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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Meats

    August 31, 2022 32 Comments

    Vegan Swedish Meatballs

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    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are so meaty, that you might just fool a meat eater! Delicious homemade seitan meatballs are covered in a rich and creamy gravy for the ultimate comfort food. These taste better than IKEA's!

    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are so meaty, that you might just fool a meat eater! Delicious homemade seitan meatballs are covered in a rich and creamy gravy for the ultimate comfort food. These taste better than IKEA's! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #vegan #seitan

    The secret to getting the meatiest texture to these meatballs is to use vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is a flour made from the protein in wheat, and it's what gives bread its bouncy stretchy texture, and what makes pizza dough chewy. Using it in combination with lentils, walnuts, onions, garlic, and seasonings including the signature hint of allspice and nutmeg, makes for the meatiest most delicious Swedish-style meatballs. Delicious even before you add the gravy!

    Vital wheat gluten is very high in protein making it great for athletic people. One vegan Swedish meatball (without the gravy) is just 68 calories and contains 8 grams protein, 4 grams carbs, and 2 grams fat!!

    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are so meaty, that you might just fool a meat eater! Delicious homemade seitan meatballs are covered in a rich and creamy gravy for the ultimate comfort food. These taste better than IKEA's! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #vegan #seitan

    The meatballs can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or they can be frozen. When ready to enjoy them, let them defrost (if needed), then fry them up in a skillet, and whisk up the simple gravy. Serve vegan Swedish meatballs over garlic mashed potatoes, or enjoy them on rice or on noodles.

    Pulse the ingredients together in a food processor to form a dough.

    How to Make Vegan Swedish Meatballs from scratch:

    To a food processor add the lentils, onion, walnuts, and garlic and pulse until you reach a slightly crumbly paste-like texture. Add the vital wheat gluten, water, soy sauce, parsley, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg and pulse, stopping to scrape the sides as needed until combined into a crumbly dough.

    Pinch off the dough and roll the meatballs

    Pinch off some of the dough and roll into a vegan meatball about the size of a golf ball and set aside on a plate or dish. Repeat until all the dough is used up and you have made about 18 meatballs.

    steam the meatballs

    Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the meatballs to the steamer basket, cover and steam for 25 - 30 minutes. Once the steaming is done, you can either prepare them right away (see below), or allow them to cool completely and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for later. *Note, I always find seitan has the best texture if chilled in the fridge overnight, but it is still great freshly made.

    fry the vegan meatballs

    To serve the meatballs and make the gravy:
    In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan, heat the light oil over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs until golden brown and heated through, 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them aside on a plate.

    Make the Swedish-style gravy

    Return the pan to the heat and add the vegan butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour to make a paste. Cook the flour paste while whisking, then pour in the broth and the cream and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook until the gravy begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Return the meatballs to the pan with the gravy, and heat through for another minute or two. Serve the vegan Swedish meatballs hot on mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are so meaty, that you might just fool a meat eater! Delicious homemade seitan meatballs are covered in a rich and creamy gravy for the ultimate comfort food. These taste better than IKEA's! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #vegan #seitan

    These vegan Swedish meatballs are...

    • incredibly meaty saucy delicious
    • great for making ahead and freezing
    • better than Ikea.

    More vegan seitan recipes to try:

    The Best Vegan Turkey Roast
    Vegan Italian Seitan Meatballs
    Vegan Seitan Tenders (vegan chicken breast)
    Vegan Seitan Steak

    If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
    Bon appetegan!
    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    4.93 from 13 votes

    Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    These Vegan Swedish Meatballs are so meaty, that you might just fool a meat eater! Delicious homemade seitan meatballs are covered in a rich and creamy gravy for the ultimate comfort food. These taste better than IKEA's!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Swedish
    ingredient tag: lentils, seitan
    Servings: 4 (makes 18 - 20 meatballs)
    Calories: 466kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the Meatballs:

    • 1 cup cooked lentils (I used canned)
    • ½ yellow onion quartered
    • ½ cup walnuts
    • 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
    • 1 ¼ cup vital wheat gluten (there is no substitution for this)
    • 6 tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    For the Gravy:

    • 1 tablespoon light oil (canola or vegetable oil) for frying
    • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups vegan "beefless" broth or mushroom broth
    • ½ cup vegan culinary cream (or sub cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk)
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    Instructions

    • To a food processor add the lentils, onion, walnuts, and garlic and pulse until you reach a slightly crumbly paste-like texture. Add the vital wheat gluten, water, soy sauce, parsley, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg and pulse, stopping to scrape the sides as needed until combined into a crumbly dough.
    • Pinch off some of the dough and roll into a vegan meatball about the size of a golf ball and set aside on a plate or dish. Repeat until all the dough is used up and you have made about 18 meatballs.
    • Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the meatballs to the steamer basket, cover and steam for 25 - 30 minutes. Once the steaming is done, you can either prepare them right away (see below), or allow them to cool completely and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for later. *Note, I always find seitan has the best texture if chilled in the fridge overnight, but it is still great freshly made.

    To serve the meatballs and make the gravy:

    • In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan, heat the light oil over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs until golden brown and heated through, 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
    • Return the pan to the heat and add the vegan butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour to make a paste. Cook the flour paste while whisking, then pour in the broth and the cream and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook until the gravy begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
    • Return to the meatballs to the pan with the gravy, and heat through for another minute or two. Serve hot on mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

    Notes

    Vital wheat gluten is essential to this recipe, and there is no substitute. Therefore this recipe cannot be made gluten-free. For a vegan gluten-free meatball recipe try my bean ball recipe in Fuss-Free Vegan which has a gluten-free option.
    Steaming tips: you need to steam the vegan meatballs before using them. I recommend getting a steamer pot if you plan to make seitan often, or you can use a DIY method if you do not have a steamer.
    Cleaning tips: vital wheat gluten is very sticky and can destroy dish brushes and cloths. So what I like to do is save old clothes, sheets, or towels that are too shabby to donate, and cut them into rags. I use these rags to clean up after preparing a seitan recipe and discard the rag once finished.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1077mg | Potassium: 413mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 674IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    More vegan meat recipes you might enjoy...

    « The Best Corn Ribs Recipe!
    Healthy Dog Treats Recipe! »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Véronique says

      December 22, 2022 at 4:17 pm

      4 stars
      The texture of these balls is amazing! I find they miss some seasoning though... I added fresh herbs and doubled the onion and garlic ratio. The gravy is also so yum! I will double the amount next time

      Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        December 22, 2022 at 8:18 pm

        Glad you find the best way to spice it up for your taste preferences, Véronique!

        Reply
    2. Elaine Tsai says

      November 29, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      I’m a recent convert to the WFPB style of eating so eating meat is very much in my recent past and I was very skeptical of eating “fake meats” and I didn’t have a good experience trying to make Seitan but after I read the reviews, I thought I’d give it a go. They are surprisingly delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written and my picky self gives them 2 thumbs up!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 03, 2022 at 1:29 pm

        Amazing! So happy you love it! I have a ton more seitan recipes you might want to try as well. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Sue says

      November 28, 2022 at 10:50 am

      This recipe looks amazing and I can't wait to try it however I was wondering if I could use all purpose flour instead of the Vital Wheat Gluten?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 03, 2022 at 1:20 pm

        Unfortunately this recipe cannot be made gluten-free.

        Reply
    4. Rebecca Bolduc says

      November 03, 2022 at 7:51 pm

      I love this recipe! I used sprouted lentils and it was great!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 17, 2022 at 4:49 pm

        So happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    5. Jo Dufay says

      October 04, 2022 at 4:30 am

      5 stars
      I'm not a big fan of 'meat replacements', and in general not keen on the texture of Seitan based foods. However, other people I feed really want to have something 'meat-like' in their diets. This recipe may have converted me to join them! The meatballs are so tender. I added a little bit of oregano, thyme and sage, to take them back to the taste I remember (having been a vegetarian since 1972, this is a looooong distant memory!). These will absolutely become a staple in my household. Next time I will make double batch and freeze half.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 06, 2022 at 12:26 pm

        So happy you love them Jo!!

        Reply
    6. Peggy Does Cake says

      September 22, 2022 at 6:23 pm

      5 stars
      Sam, I've made lots of your recipes and I've yet to try something we didn't like. But these meatballs... holy smokes, these things are next level. I made these yesterday, for a special occasion meal, and though we don't typically use butter or oil, I figured we could splurge a little at home instead of splurging a LOT by going out, so I indulged and made them as written. We served them over lightly buttered egg(less) noodles with a side of steamed vegetables and it was just fantastic. We were blown away. We've been WFPB for 6 years and these may be the best thing I've made since converting! The gravy tastes like the country style cream sauce a famous old restaurant here serves. I haven't had that in 25+ years and never expected to taste anything quite like it again in my lifetime. This is so much like real meat that it's almost confusing to eat as a vegan, and the flavors are spot on for Swedish meatballs. This would be the ultimate meal to make for impressing meat eaters. I can't wait to make it for my omni extended family and friends. And you were right about letting the meatballs rest overnight. I cooked one in a skillet after steaming it as a test, and though it was pretty good, it was nothing compared to how they were the next night: heavy and meaty with a great bite, yet so tender. Just wow. I think this would make a fantastic hamburger steak, too. I will 100% be trying that very soon. If I could give this more stars I would. You, my dear, are a marvel.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 06, 2022 at 11:56 am

        Aww wow!! Thank you so much Peggy for this amazing review!! You totally made my day. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Bonnie G says

      September 19, 2022 at 10:07 am

      What type of lentils? Split lentils get mushy like pea soup. French lentils are firm and stay intact and round. What consistency do I need to use?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 06, 2022 at 11:43 am

        I used canned browned lentils, but really any kind of lentil should work well. Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Jen says

      September 13, 2022 at 11:05 am

      Could these be made in the Instant Pot?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 13, 2022 at 3:29 pm

        Yes, I believe so, but I do not have exact timing. Enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Zach says

      September 09, 2022 at 6:38 pm

      If I don't have beefless broth can I use vegetable broth? I was thinking I could maybe add a splash of soy sauce and vegan worcestershire to give it a bit more flavor.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 13, 2022 at 3:19 pm

        Yep any vegetable broth will work, but I think adding the splash of soy and vegan Worcestershire will definitely help with the flavor. Enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Jess says

      September 04, 2022 at 10:39 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner tonight! Definitely a keeper recipe. One of the easiest seitan recipes ever!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 13, 2022 at 3:07 pm

        Yay! So happy to hear that! Glad you enjoyed Jess!

        Reply
    11. Annelies says

      September 02, 2022 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      Dear Sam, our 15-year old daughter made these meatballs last night, and they are seriously the best we have ever eaten (even when we still ate meat about 10 years ago). They are so tender and juicy, and the sauce just tops it all off. What an amazing recipe!
      One of our younger sons, whose palate can be a little hard to please, kept saying they were the most delicious he had ever eaten (and coming from him, that's a top review!).
      Thank you for sharing this recipe, it will be first on the menu when we have guests over next.
      Keep up your wonderful work!
      Lots of love, Annelies

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 02, 2022 at 3:58 pm

        Aww wow!! What a wonderful review, thank you so much for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    12. joe says

      September 01, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      Made these last night, Soooooooo Delicious! thank you Sam 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 02, 2022 at 3:56 pm

        Yay!! So happy you loved them 🙂

        Reply
    13. Sandra says

      August 31, 2022 at 8:46 pm

      I really want to try this but i am allergic to walnuts. Do you know if there is another seed or nut that would work?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 02, 2022 at 3:56 pm

        Yes! Pecans, cashews, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds should all work well. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Cindy says

          December 08, 2022 at 1:16 pm

          can the nut/seed be omitted completely?

        • Sam Turnbull says

          December 11, 2022 at 11:28 am

          Yes

    14. Kathryn Miller says

      August 31, 2022 at 6:32 pm

      Dear Sam,

      What brand of vegan cream do you use? Oatley does one, but wanted to see what you use. These look delish and will be making them!

      Thanks for another great recipe❤️

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 02, 2022 at 3:54 pm

        Here in Canada I like the Earth's Own brand 🙂

        Reply
    15. PAM says

      August 31, 2022 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      Sounds delish. However I don't use oil or butter. What could I use if anything to replace the butter in the. roux.

      thanks

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 02, 2022 at 3:52 pm

        Instead, I would make a cornstarch slurry and whisk that into the broth and cream. Enjoy!

        Reply

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