Plant-rich food
Making good food even better
At IKEA, we know customers want to reduce their environmental footprint – but knowledge, convenience, and affordability can be barriers. That’s why we focus on clear communication, engaging food experiences, and tasty offerings at great prices – so adding more plants to meals feels natural, not like a compromise. Read on to discover more.
Naturally delicious
When we develop our food range, we start with a simple belief: food should be delicious, delight the senses, have great variety, and be offered at a good price. And meals made with alternative proteins – or a good mix of plant-based and animal ingredients – can deliver all of this. Eating more plant-rich dishes is also one of the most impactful ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for households and individualsgo to footnote[1].
At IKEA, a “plant-rich” dish means that at least 75% of the ingredients (by weight) come from plants – vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and plant proteins – and up to 25% come from animal sources. This flexible approach supports a balanced diet and a move towards more plants and less meat.
Bringing Democratic Design to the table
Our approach to Democratic Design doesn’t end with furniture. We look at food the same way. Our food development teams focus on creating meals that not only reduce GHG emissions but are full of flavour, because taste and visual appeal are everything.
From our iconic plant balls to new local favourites, we are expanding our plant-rich offering. Look out for tomato and mushroom soup; falafel with couscous, vegetables, aioli, and a lemon wedge; rice with vegetables; and LÄTTLAGAT – a version you can enjoy at home.
A plant-ball made with heart
We may be known for our meatballs, but could we make a tasty plant-rich version of a well-loved classic dish? For IKEA product developer Hector Bianchi, that mission was personal. Growing up in Argentina, he was taught to love meat, so crafting a version that could impress people like him mattered.
After hundreds of tastings, the team landed on a delicious blend of peas, oats, potatoes, apples, and onion, neatly rolled into a plant ball with balanced flavour and a truly satisfying bite.
Today, you can enjoy the plant balls in our IKEA Restaurant or keep them ready in your freezer at home, so you can enjoy a delicious dinner anytime.
“After more than a hundred tasting sessions, we arrived at a blend of peas, oats, potatoes, apples and onion – bringing together a balanced flavour, beautiful appearance, and the kind of bite that feels truly satisfying.”
Plant balls with crispy potato pancakes & veggies
Looking for a quick, delicious plant-rich meal idea? Whip up these plant balls with crispy potato pancakes, toss in whatever veggies you’ve got on hand, finish with a creamy sauce, and dinner will be served in no time!
Ingredients
360 g (ca 24) HUVUDROLL plant balls
1 pkg GÅNGLÅT shredded potato pancakes
2 dl sour cream
1/2 garlic clove
1/2 broccoli head
200 g corn
1 tsp oil
Salt
Black pepper
Serves 4, 20 mins
Step by step
1. Heat your oven to 175°C.
2. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and place them in a baking dish with the corn.
3. Drizzle oil over the vegetables, then season with salt and pepper. Place the dish in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes.
4. Fry the plant balls and shredded potato pancakes according to the package instructions.
5. Grate a garlic clove into the sour cream, and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve the plant balls with potato pancakes, oven-roasted vegetables and the sauce.
Tip!
Try adding a bit of chilli or red pepper flakes to the sour cream sauce – the sour cream will mellow out the heat from the chilli while still giving a delicious flavour boost.
Re-thinking the classic hot dog
IKEA food designer Daniel Yngvesson was tasked with creating a hot dog with broad appeal, something tasty, satisfying, and made with ingredients that have a lower environmental impact. His starting point? Figuring out what makes a classic hot dog so satisfying in the first place.
That’s when vegetables really stepped into the spotlight: chunks of kale, lentils, quinoa, carrots, and a hint of ginger spice. Together, they created layers of texture – soft and juicy inside, a little crispy when grilled, and even better with toppings like crunchy pickles, fresh herbs, or classic ketchup and mustard.
Sound good? Tuck into a tasty vegetable hot dog in our IKEA Bistro or pick up a packet of REFRÄNG vegetable sausages to enjoy at home.
"When I tested it with the team, their faces lit up: 'I can see the veggies in it!' That was the goal – making a hot dog that was fun and satisfying, but proudly plant-rich."
Vegetable sausages with three toppings
Tuck into a world of flavour with our delicious vegetable sausages, topped with Mediterranean, Asian, and Swedish-style toppings.
Ingredients
6 REFRÄNG vegetable sausages
6 hot dog buns
Avocado topping
1/2 avocado
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
Coriander, chopped
Sea salt flakes
Chilli flakes
Classic Swedish topping
1 dl ALLEMANSRÄTTEN mashed potatoes
KETCHUP tomato ketchup
SENAP MILD mild mustard
ROSTAD LÖK fried onion
Chives, finely chopped
Hot topping
2 tbsp cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tsp red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar
6 carrot sticks, thinly cut
1 ml salt
Hot sauce
Coriander, chopped
Black sesame seeds
Serves 3–6, 20 mins
Step by step
1. Choose and prepare your toppings. Each topping is for two sausages.
2. Cook the sausages according to the instructions on the package. Place the sausages in the buns and serve with toppings.
Avocado topping
1. Peel and slice the avocado thinly.
2. Place the sausage in the bun and top with avocado, onion, and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle sea salt, chilli, and coriander over the vegetable sausage.
Classic Swedish topping
1. Place the sausage in the bun and top with mustard, ketchup, mashed potatoes, roasted onions, and finely chopped chives.
Hot topping
1. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cucumber slices. Mix them with chilli, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let this sit for a while before serving.
2. Place the sausage in the bun and top with hot sauce, cucumber salad, carrot sticks, coriander, and sesame seeds.
*Foley, Jonathan, 2024, "What's the best climate action you can take?"
There's more on the menu, too!
From plant-rich dishes to timeless favourites, explore our delicious food offering at your local IKEA store.