Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs
Making these Ikea-style Swedish meatballs with homemade cream gravy, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce is not as hard as it seems.
The recipe card includes the gluten-free recipes for all four dishes.
Ikea’s Swedish Meatballs
Who hasn’t had Ikea’s amazing Swedish Meatballs? Besides Ikea being a well-known home furnishing brand, their meatballs are just as famous. While shopping at Ikea, it seems like there are more customers eating the meatballs in the restaurant than actually shopping! Sadly, at this stage, Ikea has not brought out a gluten-free meatball alternative, so if you are missing them, this recipe will fill that void.
I adapted the gluten recipe generously published by Ikea themselves. However, I have changed a few ingredients on the list and replaced Ikea’s breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
The meatballs are made with a mixture of beef and pork mince, but if you prefer to solely use beef mince or pork mince, this will not make much difference with the end results.
Cream Gravy – Ikea-style
Ikea’s gravy packet mix also has gluten, so if you like your meatballs with gravy, I have also included an easy gluten-free cream gravy recipe for this.
Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are made using either a stand mixer or regular potato masher. The difference between the two is that the stand mixer gives a fluffier and lighter texture. The addition of a split spring onion steeped in the milk before it is added to the potatoes gives the mash a delicate onion flavour.
Cranberry Sauce
Traditionally, Swedish meatballs go well with lingonberry sauce. This can be bought at Ikea or you can make my homemade substitute using fresh or frozen cranberries in under 30 minutes.
Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
- Stand mixer, or
- Potato masher
Ingredients
GLUTEN-FREE SWEDISH MEATBALLS
- 500 g minced beef
- 250 g minced pork
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 150 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 50 ml milk
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp allspice
- Sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
GLUTEN-FREE CREAM GRAVY
- 20 g butter
- 20 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour, sieved
- 200 ml store-bought or homemade gluten-free beef stock
- 75 ml single or pouring cream
- 1 tsp Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
- 1 tbsp butter
- 250 g fresh or frozen whole cranberries
- 2 tsp shallots, chopped finely
- 125 g caster sugar
- 1 orange, juiced and grated zest
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- ½ tsp salt
MASHED POTATOES
- 1 kg potatoes, peeled
- 350 ml warm milk (full-fat or low-fat)
- 1 spring onion, sliced in half lengthways
- 50-70 g butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley and/or chives, finely chopped, for garnishing
Serving
- 500 g green long beans/French beans, topped and tailed
Instructions
GLUTEN-FREE SWEDISH MEATBALLS
- Using gloved hands, mix the mince meats together, breaking up any clumps.
- Add the rest of the meatball ingredients (except the cooking oil) and mix well.
- Roll the meat mixture into small, smooth balls and place them on a large plate or tray.
- Cover and chill for at least one hour. This will help retain their shape while cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Heat a large frying pan to medium-high and add enough oil to thinly cover the bottom.
- Brown the meatballs on all sides for 6-8 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to fry two batches, alternatively, use two frying pans.
- Once browned, add them to a baking tray, cover with foil and cook them for a further 30 minutes in the oven. Set aside the frying pan to make the gravy.
GLUTEN-FREE CREAM GRAVY
- Add the stock to the meatball frying pan and scrape the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and set it aside. Please note: Remove excess oil if there is any still in the pan. We just want to use the leftover meat juices and meat scraps in the pan.
- In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter gently over low heat. Do not burn or let the butter turn brown.
- Add the sieved flour and whisk for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Strain the stock from the frying pan into a jug.
- Slowly add the strained stock to the saucepan, whisking well.
- Add the cream, Tamari, mustard and lemon juice.
- Season with white pepper, nutmeg and salt.
- Simmer, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens to a pouring consistency.
- Pour the gravy in a serving jug and cover. The gravy can be reheated in the microwave just before serving.
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
- Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan.
- Add the chopped shallots and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the cranberries and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
- Cook for 20 mins until the cranberries have softened and the sauce has reduced slightly.
- Pour the cranberry sauce into a serving bowl, cover and set it aside at room temperature. If preparing weeks in advance, store in a sterilised jar and chill.
MASHED POTATOES
- Peel the potatoes and leave them whole. Cutting them decreases their flavour while cooking in water.
- Place them in a large pot with salted cold water.
- Bring to the boil and cook partially covered for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- In a small saucepan, add the spring onion with the milk.
- Heat up the milk and remove the spring onion after 5 minutes. The spring onion adds flavour to the milk.
- Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a stand mixer bowl*
- Using the whisk attachment, start the mixer on a low speed to break up the cooked potatoes.
- While mixing, add the warm milk slowly.
- Add the softened butter a little at a time.
- Once the potatoes look well mixed and fluffy, add the seasonings.
- Taste the potatoes and add more seasoning if needed.
- If making ahead of time, keep the mashed potatoes warm in a covered casserole dish in the oven or transfer to a slow cooker selecting the warm setting.
- *If you don’t have a food stand mixer, simply mash the cooked potatoes using a potato masher and mix well with a large wooden spoon. The only difference will be that the mashed potatoes may not appear as whipped and fluffy but will still taste great!
Serving
- Serve the meatballs on top of the mashed potatoes, with the cream gravy and cranberry sauce on the side. Steam or sautee the green beans and season accordingly.
Notes
Swedish meatballs & Mashed potatoes
- Keeps for 3 days chilled
- Suitable to freeze
- Reheat in a moderate oven covered or in a microwave
Cream Gravy
- Keeps for 3 days chilled
- Not suitable to freeze, unless frozen before adding cream.
Cranberry Sauce
- Keeps for 2 weeks chilled in a sterilised glass jar
- Not suitable to freeze
Please join my email list to receive a free gluten-free mini baking cookbook, plus regular updates of newly released gluten-free recipes!