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!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Swedish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 198kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

Large Baking Pan
Large Skillet

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

US Customary - Metric

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