Creamy Ikea-style vegan Swedish meatballs are the ultimate comfort meal.
These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are delicious! The meatballs, made with Ikea plant protein, have so much texture and flavor, and the sauce made with cashew cream is creamy and silky and quite amazing. You will fall in love, guaranteed. I have included tips and instructions for those on soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free diets.
I went shopping at Ikea the other day under major protest from Desi (because it always turns out to be a multiple-hour, escape-proof affair). Jay began pestering me to get the vegan Swedish meatballs the minute we walked in the door but after one look at the long line at the restaurant I told him it would not be happening.
He wore me down over the next two hours of the meandering walk through the showroom and the marketplace but by the time we had wrapped up the restaurant had closed too.
I knew I was done for. And the only way to placate my bristling son was to grab a bag of their new plant mince, made with pea protein, at the checkout and promise I would make meatballs and sauce "just like Ikea's" for dinner as soon as we got home.
Since Jay is quite the connoisseur when it comes to the Ikea veggie meatballs--and the cream sauce--I had to be quite fastidious and to try and match the taste exactly. I already had a vegan Swedish meatball and sauce recipe on the blog but the fact that Ikea had, only last year during the pandemic, revealed its (non-vegan) recipe for their meatballs and sauce came in handy.
The result was this incredibly delicious dish of veggie meatballs and an amazingly silky, smooth sauce that we all loved immensely. The secret to making the sauce so flavorful with just a few ingredients was my mushroom stock that's so full of umami. I hope you've made the stock already (or are planning to make it). If you haven't, here's your excuse. 🙂
Why you'll love this vegan Swedish meatballs recipe
- It's so easy. There are just a handful of pantry ingredients needed for both the sauce and the meatballs. And once you have them gathered it takes minutes to make this recipe. You can even cheat on the meatballs and just use any storebought vegan meatballs--I often use veggie meatballs from Aldi's or Beyond for this recipe. If you're looking for something entirely homemade and healthier, you can't go wrong with these vegan air fryer meatballs made with chickpeas and walnuts.
- It's so, so flavorful. If you are a fan of Ikea meatballs, you will love these. They are just as delicious and better, because they are homemade.
- It's immensely kid friendly. Jay has always loved these meatballs and when I make them for dinner I can be pretty sure he will polish off his plate and go for seconds and even thirds. And it's the best way I know to get mushrooms into his tummy. 😉
Ingredients
For the vegan Swedish meatballs
- 1.65 lbs (750 grams) Ikea Världsklok plant mince. Or use 1 ½ packages of Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger. This quantity of mince makes approx 48 meatballs so scale down the recipe if you want fewer using the slider in the recipe box.
- ½ onion
- 100 grams panko bread crumbs (about 1 cup). I run these through a food processor to grind them finer.
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup vegetable oil for frying. The meatballs won't absorb most of this, but it helps to have a good ¼ inch layer in the frying pan so they turn a nice golden-brown.
For the creamy meatball sauce
- 1 cup cashews
- 4 cups mushroom stock + 8-10 dried mushrooms (use the mushrooms from the stock). You can also use a vegetable stock or broth.
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or use vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour or rice flour (or gluten-free all purpose flour)
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
How to make vegan Swedish meatballs, Ikea style
Make the meatballs
- Place the thawed vegan mince, minced onion, finely ground panko breadcrumbs, and salt and ground black pepper in a bowl. Mix well. You should easily be able to form meatballs with this mixture. If it doesn't hold together, add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon or two of water.
- Once you've formed the meatballs (I got about 48) heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the meatballs without overcrowding, in batches if necessary, turning them on all sides so they brown evenly.
- Remove the meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Make the cream sauce
- Place the cashews in a blender with the mushroom stock and mushrooms. If your blender is not high-powered, let them soak for up to 30 minutes. Then blend into a very smooth cream.
- Place the vegan butter in a large skillet (you can reuse the skillet used to fry the meatballs--pour out any remaining oil and wipe the skillet first).
- Once the butter melts add the flour for the roux. Mix well and continue stirring over medium-low until the flour browns (not too much, see the picture below).
- Add the cashew cream and mix well. You can use a whisk to ensure the roux mixes thoroughly with the cream.
- Stir in the soy sauce and dijon mustard.
- Once the gravy comes to a boil turn down the heat and let it simmer 2-3 minutes. Add salt and ground black pepper. Turn off the heat.
- To serve, pour the sauce over the meatballs. Garnish with parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
You definitely can. Use rolled oats instead of cashews, or 1 cup of any white beans. Blend into a very smooth paste with the stock and mushrooms and proceed. Keep in mind that a gravy made with beans will end up thickening faster, so you might want to skip the roux or add more stock during cooking.
For gluten-free diets, replace the flour for the roux with rice flour or gluten-free all purpose flour. Replace the breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
The soy sauce/tamari do add a lot of umami and flavor to the recipe. But if you can't use them, use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead. Mix it into the skillet right after the roux has browned, and before adding the cashew cream. Let the tomato paste cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat before adding the cream.
What to serve with the meatballs
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over vegan mashed potatoes. Dollop some lingonberry jam-- or raspberry jam--on the side for a true Ikea style meal without the long lines. 🙂 You can also add some steamed broccoli or other veggies on the side.
- You can also serve the meatballs and gravy over a ribbon pasta.
Storage and freezing instructions
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
- For longer storage place the sauce and meatballs in separate airtight containers and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the sauce and reheat. Meatballs do not need to be thawed--you can reheat them in an oil-sprayed skillet until warmed through.
More vegan meatball recipes
Vegan Swedish Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the vegan meatballs:
- 1.65 pounds Ikea Världsklok plant mince (Or use 1 ½ packages of Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger. This quantity of mince makes approx 48 meatballs )
- ½ onion (finely minced)
- 100 grams panko breadcrumbs (Approx 1 cup. Run them through a food processor to make them extra fine. Regular breadcrumbs are fine. If gluten-free use gf breadcrumbs.)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (The meatballs won't absorb most of this, but it helps to have a good ¼ inch layer in the frying pan so they turn a nice golden-brown.)
For the cream sauce:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 4 cups mushroom stock, plus
- 8 dried mushrooms (use the mushrooms from the stock)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (gluten-free all purpose or rice flour would work too)
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon parsley (minced, for garnish)
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
- Place the thawed vegan mince, minced onion, finely ground panko breadcrumbs, and salt and ground black pepper in a bowl. Mix well. You should easily be able to form meatballs with this mixture. If it doesn't hold together, add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon or two of water.
- Once you've formed the meatballs (I got about 48) heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the meatballs without overcrowding, in batches if necessary, turning them on all sides so they brown evenly.
- Remove the meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Make the cream sauce:
- Place the cashews in a blender with the mushroom stock and mushrooms. If your blender is not high-powered, let them soak for up to 30 minutes. Then blend into a very smooth cream.
- Place the vegan butter in a skillet (you can use the same skillet you fried the meatballs in but remove any oil that remains and wipe the skillet with a paper towel).
- Once the butter melts add the flour for the roux. Mix well and continue stirring over medium-low until the flour browns (not too much, see the picture above).
- Add the cashew cream and mix well. You can use a whisk to ensure the roux mixes thoroughly with the cream.
- Stir in the soy sauce and dijon mustard.
- Once the sauce comes to a boil turn down the heat and let it simmer 2-3 minutes. Add salt and ground black pepper. Turn off the heat.To serve, pour the sauce over the meatballs. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Recipe notes
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over vegan mashed potatoes. Dollop some lingonberry jam-- or raspberry jam--on the side for a true Ikea style meal without the long lines. 🙂
- You can also serve the meatballs and gravy over a ribbon pasta.
- To make the recipe nut-free, use rolled oats instead of cashews, or 1 cup of any white beans. Blend into a very smooth paste with the stock and mushrooms and proceed. Keep in mind that a gravy made with beans will end up thickening faster, so you might want to skip the roux or add more stock during cooking.
- To make the recipe soy-free, use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead. Mix it into the skillet right after the roux has browned, and before adding the cashew cream. Let the tomato paste cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat before adding the cream.
- For gluten-free diets, replace the flour for the roux with rice flour or gluten-free all purpose flour. Replace the breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
- For longer storage place the sauce and meatballs in separate airtight containers and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the sauce and reheat. Meatballs do not need to be thawed--you can reheat them in an oil-sprayed skillet until warmed through.
Tami
Has this recipe changed? We used to use dried mushrooms in the meatballs and white beans in the sauce - this is totally different. If you did used to have a different recipe, could you send it to me? It was our favorite holiday meal.
Vaishali
Hi Tami, yes, I made some changes to the recipe. Here's the old recipe for the meatballs and the sauce:
INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
1 cup dry shiitake mushrooms
1 15-oz can kidney beans
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tsp dry sage or rosemary
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tbsp liquid aminos
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste
For the gravy:
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp vegetable oil
½ heaping cup raw cashew nuts or pieces
1 cup cannellini beans
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 tbsp liquid aminos
1 tsp dry rosemary
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp parsley, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the meatballs:
Pour a cup of boiling water over the dry shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and let them steep for 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out as much water from them as possible. Reserve the stock for use in the gravy.
Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse five or six times until they are broken down into small bits. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, to the food processor and pulse a few times until they are thoroughly mixed and the mixture holds together when you form a ball.
Shape into 20 meatballs. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs, turning them to brown all over. Remove the meatballs to a plate and use the skillet to make the sauce.
Make the gravy:
Place the cannellini beans, cashews, liquid aminos, nutmeg, garlic and onion powders, rosemary, salt and ground black peppers in a blender with 1 cup of water. Blend until very smooth.
Heat oil in the same skillet you used to fry the meatballs. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour becomes a light brown.
Add half the reserved mushroom stock to the skillet and, using a whisk if necessary, mix quickly to form a smooth paste. Add the remaining stock and mix.
Pour in the bean-cashew mixture and bring the gravy to a simmer. Continue heating for a couple more minutes. If it appears too thick at this point, thin out with some water or vegetable stock. Check for salt and ground pepper and season with more if needed.
Add the meatballs back to the skillet and warm through. Garnish with parsley and serve.
NUTRITION
Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 41.8g | Protein: 12.1g | Fat: 11.8g | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 10.1g | Sugar: 4.1g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.6mg
Mary Vancura
Do you think I can use Morningstar Farms Crumbles instead of ikea stuff?
Vaishali
Yes, those should work!
Laura
Do you know if the kea Världsklok plant mince is gluten free?
Vaishali
Hi Laura, it appears to be gluten-free from the ingredient list with the main ingredient being plant protein and a few other things like oils and carrots and potato starch, although I don't think the bag states specifically that it is gf.
Katie
Hi there. If I have a bit allergy, what is a substitute for the cashews? Thank you!
Vaishali
Use pumpkin seeds, or more beans.
Anonymous
Tastes really amazing. Thank u for this recepie!
Pavani
I have been looking for vegan Swedish meatballs recipe for quite some time now. Your recipe sounds absolutely delicious. I’m going to give this a try some time soon.
snowy
Dear Vaishali,
Are the canned beans drained first?
Thank you,
Vaishali
Yes, always drain canned beans.
snowy
Dear Vaishali,
Oh My! Even though I didn't drain the beans this time, this recipe is so fantastic! It's nutritious with the bean gravy and you are an absolute genius in how the flavors are developed. Now ~this~ is truly a talent! Thank you, Vaishali!
The mushroom flavor in the GRAVY is amazing from those dried shitakes. I can see making mushroom soup and other soups from this base. Also, I think the MEATBALL mixture can be made into very nice patties for like hamburgers, or with other seasonings, it could be like breakfast patties because the meatballs brown up so very nicely!
We had it over white rice with a green salad and cranberry sauce side. Yummy! The guests ate it all up so I'm making it again today!
5-star, love it.
Ellen Lederman
Hey Vaishali---hope you feel better soon. Please be sure to rest---this recipe and the new one for cupcakes sound so wonderful, but you have to take care of yourself. Flu season never scared me until this year---perhaps because I will be 64, but also because of it severity.
The meatballs sound excellent. I actually had a very similar white bean gravy this morning on breakfast hash)--kale and sweet potatoes and cubed baked tofu. Really enjoyed it. I didn't grow up eating white gravy, but I find it comforting and delicious now.
SuryaSmiles
Omg, these look fabulous! Can’t wait to get some mushrooms to make them!
Tricia Berkow
These look terrific! My husband and I are going to Sweden in June and we’ve already done our research on the best Vegan restaurants in Stockholm. One question though, why use dried mushrooms? Will fresh mushrooms be too juicy?
Thanks! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Supriya
You are seriously brilliant. I can’t wait to try this one.
Daniele
Hi Vaishali, thanks for all your woderful recipes. I can't wait to try each and every one of them.
May I ask a question about the swedish meatballs: would it be ok to use fresh shitake mushrooms instead of dry ones?
Daniele
Vaishali
Hi Daniele, if you use fresh mushrooms, sauté them first in a skillet with a little salt -- you don't need to add oil --until all moisture evaporates, then proceed with chopping them in the food processor.
Daniele
Thank you Vaishali!