Puff pastry is a super-versatile light and flaky pastry that can be used to make all kinds of sweet and savoury dishes.
Making your own vegan puff pastry can be fun to do, but if you prefer the convenience of ready-made pastry then you’ll be pleased to know that shop-bought puff pastry is almost always vegan. You can get puff pastry in a block and roll it yourself, or buy it ready-rolled for the easiest option.
If you like the sound of using puff pastry but are out of ideas, then read on for 15 of the best savoury and sweet vegan puff pastry recipes to try at home…
Savoury recipes
1. Mushroom pie with ale and lentils
This hearty vegan pie is filled with chestnut mushrooms, puy lentils and shallots in a rich beery gravy. This recipe won a competition to find ‘the nation’s tastiest meat-free dish’ and became a part of the Linda McCartney range of vegan pies.
2. Hummus and carrot tart
This savoury puff pastry carrot tart with hummus, caramelised onions and thyme is so simple to make. You can serve this dish hot, cold or at room temperature, making it perfect for buffets.
3. Mushroom Wellington
This healthy vegan Wellington is packed with mushrooms, spinach, leeks and vegan sausages. It would make an excellent guilt-free centrepiece for your vegan Christmas dinner.
4. Vegan sausage rolls
Vegan sausage rolls make excellent snacks, lunches or buffet items. Rather than sausage meat, these healthier sausage rolls are filled with mushrooms, lentils and miso paste.
Suggested read: Are vegan sausage rolls healthy?
5. Vegetable pot pies
These rustic home-style vegetable pot pies are filled with a rainbow of vegetables including peas, leeks, pumpkin, celeriac, broccoli, carrots, parsnip, sweet potatoes and mushrooms, all covered with a puff pastry crust.
6. Vegan Wellington with butternut squash
An all-vegetable Wellington, this festive dish consists of roasted butternut squash and a rosemary, walnut and mushroom puree, all wrapped in a crispy puff pastry crust.
7. Puff pastry vegetable tart
A super easy recipe, this vegan puff pastry tart is a great way to use up any vegetables that are in the fridge. You just throw the veggies on to the ready-rolled pastry and bake it in the oven.
8. Scottish rumbledethump pies
Rumbedethumps are a traditional Scottish dish which is essentially a cabbage, mashed potato and (vegan) cheese pasty. The name of this recipe is said to be the sound of the cabbage and potatoes thumping against the bowl as they are mixed with a wooden spoon.
9. Garlic mushroom & spinach tart
Another simple puff pastry tart, this one is topped with mushrooms, garlic, thyme, vegan creme fraiche, spinach and vegan parmesan such as Violife Prosociano.
10. French onion puff pastry cups
Using ready-rolled puff pastry is a super-easy way to make vegan appetizer. These French onion puff pastry cups are simple to make with just a handful of ingredients and are sure to please your party guests.
11. Lentil puff pastry pockets
These lentil puff pastry pockets would make a great vegan option for Christmas dinner. They are made with lentils, carrots and fresh herbs in a tomato paste encased in a puff pastry crust.
Sweet recipes
12. Apple turnovers
Puff pastry apple turnovers are easy to make with apples, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg folded inside puff pastry to make triangles. You can serve these as a dessert or a mid-day snack to go with your coffee.
13. Pastelitos de Guayaba
Pastelitos de Guayaba are simple Latin American sweet pastries which you’ll often find in bakeries in Puerto Rico. These vegan puff pastry parcels are stuffed with guava jelly and you can also add a little vegan cream cheese if you wish.
14. Vegan Napoleon
A Napolean has layers of light and flaky pastry and vanilla custard cream. This dairy-free version of the classic French dessert uses accidentally-vegan puff pastry and a filling made from coconut milk, cashew milk, maple syrup and tapioca.
15. Vegan frangipani tart
Also known as ‘Galette de Rois’, which means King’s Cake, this almond frangipani tart is a vegan version of a classic French dessert. Traditionally in France, this cake would be served on January 6th and it would contain a porcelain figurine, The youngest person at the table would cut up the cake and whoever found it would become the king or queen and wear a paper crown.
Conclusion
Puff pastry is an incredibly versatile, accidentally-vegan kitchen staple. As you can buy vegan puff pastry fresh or frozen, it’s good to keep in the freezer so that you can make spontaneous vegan tarts, pies and Wellingtons from whatever vegetables you have that need using up.
While you’re here, you might also be interested in the best vegan filo pastry recipes. Filo pastry is quite similar to puff pastry but crispier and a little flakier. Take a look at these recipe ideas to get some inspiration as to which vegan dishes you can make with it and decide whether to buy puff or filo pastry for your next baking venture.