Ikea Style Plant-Based Swedish Meatballs
Can a plant actually beat the world’s most famous meatball? Today, we’re deconstructing the iconic Ikea Swedish Meatball and rebuilding it from the ground up using 100% plant-based ingredients. I’ve perfected the "springy" texture and that legendary, velvet-smooth brown gravy so well that even the biggest meat-eaters won't know the difference. Whether you’re a long-time vegan or just trying to save a trip to the warehouse, this "secret" recipe delivers that nostalgic comfort food flavor in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
"Meatballs"
- 1 onion diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp parsley dried
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 7 ounces tofu extra firm, frozen overnight
- 15 ounces kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup rolled oats organic
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp tamari low sodium
- 1 tbsp flax meal
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
Gravy
- 1 ½ cups soy milk unsweetened, or plant based milk of choice
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp miso paste dark, or tamari
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
Instructions
"Meatballs"
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Sauté onions and mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, parsley, allspice and nutmeg and cook for about one minute.
- Squeeze the liquid out of the tofu and add to a food processor along with remaining "meatball" ingredients.
- Pulse food processor until mixture is well mixed but not so long that it gets pasty. You should still be able to see chunks of the ingredients.
- Roll mixture into small balls and place on a parchment lined baking tray. You should be able to make about 2 dozen balls.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Flip "meatballs" over and bake for another 25 minutes.
Gravy
- Add all ingredients except for the cornstarch and water to a saucepan and cook on medium high for about 5 minutes.
- Stir together the cornstarch and water and then pour into the saucepan while stirring. Cook for another 5 minutes to thicken.
Serve
- Serve over mashed potatoes with a dollop of lingonberry jam or some other type of tart jam.
Notes
Keep the “meatballs” separate from the gravy until ready to serve. The “meatballs” will get soggy if you leave them in the gravy for too long.
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 16gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 626mgPotassium: 611mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 3mg
I haven’t had these in years! I can’t wait to make them.
These look delicious!
Making these this week to take on vacation! Thank you, Jill!!
We made these for dinner tonight and enjoyed every bite. Delicious!
This recipe knocked it out of the park! My husband and I devoured these meatballs and gravy. My advice: just make these – they are delicious and you will not regret it. Love the tofu trick – I have a 2nd block in my freezer right now, waiting for the next time I make this recipe. Kudos, Jill!