Vegan Impossible Swedish "Meatballs"

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/10/21
Vegan Swedish Meatballs

 The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 18 meatballs
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
486 Calories
36g Fat
28g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 486
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 20g 98%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 1543mg 67%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 161mg 12%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 569mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These warm and comforting Swedish meatballs are completely delicious while being completely vegan! We used Impossible Burger ground "beef," now available in many grocery stores, to make the meatballs . No one will be able to tell that the dish doesn't use real meat, since Impossible resembles and tastes like beef. The gravy is made with coconut milk, making it rich and creamy without any dairy. Serve this recipe to any vegan or carnivore and they are sure to be pleased.

Serve the meatballs on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes or with cauliflower rice if you’re looking for less carbs. A little lingonberry jam on the side is also a must.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 pound Impossible Burger meat

  • 1/2 sweet onion, finely minced

  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk

  • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

For the Gravy:

  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

Make the Meatballs

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for vegan Swedish meatballs in small dishes
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  2. Add the meat, chopped onions, and breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Pour the coconut milk over the top of the breadcrumbs. Allow the breadcrumbs to soak up the milk.

    vegan meat and breadcrumbs soaking with coconut milk in a bowl
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  3. Add the nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and mix to combine and completely disperse the seasonings.

    vegan swedish meatball mized together in a bowl
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  4. Use a small cookie scoop to form the meat mixture into 1-inch size balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and continue rolling and forming until they are all completed.

    Swedish meatballs formed onto a baking sheet
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  5. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook on one side for about 1 minute. Rotate and cook on each side until browned (for a total of about 5 minutes).

    vegan swedish meatballs cooking in a pan
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  6. Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them on a plate. Prepare the gravy.

Make the Gravy

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for vegan swedish meatball gravy
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  2. Add the vegan butter to the pan used for browning the meatballs and return to medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook for two minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in the garlic and onion powder.

    vegan Swedish gravy whisked in a pan
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  3. Add the vegetable bouillon. Whisk in the water gradually until the mixture is combined and smooth. Whisk in the coconut milk, soy sauce, mustard, and pepper. Add salt to taste. Continue to heat and stir over medium heat until the sauce has thickened and is bubbling.

    Swedish meatball gravy mixed in a pan
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  4. Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook them for 3 minutes or until they are heated through. Garnish with parsley and serve.

    Vegan Swedish meatballs in a pan
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney