Lately I have found myself fixating on Scandinavia. Dreams of getting lost in an IKEA somewhere while eating a bowl of Swedish meatballs. What?! It’s true… ask any Swed where they recommend getting your meatball fix, and they will promptly send you in the direction of the iconic furniture store. I refuse to be ashamed of that daydream. Alas, the calling was inevitably too strong to ignore so in true Faraway fashion, I purchased a ticket back to the Scandinavian wonderland. Ahhh, it has been 8 years since my last time in this part of the world and I cannot wait to explore it again. In honor of this trip, lets dive into some vegan mushroom meatballs!
What Makes a Swedish Meatball
There are endless variations of meatballs across the world. From Italian meatballs lathered in a tomato sauce to Chinese lions head meatballs, every country has their own version. One of the most iconic- the Swedish meatball. As always, my recipes are 100% vegan and focus of plants being the star of the dish. What sets Swedish meatballs apart from other meatballs? Here’s some of their differentiating ingredients.
- Nutmeg- added to meatballs
- Cinnamon- added to meatballs
- Cloves- added to meatballs
- Dijon Mustard- added to gravy
- Vegan Worchestershire Sauce- added to gravy
Tips for Binding Mushroom Meatballs
- Time: If time allows, refrigerate mushroom meatballs overnight before baking. This will allow time from the oats/panko to absorb and bind thoroughly. I have also flash cooled mine for 40 minutes in the freezer before baking. They still cooked great and held together.
- Binding ingredients: Typically egg and breadcrumbs are used to bind meatballs together. Since I am vegan, I look for other alternatives. Of course you could simply use the Just Egg egg substitute, I am a big fan of this vegan egg substitute. However, my go to is still a flax egg. A flax egg is 1 tablespoon flax meal to 3 tablespoons of water, allow it to sit for 10 minutes until it becomes jelly like. Flax egg is a great vegan binder.
- Dry ingredients: Add dry ingredients like rolled oats and panko breadcrumbs until the moisture of the mushroom mixture is absorbed and the meatballs are easy to pack. If they do not hold together, consider adding small amounts of dry ingredients until a better texture is achieved.
The Perfect Mashed Potato
Mashed potatoes have anyways been just an intuitive dish for me. Of course being from the midwest we had these all the time growing up. However, today I was lost in an episode of Masterchef while listening to Gordon Ramsey scream about someones abomination of mashed potatoes. In that moment, it occurred to me that maybe he knew something I didn’t. I quickly searched Gordons recommendations for mashed and here’s some of my favorite tips.
- Season your water with lots of salt and garlic powder.
- Place potatoes in water while it is coming to a boil and cover with lid. Keep covered while boiling.
- Warm butter, plant milk, herbs and seasoning on the stove top before mixing with cooking potatoes.
