) if you do not require the recipe to be dairy free). You can buy coconut cream in a can on its own or spoon the coconut cream (the thick bit) out of a can of unshaken coconut milk. Just be sure to use the cream and not coconut milk that you buy in a carton, otherwise, the sauce will be too runny.
• Tamari / Coconut Aminos - Tamari is a sauce made by fermenting soya beans and is a great alternative to soy sauce when you need an umami flavour. ( Soy sauce contains wheat and is not gluten free) I love this Tamari by Kikkoman. If you do not need the recipe to be gluten free, you can use regular soy sauce. If you need to avoid soya also, you can use coconut aminos which gives a similar flavour to soy sauce and is both soya and gluten free!
• Dijon Mustard - This gives a tangy, sharpness to the sauce. If you are allergic to mustard use horseradish sauce with a dash of honey instead.
• Vegetable Stock/Broth - I have used a Knorr vegetable stock pot for this recipe as their stock pots are gluten-free. (Please always double check the packaging for allergens as ingredients can change). You can also use chicken broth or beef broth for a stronger flavour.
• Cornflour - This helps to thicken the gravy. Despite its name cornflour is gluten free.
• Garlic & Onion Powder - These are added to bring a depth of flavour to the gravy.
• Parsley - Chopped parsley is sprinkled through the sauce to add some vibrant colour and a light herby flavour. Definitely use fresh parsley as dried parsley just won’t taste the same.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step 1: Start by making the meatballs. Put the pork and beef mince into a large mixing bowl. Grate or finely chop the onion and add it to the mince along with minced garlic, allspice, nutmeg and a small handful of finely chopped parsley. If you chop the onion, make sure the pieces are chopped really small. You can use a food chopper if you like, to save time.

Step 2: Now for the messy bit! Bring the meat mixture together by mixing it with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.

Step 3: Roll the meat mixture into small balls. This recipe will make approximately 30-40 meatballs depending on how big or small you make them.

Step 4: Put the rolled balls onto a plate and chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Due to the fact you are not using breadcrumbs or egg to bind the mixture together, chilling them helps the balls to firm up and they will not fall apart when cooking.

Step 5: Once the balls have chilled, heat some oil in a large non stick frying pan and fry the meatballs on a medium heat until they are browned all over. This will take a few minutes on each side. You may need to do this in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of your frying pan.

When the meatballs have browned, let them rest on some kitchen towel on a plate.

Step 6: Time for the gravy! Drain any remaining oil from the frying pan, then add the coconut cream, tamari, made-up vegetable stock, Dijon mustard, onion powder and garlic powder to the hot pan and stir until combined.

Step 7: Mix together the cornflour with a dash of cold water in a separate bowl and add this to the gravy. This will help to thicken up the sauce. Stir well then add the meatballs back to the frying pan and let them simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs have cooked through.

🥡 Storage, Freezing & Reheating

You can store any leftover Swedish meatballs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat, simply place the meatballs and gravy in a large saucepan and heat on a medium heat on the stove until the meatballs are piping hot and have reached 160˚F, this should take around 8-10 minutes.

They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze the gluten free meatballs in individual portions, dividing up the balls and gravy into freezer bags, you can then easily defrost them in the fridge overnight and re-heat as above.