Vegan Swedish Meatballs

A simple, quick recipe for vegan, authentic-tasting Swedish meatballs with creamy sauce. Made from vegan mince with a hint of allspice.

Why you´ll love this

• With vegan mince, you get the most authentic flavor quite like the original meaty Swedish meatballs would taste like.
• Super easy to make. You don't need any specific chef skills or special equipment to make this simple meatball recipe.
• These meatballs can be a crown pleaser, even for people that are not following a vegan diet.

Notes on ingredients

• Vegan ground beef alternatives: Beyond meat is, for example, a good vegan mince that tastes good. I used another vegan alternative for this recipe with a bit lower fat content with only 14%. Beyond meat has a fat percentage of 19% and can need a tablespoon of breadcrumbs if you feel it's hard to hold its shape. Vegan round beef brands can taste very different, so depending on what brand you use for the recipe, the outcome might taste a bit different.
• Plant-based cooking cream: Here in Scandinavia we use a lot of oat- or soy-based vegetable creams in cooking. They are usually with a fat content of 15%. One alternative is that you use coconut cream, but then your sauce will taste a bit coconut, and not as authentic.
• Onions: Onion gives the meatballs additional flavor and is an essential part of Swedish meatballs. The garlic can though be omitted or substituted for garlic powder.
• Spices: ALlspice is very essential for that authentic Swedish flavor. With pepper is is more flexible, you can choose white or black whatever you have at home. In some Swedish recipes we also use a pinch of nutmeg, but do not add to much, since the taste can be a bit overpowering. Salt is not needed in excess amounts since the vegan mince is already salted.
• Vegetable broth: Choose between crumbling a half of vegetable stock cube in the sauce or to use reduced vegetable broth. *I love the most this vegetable fondant that is very flavorsome, you can order it in the Suomikauppa online store.

Instructions

1. Start by peeling and chopping your onion into tiny pieces. Fry the onion in a teaspoon of butter, so it softens and browns just a bit.

2. Combine the vegan mince, onion, salt, pepper, allspice, and soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

3. Roll the mixture into balls.

4. Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides. Shake the skillet occasionally to ensure even browning.

5. In the same skillet, pour in the plant-based cream, soy sauce, black pepper, and reduced vegetable stock. Stir well to combine and bring to a simmer. Return the meatballs to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meatballs are cooked through.

6. Once the meatballs are cooked and the sauce has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with chopped parsley. Another option is to serve the sauce separately and fry the meatballs until they are thoroughly cooked.

Tips and storing

Since vegan ground beef has beetroot as coloring, don´t be alarmed when you see red flakes in your pan, just as you see in the sauce picture above. It is totally normal.

Vegan ground beef meatballs are often more red in color, but this does not mean they are raw. Different brands of vegan mince have different amounts of coloring and ingredients, so some might be more red/pink and some more brown.

One tip of mine is to try this recipe with a mustardy sauce. I love to add 2 teaspoons of this sweet hot mustard. It is a Swedish favorite that goes well with so many thing-you must try out the simple recipe.

Store leftovers for up to three days in the fridge. The balls can be frozen for up to three months.

Serving suggestions

Swedish meatballs are, of course, served with mash, pressed cucumbers (pressgurka), and lingonberry jam.

If you want to make a super quick meal, use store bought vegan mash powder. Add in the mash some vegan butter, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and you have whipped a lovely creamy mash in just 5 minutes.

Lingonberry jam is also very easy and quick to make, bu I want to share my even quicker lingonberry secret. Take ½ cup of frozen lingonberries, microwave them for 1 minute, mash with a fork. Pour away the excess liquid and add ¼ cup of powdered sugar. Mix and enjoy!

Pressed cucumbers can also be made with a quicker version; skip the pressing part and just mix in a jar some water, vinegar, salt, and sugar, and the sliced cucumbers, shake and enjoy.

To make even a more wholesome portion I love to steam some frozen peas or small carrots as a side.