Description
These Spinach & Ricotta Vegan Puff Pastry Pockets are a delicious, flaky, and golden appetizer featuring a savory filling of sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and creamy tofu ricotta. Perfectly crispy and packed with flavor, these pockets make a great starter or snack that’s entirely plant-based and easy to prepare.
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, or mushrooms of choice)
- 1 block frozen cooked spinach (or roughly 2 cups fresh)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup tofu ricotta (half batch of the tofu ricotta recipe)
Pastry & Topping
- 2 squares frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp melted vegan butter
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics and Mushrooms: Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Cook Mushrooms: Add the roughly chopped mushrooms to the pan. Continue cooking for 5 minutes until the mushrooms become soft and start to release their juices.
- Add Spinach and Season: Season the mixture again with salt and pepper to taste. Add the frozen cooked spinach (or fresh if using). Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and allow this filling to cool.
- Prepare Pastry Squares: Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 equal squares. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the cooled filling into the center of 6 squares.
- Assemble Pastry Pockets: Lightly dip your fingers in warm water and moisten the edges of the bottom pastry squares. Place a second square of pastry over each filled square and seal the edges by crimping with a fork to ensure the filling stays inside during baking.
- Freeze Pastries: Place the assembled pastries on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up. For longer storage, transfer to a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers after freezing.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pastries: Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove pastries from the freezer. Cut 3 parallel slits in the top of each to allow steam to escape.
- Brush and Add Toppings: Combine melted vegan butter with maple syrup, then brush this mixture over the tops of the pastries. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly on top.
- Bake Pastries: Bake for 20-35 minutes. Check after 20 minutes, turn the pan, and baste again with maple butter. Bake until pastries are golden and flaky. The baking time depends on whether the pastries were frozen longer; shorter freezing means about 25 minutes, longer freezing up to 35 minutes.
- Serve and Reheat: Serve warm. Leftovers can be reheated in a 400°F oven for about 8 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- These pockets are vegan, featuring a tofu-based ricotta substitute.
- Use frozen puff pastry for the best flaky texture; make sure to thaw before using.
- Adjust seasoning of the filling as you prefer; salt and pepper amounts can be varied.
- Freezing the assembled pockets before baking helps maintain their shape and flaky texture.
- If you like, add your preferred herbs or spices to the filling for a customized flavor.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven rather than microwave to restore crispiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pastry
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
