Baked meatballs - Lihapullat

An epicurean adventure to: Finland

Have you ever heard of Lihapullat? It's a fancy way of saying Finnish meatballs, in Finnish! These baked meatballs have been a hit in Finland for generations and are a go-to comfort food for dinner. They are super easy to make, just throw all the ingredients into a big bowl, mix, roll and bake.

They are traditionally served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, but they're also delicious served with potato salad or on their own as an appetiser.

Even though people all around the world are starting to enjoy Lihapullat, it's still a super important part of Finnish culture and a beloved comfort food among the locals. Give it a try, you won't regret it!

Finland - Fast facts

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Onions

Chop the onions quite finely. It should melt into the meatballs and its main purpose is just to provide flavour.

Beef mince/ground beef

We prefer using a lower fat mince, like a 5% fat content. The fatter the meat, the more fat will cook out during baking.

Breadcrumbs

You can make your own from leftover stale bread, or use shop-bought breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs are what will give you juicy meatballs because they absorb and retain liquid.

Cream

This can be replaced with sour cream, which is often used in Lihapullat in Finland.

Allspice

This recipe calls for ¼ of a teaspoon of Allspice, which gives it a very delicate flavour. Feel free to add more if you like a stronger Allspice taste.

Black pepper

Can be replaced with fine white pepper.

How to make Finnish baked meatballs: Step-by-step

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃/390℉/gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Chop the onion very finely. Heat a dash of oil in a small saucepan or frying pan and fry the onions over medium heat until soft and translucent, but not overly browned.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add the fried onions, beef mince, breadcrumbs, one egg, cream, minced garlic, allspice, salt and pepper.

4. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly. A fork works well to break up the mince in the process.

5. Pinch off pieces from the meat mixture and roll into balls. If you want to be precise and need equally sized meatballs, you can weigh each portion.
   
   We use 50g per meatball which will give you about 18 meatballs from this recipe. If you're not weighing, aim for golf ball-sized portions.

6. Space the meatballs out on the baking tray, leaving enough space between each meatball for even baking.

7. Add the two tablespoons of oil to a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the top and sides of each meatball with the oil.

8. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and golden brown in colour.

9. Serve warm with potatoes and Lingonberry jam.

Variations

Different meats - You can use a variety of meats such as ground pork or ground lamb to make these baked meatballs. However, if you want to keep this traditional, stick with beef.

Fried: You can also choose to fry your Lihapullat. The meatballs are usually rolled in flour when fried. This will give you a crispy outside texture.

How to fry:

• Heat some oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

• Add the Lihapullat to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are browned and cooked through.

• Remove the Lihapullat from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

• Note: When frying, make sure to avoid overcrowding the pan as this can cause the meatballs to steam instead of fry and they won't crisp up.

Serving suggestions:

Mashed potatoes - This is the classic pairing for Lihapullat, creamy mashed potatoes. You can also serve them with boiled potatoes, roasted potatoes, Parmentier potatoes or potato salad.

Lingonberry jam - Lingonberry jam is the traditional accompaniment to Lihapullat and provides a lovely sweet and tart contrast to the savoury meatballs.

Gravy - You can serve Lihapullat with mushroom gravy or a creamy brown gravy made from a roux of butter and flour, beef broth, cream and spices such as black pepper, allspice and thyme.

Roasted or sautéed vegetables - Add some colour and nutrition to your meal by serving Lihapullat with roasted or sautéed vegetables, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts or green beans.

Salad - For a lighter meal, you can serve Lihapullat with a fresh salad.

Pickled vegetables - Pickled vegetables, like pickled cucumbers or beets, provide a tangy contrast to the savoury meatballs.

Rye bread - Rye bread is a staple in Finnish cuisine and makes a great accompaniment to Lihapullat. You can serve it toasted or plain, with or without butter.

Storage and reheating

To store Lihapullat, allow them to cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Lihapullat can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you plan to freeze them, make sure to label and date the container or package. When reheating, it's best to use a microwave or oven to avoid overcooking and maintain the flavour and texture.

They are ideal to make ahead - Prepare the meatballs the day before, store in the fridge overnight and bake the next day.

What if you can't find Lingonberry jam?

If you don't live in Scandinavia and you really want to serve Lihapullat in the traditional way, you might be hard-pressed to find Lingonberry jam.

If you have an Ikea near you, they sell it! I can't vouch for other countries unfortunately, but in the UK you will also find it at Ocado, Waitrose, Amazon and Sous Chef.

If all else fails, Cranberry sauce is a really good replacement. See if you can find the sauce with whole berries which will be more akin to Lingonberry jam in texture.

What is 'Lihapullat ja muusi'?

'Meatballs and mash'! Muusi is a delicious Finnish creamy mash made with butter and cream. The ultimate accompaniment for Finnish meatballs.

More Scandi recipes for you to try

Chokladbollar - Swedish chocolate balls

Hallongrotter - Swedish thumbprint cookies

Toscakaka - Swedish Tosca cake with almond praline