Vegan Swedish meatballs

Step 1/4

• 150 g brown lentils
• 2 onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 150 g button mushrooms

• pot (with lid)
• cutting board
• knife

Bring a pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Add lentils, bring back to a boil, then lower heat slightly and cook, covered, for approx. 15 min., until the lentils are cooked through, but still retain some bite. In the meantime, finely dice onion and garlic. Quarter the mushrooms. Once lentils are cooked let drain in a sieve and let sit 10 min. to dry out a little.

Step 2/4

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable oil (for frying)

• frying pan
• spatula

Add some vegetable oil to a frying pan set over high heat. Add mushrooms and fry until they begin to brown, approx. 5 min. Add half the onion and half the garlic and sauté until translucent, approx. 2 min. Lower heat and add smoked paprika and ground cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Toss again and fry briefly until fragrant, then remove from heat.

Step 3/4

• 50 g starch
• 15 g parsley
• dark soy sauce
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable oil (for frying)

• oven
• sieve
• food processor
• parchment paper
• baking sheet
• pastry brush

Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F. Add cooked lentils to a food processor, along with the mushrooms, some starch, parsley, some dark soy sauce, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and let rest for 10 min. to firm up. Use wet hands to form the rested meatball mixture into small, walnut-sized balls. Place on a lined baking sheet, then brush with oil. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for approx. 25 min., until browned.

Step 4/4

• 300 g pasta
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 250 ml vegetable broth
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt
• pepper
• 10 g starch
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• parsley (for serving)
• lingonberry jam (for serving)

• pot (large)
• frying pan
• spatula
• bowl (small)
• whisk

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. To make the gravy, add some vegetable oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent. Deglaze with lemon juice, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring the sauce to a boil and season with remaining dark soy sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Dissolve remaining cornstarch in a little water, add to the sauce and stir until combined. Let simmer until heated and slighting thickened, approx. 2 min. To serve, divide pasta among bowls, top with meatballs and gravy, plus a garnish of parsley and a dollop of lingonberry jam, if desired. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!