• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Vegan Huggs
  • Home
  • Search
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Sign up!
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Me
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Entrées

    Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    January 1, 2022 By Melissa Huggins / 11 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe

    These delicious Vegan Swedish Meatballs are reminiscent of the classic IKEA version. They are made with a plant-based ground that is perfectly textured and seasoned with warm spices. Then they are smothered in a rich and creamy gravy that is the epitome of comfort. The whole family will love it! 

    overhead view of fully cooked vegan Swedish meatballs in a gray pan. Serving spoon inside.

    While most countries have their own delicious meatball version, Swedish meatballs have captured the hearts and taste buds of many! I believe IKEA had something to do with that and if you've tried their version before, you probably have an idea of what to expect flavor-wise.

    The appealing taste comes from the combination of tender meatballs and creamy gravy which is lightly spiced with nutmeg and allspice. It's pure comfort in every bite!

    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are just as good and will quickly become a new family favorite! I used Beyond Meat’s plant-based ground and I was over the moon on how amazing the recipe turned out with it! The ground has a meaty and juicy mouthfeel and does not fall apart. Everyone will love it — vegan or not!

    However, if you are not a big fan of store-bought mock meat, you can replace the Beyond Ground with my recipe for Vegan Meatballs. All you'll have to do is switch out the Italian seasoning for the nutmeg and allspice. 

    Table of Contents

    • Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
    • How to Make Vegan Swedish Meatballs
    • Alternate Cooking Method
    • Serving Ideas for Vegan Swedish Meatballs
    • Make-ahead and storage
    • Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions

    ️🌟 This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

    All ingredients to make the recipe spread out on a table.

    For the Meatballs

    • Plant-based ground meat - You can try any plant-based ground that you like. However, the taste and consistency may vary slightly with different brands, so this may alter the finished results. Take note that you may need more or less seasoning depending on the brand that you choose. 
    • Panko breadcrumbs – adding breadcrumbs aid with binding the ingredients and also helps keep the meatballs tender and juicy. I love panko, but feel free to use regular or even gluten-free breadcrumbs. 
    • Fresh Ingredients - I used fresh onions, garlic, and parsley to add more texture and a savory flavor, but you can replace them with dried if you'd like.
    • Spices - for the Swedish-style flavor, you'll need allspice, nutmeg, and ground white pepper. You can substitute the white pepper for black if you don't have it. 
    • Extra Flavor - I used dijon mustard and vegan Worcestershire sauce for a hint of zing and umami flavor. If you can't find vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can use low-sodium tamari. It doesn't perfectly replicate the flavor, but it's still delicious. 

    For the Gravy

    • Flour - I used regular all-purpose. To make this dish gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour brand 1:1.
    • Broth - I used Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base. It has a deep savory flavor that really brings it home. My second choice would be their vegetable base. Whatever brand you choose, try to use a flavorful one. Homemade is wonderful too.
    • Seasoning - I used a hint of allspice, nutmeg, dijon mustard, vegan Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to make the flavors pop! 
    • Coconut Milk - I used the full-fat canned variety for a silky and creamy finish. I can't taste the coconut flavor at all, but if you are sensitive to it, you can replace it with my Vegan Sour Cream recipe or a store-bought version. If you go that route, you may want to reduce or omit the dijon mustard so it's not overly tangy. 
    • Vegan Butter - I used Miyoko's Butter because it tastes so close to the dairy version and provides richness to the gravy. You can use any store-bought brand that you like.

    How to Make Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    six process photos of forming the meatballs and making the sauce.
    1. Add the breadcrumbs and coconut milk to a large bowl. Let it sit for a minute so the milk can absorb into the breadcrumbs. Now add the plant-based ground, onion, garlic, parsley, dijon, vegan Worcestershire sauce, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Combine well using your hands.
    2. Measure out a heaping tablespoon of mixture and place each scoop on a baking sheet. This should yield about 20 meatballs. 
    3. Roll each scoop into shape with your hands and place back on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.  
    4. For the gravy, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it smells slightly nutty and lightly golden.
    5. Slowly pour in half of the broth while constantly whisking to combine well. Let it come to a simmer before slowly adding the remaining broth while constantly whisking to prevent lumps. Add the remaining gravy ingredients and whisk to combine well.
    6. Simmer for 8-10 minutes to thicken into a thin-ish gravy. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook more if meatballs need heating. 
    Sideview of vegan swedish meatballs in gravy with parsley on top.

    Alternate Cooking Method

    Another great way to enjoy these Vegan Swedish Meatballs is through frying. To start, just pour a few tablespoons of oil into your pan over medium heat. When fully heated and shimmering, add the meatballs and sear them undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes on all sides. Use a sturdy metal spatula to flip them over. Don't overcrowd the pan or they will not brown well.

    Serving Ideas for Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    You can enjoy Swedish Meatballs in many different ways. Serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta and a side of your favorite veggies. If you want to go all out and experience a Swedish-style meal, you can also enjoy it with some puréed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, and lingonberry jam.

    Make-ahead and storage

    Make ahead: You can make and shape the meatball mixture and store them in the fridge for a few days or keep it frozen for up to 3 months. This way you can have some ready-made meatballs anytime you feel like it.

    All you have to do is bake ’em! You can also make the sauce a few days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. You may need to add a few splashes of broth on the reheat. 

    Storing leftovers: If you have leftovers with the meatballs in the sauce already, you can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days in an airtight container. You can reheat using a microwave or stovetop over low heat. Add a few splashes of broth if needed.

    meatballs on a bed of mashed potatoes with gravy on top. Jam and broccoli on the side.

    More comfort meals to enjoy

    • Vegan Chili
    • Vegan Shepherd's Pie
    • Vegan Mushroom Risotto

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would really make my day! You can also share your remake with me on Instagram. Just tag #veganhuggs and @veganhuggs so I don’t miss it! 

    ⭐️ Subscribe to the Vegan Huggs Newsletter and receive weekly recipes straight to your inbox! You'll also receive my FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. 

    vegan Swedish meatballs in a gray pan filled with gravy
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 11 votes

    Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    These delicious Vegan Swedish Meatballs are reminiscent of the classic IKEA version. They are made with a plant-based ground that is perfectly textured and seasoned with warm spices. Then they are smothered in a rich and creamy gravy that is the epitome of comfort. The whole family will love it! 
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American, Swedish
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 198kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    Vegan Meatballs

    • 1 pound plant-based ground meat (I used Beyond Meat)
    • ½ medium onion , minced (about ¼ cup)
    • 4 cloves garlic , minced
    • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
    • 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk , canned (*optional - see note)
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg , more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper (sub black)
    • Salt , to taste (*see note)

    Gravy

    • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups vegetable broth (*see note)
    • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk , canned
    • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce , more to taste
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard , more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • Salt and pepper , to taste

    Recommended Equipment

    • Large Baking Pan
    • Large Skillet
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Vegan Meatballs

    • Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    • In a large bowl add the breadcrumbs and coconut milk. Let it sit for a minute so the milk can absorb into the breadcrumbs. Now add the plant-based ground, onion, garlic, parsley, dijon, vegan Worcestershire sauce, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Combine well using your hands. * note: if you aren't using milk, just add the breadcrumbs with the rest of the ingredients and combine.
    • Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, measure out a heaping tablespoon of mixture (about 1.5 tablespoons). Alternatively, you can use a medium-sized cookie scoop for even measuring. Place each scoop on the baking sheet (don't roll yet). Once finished, roll each scoop into shape with your hands (it's less messy using this method).
    • Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Flip at the midway mark. Remove from oven. Tip: start making the sauce when the meatballs have about 10 minutes left so they are nice and hot when the sauce is ready.

    Gravy

    • Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it's fully combined, smells slightly nutty, and it's lightly golden. About 1 minute. Whisk constantly to prevent burning.
    • Slowly pour in half of the broth while constantly whisking to combine well. Let it come to a simmer before slowly adding the remaining broth while constantly whisking to prevent lumps (raise heat slightly if needed).
    • Add the coconut milk, Worcestershire sauce, dijon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine well. Let it simmer for 7-9 minutes to thicken into a thin-ish gravy. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or lumps. Cook down longer for a thicker consistency (note: it'll thicken more when removed from heat). Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
    • Add meatballs to the sauce and cook a few minutes longer if needed. Alternatively, you can serve the gravy on the side of the meatballs. See note for serving suggestions. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Coconut milk is optional in the meatballs, but I highly recommend it. It makes the meatballs juicy and very tender. If you don't have coconut milk, you can use Vegan Sour Cream instead. You can also use soy milk, but it's not as rich. If you use a different plant-based ground, it could produce different results. If the different ground seems very moist, I would skip the milk.
    Broth - for this gravy recipe, I used Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base. It has a deep savory flavor that really brings it home. They don't have a reduced-sodium version so I usually don't add more than a pinch of salt to the gravy. My second choice would be their vegetable base. It's full of flavor too. They have regular and reduced sodium. Whatever brand you choose, try to use a flavorful one. Homemade is wonderful too. 
    I used Beyond Meat but you can choose any plant-based ground that you like. However, the taste and consistency may vary slightly with different brands, so this may alter the finished results. Beyond is salted already, so I didn't add any to the meatball mixture. Also, it has a strong flavor (in a good way), so I added a dash more of nutmeg and allspice so the flavors could shine through. You may need more or less seasoning depending on the 'meat' that you choose. 
    Alternative to store-bought ground - if you don't like mock meat, you can use my Vegan Meatball Recipe instead. Follow the instructions as written, but switch out the Italian seasoning for the allspice and nutmeg. I would serve them with the gravy on the side to avoid them getting too soft. 
    Instead of baking the meatballs, you can fry them. Heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat. When fully heated and shimmering, add the meatballs and sear them undisturbed for about 2 minutes on all sides until golden brown and cooked throughout. Use a sturdy metal spatula to flip them over. Don't overcrowd the pan or they won't brown properly. 
    I didn't feel the need to sauté the onion and garlic first before adding the mixture. Just make sure to mince them well so they soften and cook properly. However, you can sauté them first if preferred. You can also replace the fresh onion and garlic with 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic and 1 teaspoon of granulated onion. 
    If you can't find vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can use low-sodium tamari and a SMALL dash of balsamic or white wine vinegar instead. You may want to reduce the tamari in the meatball mixture if you use a 'meat' with higher sodium content. 
    The coconut milk in the gravy can be replaced with vegan sour cream. If you use a store-bought brand that's on the tangy side, you may want to reduce or omit the dijon mustard. I really like Forager Project Sour Cream. It's delish!
    I usually add a pinch more of nutmeg and allspice to the gravy along with a splash of Dijon and Worcestershire near the end of cooking. They are all wonderful for flavor but can easily be overdone and everyone's taste buds are different.  It's best to taste first and add more if needed. 
    Make the meatballs all the same size and no more than 1.5 tablespoons per meatball so they cook evenly and all the way through. 
    Serving Suggestions: serve with mashed potatoes or fusilli pasta and sautéed vegetables. It's traditionally served with puréed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, and lingonberry jam.
    You can spritz the meatballs with oil before they go into the oven. I didn't need to with the Beyond brand. 
    Yields: about 20 meatballs
    The nutritional information will vary depending on the plant-based ground that you choose. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

    Vegan Huggs Weekly Newsletter

    Receive the tastiest vegan recipes straight to your inbox! Join now and get my Fan Favorites ebook FREE!

    More Entrées

    • Vegan Spicy Sausage Rice Skillet
    • bowl of chickpea curry soup with a spoon inside.
      Chickpea Curry Soup
    • Slice of vegan lasagna on a white plate.
      The Ultimate Vegan Lasagna Recipe
    • Vegan Holiday Roast
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    melissa

    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Michelle B. Sullivan

      January 26, 2023 at 4:10 am

      5 stars
      I made this with 1.5 pkg of ground Impossible and served it with mashed potatoes. I ate it for dinner, breakfast, and dinner again. I also like that the gravy turns back into liquid form when heated (sometimes, they stay more on the solid side). Flavors are excellent. I used a beef bouillon that is very strong and even went with more than the recipe called for but I wanted a more powerful taste (skipped adding salt). Highly recommend and thank you.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 27, 2023 at 11:59 am

        Hi Michelle, thanks for trying the recipe and I am glad you enjoyed the vegan meatballs recipe and made it your own. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jenny C

      December 06, 2022 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      I followed the recipe as written. It was absolutely delicious. The directions were very clear and well written. This is definitely a “have again”.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        December 12, 2022 at 10:17 pm

        Thank you so much Jenny! I am so pleased with your feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Julia

      January 03, 2022 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      The gravy Is delicious my meat eating sons loved it. I will definitely be making this again.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 04, 2022 at 12:52 pm

        Thanks Julia! I am glad you all liked it. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Joe

      December 26, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      5 stars
      I made the sauce to use with frozen meatballs (ok, kind of a cheater) for Christmas Eve. The sauce was wonderful and with the meatballs, tastes great the day after. I recommend making the sauce and meatballs at least 1 day before you plan to serve them. That allows the flavors and spices to mix and taste much more like the IKEA sauce. My family was very impressed, and I will serve them again!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        December 27, 2021 at 9:25 am

        Hi Joe, I am glad you liked the sauce, and yes, I agree that it gets better as the flavors meld together. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Christine

      October 28, 2021 at 9:18 am

      I have been trying to find a vegan swedish meatball recipe for weeks now that did not have a mushroom base, as I am allergic to them. Thank you l! Can this recipe be used in a crockpot as well?

      Reply
    6. Ashley

      April 24, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      These were spot-on! So tender and had great flavor. Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        April 30, 2021 at 6:56 am

        Hi Ashley! We are so happy to hear that you loved them! Thanks so much for trying the recipe 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too!

    More about me →

    • vegan huggs facebook
    • vegan huggs Instagram.
    • vegan huggs pinterest
    • YouTube

    My Most Popular

    • Vegan crab cakes on a white serving plate. Topped with tartar sauce, green onion and paprika.
      Vegan Crab Cakes
    • One slice of vegan quiche on a white plate. Tomatoes in a bowl on the side with full quiche.
      Easy Vegan Quiche
    • closeup view of sesame cauliflower in a bowl.
      Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • Horizontal photo of two bowls of vegan potato leek soup.
      Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • vegan-cauliflower-casserole-6a-340x340.jpg
      Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
    • overhead view of two portobello mushroom steaks on a white plate. Asparagus and potatoes on the side.
      Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

    Footer

    SEEN ON

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Index

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Vegan Huggs

    We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. By continuing on the site you agree to the use of your cookies by www.veganhuggs.com