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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, creamy gravy that epitomizes comfort. The whole family will love it!
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 know 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. 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. Just switch out the Italian seasoning for the nutmeg and allspice.
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.
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.
- Panko breadcrumbs – This aids 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 onions, garlic, and parsley to add more texture and a savory flavor, but you can replace them with dried if you'd like.
- Spices - You'll need ground allspice, nutmeg, and 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 which has a deep savory flavor. 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, 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
You can bring the mixture and gravy together in just six easy steps. Here's a quick step-by-step visual on how to do it:
- Add breadcrumbs and coconut milk to a large bowl and let it sit for a minute. Now add the ground, onion, garlic, parsley, dijon, Worcestershire sauce, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Combine well.
- Measure a heaping tablespoon of mixture and place each scoop on a baking sheet. Yields about 20 meatballs.
- Roll each scoop into shape with your hands and place it back on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
- For the gravy, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it smells slightly nutty.
- 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.
- Simmer for 8-10 minutes to thicken into a thin-ish gravy. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook more if they need heating.
Alternate Cooking Method
Another great way to enjoy these Vegan Swedish Meatballs is through frying. Just add a few tablespoons of oil to your pan over medium-high 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.
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers of meatballs in the sauce, 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
FAQs
If you want to go all out and experience a Swedish-style meal, you can serve them with puréed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, and lingonberry jam. However, you can serve them many ways such as with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta, and a side of your favorite veggies.
Yes, you can shape the meatballs and store them in the fridge for a few days or freeze up to 3 months. This way you can have some ready-made meatballs to bake anytime (you bake them right from frozen). You can also make the gravy a few days ahead and refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container. Reheat on low and whisk in a few splashes of broth to thin.
More comfort meals to enjoy
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 make my day!
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Recipe
Vegan Swedish Meatballs
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
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!
Denise Coyne
Loved them. My spouse who is a real meat person loves Swedish Meatballs and he liked them as well. I used soy milk for the meatballs as I did not have my can of coconut milk handy, and the meatballs were delicious and moist. I used the coconut milk for the gravy and it was good but almost a tad to sweet with a hint of coconut in the background. Next time I will use soy milk for the gravy. It did not prevent me from enjoying them.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so happy you loved the recipe, Denise! Soy milk will work nicely for the gravy. Thank you for giving it a try and sharing feedback. 🙂
Liz
My husband and I just made this, and it was incredible! We made some adjustments to make it slightly lower calorie and lower salt, for his dietary needs, and it still was so good. We used soy milk in place of coconut, and it was still so moist and the gravy was plenty creamy. Served with mashed potatoes and sprinkled more parsley on top, it was a very pretty dish. I definitely think I could make it for guests, but either way it's joining our recipe rotation.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Liz, I'm so glad you loved the recipe and you were able to adjust it to your needs. Thank you for making it and sharing your modifications. 🙂
Heidi
Can I cook the meatballs and then freeze. Also can I prepare the gravy and then also freeze separately from meatballs. I would heat up 3 weeks after freezing.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Heidi yes, you can freeze the meatballs after cooking as well as the gravy, keeping them in separate containers. 🙂
Alan
I just want to say thank you for this. I have been making this recipe for me and my wife every week for about three months now. We starting adding a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon into both the meat balls and the sauce and it’s great.
Melissa Huggins
It is my pleasure Alan.So happy you love it and made it part of your weekly meal routine. 🙂
Michelle B. Sullivan
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.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Michelle, thanks for trying the recipe and I am glad you enjoyed the vegan meatballs recipe and made it your own. 🙂
Jenny C
I followed the recipe as written. It was absolutely delicious. The directions were very clear and well written. This is definitely a “have again”.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you so much Jenny! I am so pleased with your feedback. 🙂
Julia
The gravy Is delicious my meat eating sons loved it. I will definitely be making this again.
Melissa Huggins
Thanks Julia! I am glad you all liked it. 🙂
Laura E Wasserman
I live in Finland so the beyond/impossible crumbles are unavailable. I bought the stuff made of mycoprotein. They absolutely crumbled. Flavor was great but it wasn't a ball. Thoughts?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Laura, I'm sorry that happened to you. It sounds like the meat you chose wasn't a good fit. Did you use a ground (similar to ground meat) or crumbles? Do you have anything similar to Beyond/Impossible there?
Joe
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!!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Joe, I am glad you liked the sauce, and yes, I agree that it gets better as the flavors meld together. 🙂
Christine
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?
Ashley
These were spot-on! So tender and had great flavor. Thank you for the recipe.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Ashley! We are so happy to hear that you loved them! Thanks so much for trying the recipe 🙂