IKEA debuts Vegan Swedish Meatballs
/Well, officially they're called "Vegetable Balls in a Cauliflower Sweet Potato Sauce with Mixed Vegetables"...and they are pretty good! And at only US$4.49 at the in-store restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA, USA, they're a pretty good deal too.
When I first saw the sign, I wasn't sure if these were the vegan meatballs everyone has been posting about, since the word "Vegan" was not specifically mentioned. But when I got to the front of the line and asked one of the servers, he said "Yes, they are vegan!" without any hesitation. I also noticed another sign spotlighting a new dish called Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato served with Brown Rice. I asked him if that was vegan too, and he replied that it was, and that it was actually the same sauce they served with the vegan meatballs. And when I got to the cashier, I noticed that one of the soups, White Bean with Escarole, had the word "Vegan" printed right on the sign! So of course I ordered one of those too. Both of these bonus side dishes were tasty, and I'm glad I ordered them. I then decided to get into the IKEA spirit, and got a Lingonberry juice box and Apple Cider Soda.
But back to the vegan meatballs. I was quite pleased that they had the aroma of vegetables...vaguely reminiscent of falafel. When I bit into them, they were chock full of colorful veggies, including corn and broccoli. No mistaking these lovely morsels for beef meatballs, thank goodness! The Sweet Potato Cauliflower Sauce was creamy and paired well with the Vegetable Balls. There were hearty chunks of both sweet potatoes and cauliflower in this sauce.
Thank you to IKEA for offering a great dish to their health-conscious and vegan customers. Remember to stop by the restaurant to give these a try the next time you need a new bookshelf or coffee table.
Thanks for reading. Peace and love to all who live.
Susan
