After a recent trip to Ikea, we decided to embark on the challenge to recreate the infamous meatballs with a nightshade-free twist.

After moving into the house, Joe and I found ourselves spending a lot of weekends at Ikea. Between the need for furniture and enjoying a fun DIY project, it was the perfect spot for us to build items we needed at an affordable price. We also couldn't go to Ikea without stopping at the food court for Joe to try their infamous Swedish meatballs. At first bite, he knew we had to try and recreate them so I could try them too.

Our biggest challenge was making them without any nightshade ingredients.

Products we used:

• Grass-fed and grass-finished ground beef and ground pork from Circle C Farms.

• For the gravy, we used grass-fed Beef Bone Broth by Kettle & Fire and arrowroot starch to keep it corn-free as well as nightshade-free.

• While typically served with a side of potatoes and hearty veggies, we had ours with Tolerant's Chickpea Rotini.

Nightshade-Free Swedish-Style Meatballs

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground grass-fed beef

• 1 pound ground grass-fed pork

• ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumb

• ¼ cup onion, finely diced

• 1 egg

• ¼ teaspoon cumin

• ¼ teaspoon allspice

• Salt and pepper, for taste

For the Gravy:

• 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter or palm shortening

• 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour

• ½ cup dairy-free milk

• 2 tablespoon arrowroot starch

• 2 cups Kettle & Fire beef broth

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• Salt and pepper, for taste

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. In a large mixing bowl, add all the meatball ingredients. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

3. Shape the meat mixture into small meatballs, roughly 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake the meatballs for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and have a beautiful golden-brown exterior.

5. While the meatballs are cooking, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the dairy-free butter or palm shortening. Stir in the gluten-free flour, dairy-free milk, and arrowroot startch to create a roux. Cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly.

6. Gradually whisk in the beef broth to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.

7. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

8. Gently place the cooked meatballs into the gravy and let them simmer in the sauce for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the meatballs to soak up all that luscious flavor.

9. Your nightshade-free Swedish-style meatballs are ready to savor. Serve them hot over your favorite gluten-free noodles or mashed (sweet) potatoes.