Vegetarian Swedish 'Meatballs'
Ingredients
Makes
- 4 tablespoons bulgur wheat
- 8 cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 2 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large egg
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1.5 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Canola oil, for greasing
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4.5 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable stock)
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1lb wide egg noodles
Preparation
- Meatballs
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, remove from heat, cover and let sit until tender, 15 minutes.
- Drain, pressing to remove excess water. Cool.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse mushrooms until finely chopped with some pea-size pieces remaining (do not purée); transfer to a large bowl.
- Repeat with the chickpeas: Pulse, then add them to the large bowl.
- Add the bread crumbs, sour cream, egg, salt, allspice, pepper, onion powder, nutmeg and the cooled bulgur and mix until well blended.
- Form into 2-inch meatballs (about 1 Tbsp each; you should have about 40).
- Arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake, turning halfway, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Gravy
- In a large nonstick saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly golden, 2 minutes.
- Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes.
- Whisk in sour cream, parsley and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper (you should have about 3 cups gravy).
- Add meatballs and simmer, spooning sauce over meatballs, until nicely coated, about 2 minutes more.
- Serve over pasta.