Description
Delicious vegan puff pastry pockets filled with a savory mixture of sautéed spinach, cremini mushrooms, and a creamy tofu ricotta. These golden, flaky pastries are perfect as a starter or snack, combining tender vegetables with a rich, tangy filling wrapped in crisp puff pastry, finished with a light brushing of maple butter and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 110 g cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped (about 1 ¼ cup)
- 1 block frozen cooked spinach (or roughly 2 cups fresh)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup tofu ricotta (half batch of recipe)
Pastry
- 2 squares frozen puff pastry (thawed)
- 1 tbsp melted vegan butter
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a pan. Add diced onion and minced garlic, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Add Mushrooms: Add chopped cremini mushrooms to the pan. Continue cooking for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and have released their moisture. Season with additional salt and black pepper.
- Incorporate Spinach: Stir in the frozen cooked spinach (or fresh spinach) and cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing everything to combine. Remove the pan from heat and let the filling cool.
- Prepare Pastry Squares: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry to get 12 equal squares. Cut into 12 squares, setting aside 6 for the bottom of the pockets and 6 for the tops.
- Assemble Pockets: Place heaping tablespoons of the cooled spinach and mushroom mixture blended with the tofu ricotta in the center of 6 bottom pastry squares. Dampen the edges of the bottom squares with warm water. Cover each with a top square of pastry, pressing edges and sealing by crimping with a fork.
- Freeze Pastries: Arrange the sealed pockets on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up the butter and pastry. For longer storage, transfer to a freezer bag or container with parchment paper between each after freezing.
- Prepare to Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Remove pastries from the freezer. Using a knife, make 3 parallel slits in the top of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops with melted vegan butter mixed with maple syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 35 minutes. Check at 20 minutes, turn the pan, and baste with more maple butter if desired. Pastries will be done when golden brown and puffed; baking time depends on whether the pastries were frozen briefly or longer.
- Serve: Best served warm. To reheat leftovers, bake at 400°F for about 8 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Notes
- These vegan puff pastry pockets make a great starter or snack that is crispy, golden, flaky, and packed with flavor.
- You can substitute mushrooms of your choice for cremini mushrooms.
- Use frozen cooked spinach for convenience, or fresh spinach if preferred—be sure to cook and drain well.
- Freezing the formed pockets before baking helps ensure a flaky texture and easier handling.
- Baking times may vary depending on the brand of puff pastry used; always watch for a golden, puffed appearance as the doneness indicator.
- Tofu ricotta can be prepared ahead of time or replaced with a store-bought vegan ricotta alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pastry (approx. 150 g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
