Vegan Swedish-style "Meatballs"
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 300g super-firm tofu, drained
- 100g stale bread, torn
- 60g pecans
- 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves
- 5 shallots, peeled
- 800g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 4 tbsp vegan butter or margarine
- 100ml vegan white wine
- 1 vegan stock cube
- 50ml vegan cream (eg. Oatly Creamy Oat Single Cream)
- steamed kale, to serve
Method:
Step 1: First, wrap the tofu in kitchen paper to extract any excess liquid. Then, blitz the bread into crumbs using a food processor. Add the pecans and pulse until finely chopped. Next, crumble in the tofu and black beans. Add in the cinnamon, cranberry sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 garlic cloves, and seasoning. Don't forget to add the finely chopped shallots too!
Step 2: Pulse the mixture until well combined, but not too smooth. It should hold together nicely when pressed. Now, using damp hands, shape the mixture into 24 balls, about 40g each. Pop them in the fridge until you're ready to cook (or freeze them if preparing in advance). Also, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, which should take around 12-15 minutes. Then, simply drain them.
Step 3: Heat up 2 tablespoons of vegan butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the 'meatballs' and fry them over medium heat for about 10 minutes until they turn crispy. Be careful when flipping them as they're a bit soft. Once they're cooked, transfer them to a plate and wipe the pan clean. Alternatively, you can brush them with oil and cook in an air fryer at 200°C for 8-10 minutes.
Step 4: Now, let's make a flavourful sauce! Thinly slice the remaining 2 garlic cloves and shallots. Fry them in 1 tablespoon of vegan butter for about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for 1 minute. Crumble the stock cube into the pan, then add 50ml of water, 200ml of vegan cream, and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Lower the heat and let it gently simmer for 3-4 minutes until it slightly thickens. Finally, stir the 'meatballs' into the sauce and let them heat through for a minute.
Step 5: To complete this scrumptious dish, mash the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, 50ml of vegan cream, and some seasoning. Plate up the mashed potatoes along with the 'meatballs', steamed kale, and a drizzle of the pan sauce. And don't forget to serve it with an extra dollop of cranberry sauce for that extra burst of flavour!
Recipe inspired by So Vegan / Sainsburys Magazine
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