Vegan Swedish Meatballs

The flavor of these Swedish Meatballs are so rich and meaty, I have to constantly say… “Yes they really are vegan.” ha

And look at the delicious gravy. I LOVE gravy, and this one tastes so good over rice. That’s how I prefer to eat these vegan meatballs. I also add sauerkraut for a YUM flavor mix.

Actually I’ve even eaten it with kimchi too. That may sound weird, but it’s very tasty together.

This is the Lingonberries Spread I Use

I didn’t have any sauerkraut or kimchi this last time, but I did have lingonberry jam. Have you ever eaten it? It reminds me of cranberry sauce. It’s great on top of cornbread, and also slathered on the meatballs. You should give it a try.

My husband prefers his Swedish meatballs over mashed potatoes, but they also tastes great topping thick noodles. I have tried it all three ways, and it tasted amazing every time.

Ok, now that I’ve covered some of the different ways you can serve them, let’s move onto the various ways you can make this.

First up is the filling. I use vegan “ground beef.” These two brands work well in this recipe:

(thawed) Impossible Burger
(thawed) Beyond Beef Ground

I also like adding cooked wild rice or brown rice to the filling. You don’t need to, but I like the texture it adds to these Swedish meatballs.

Note: If you decide to leave it out, just know that it will make about 4 to 5 less meatballs.

You can bake or pan fry them. My recipe is for baking, because I find it easier than having to fry in batches. It also gives me time to clean my prep utensils, while they’re in the oven.

Of course I want to cover the gravy next. lol You can see the difference in colors. The taste is a little different too. The darker gravy has a little bit more of a savory depth to it.

You get that by using a vegan no beef, beef broth or adding some tamari or vegan Worcestershire sauce. I think the second option is easier to find than the vegan “beef broth.”

Links for prepared Worcestershire Brands or Homemade

I tend to make the lighter gravy in the warmer months, and the darker in the colder seasons. It’s not that one is heavier. It has to do with my visual perception haha.

Speaking of visuals, here’s a photo of the lingonberry spread I use. (To help spot in the store.)

Oh and before I forget, this Cornbread Recipe makes a perfect side for these Swedish meatballs. If you make both or either, please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Plus I have Juicy Vegan Burgers and also BBQ Vegan Meatloaf, that use Impossible Meat or Beyond Meat.

P.S. New post with Comfort Food recipes. Plus an Italian Meatball recipe.

Vegan Swedish Meatballs

Print Recipe

Serves: 20-24 Meatballs Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes including prep

Ingredients

Meatballs:
1 (12 or 16 ounce) package vegan ground "beef" thawed
1 cup cooked wild rice (or brown), cooled
1/4 cup Panko or gluten free bread crumbs
1/4 cup plain non dairy sour cream*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Gravy:
3 tablespoons non-dairy butter
2 tablespoons all purpose or gluten free flour
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup non-dairy sour cream
1/4 to 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or tamari (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Meatballs: In a large bowl, mix all the meatball ingredients together with your hands. Using a small cookie scoop, mine is a 1 1/2 tablespoon size, scoop portion out and roll into a ball in your hands. Place on prepared pan.

Bake meatballs for about 15 minutes, or until firm when pressed.

Gravy: In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, nutmeg (if using), and pepper. Whsk the flour mixture into the melted butter, whisking for about 2 to 3 minutes. This is to remove flour taste.

Slowly whisk the broth into the pan. Make sure to whisk the flour mixture evenly into the liquid to avoid lumps.

Lower the heat to medium low, and whisk the sour cream in thirds. Whisking after each addition until sour cream is not longer visible and mixture is smooth.

The Worcestershire sauce or tamari is to deepen the color of the gravy, and also add a bit of savory richness to it. You can skip this if you like. If adding it- start by whisking in 1/4 teaspoon. Taste and add a little more until the gravy is brown. Don't add too much, because this gravy should be more milder tasting.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the gravy is too thick, whisk in more broth until it's how you like it.

Add the meatballs and gently stir to coat. Serve over mashed potatoes, thick noodles, or rice. Sprinkle the top with dried parsley and serve with Ligonberry jam or cranberry sauce, optional.

Notes

*I have also used thick, plain vegan yogurt instead of sour cream. Sour cream tastes better in this recipe though.

Yes, they really are vegan. I made these meatballs from a 12 ounce package of ground Impossible Burger, along with some brown rice. Wild rice is absolutely delicious too!