New Vegan Goodies from The Vegan Larder

Filo Pastry is often overlooked by pastry lovers, but with some good olive oil or vegan butter to crisp up all the lovely layers, you can make some spectacular Vegan Filo Pastry Recipes.

All these delicious Vegan Filo Pastry Recipes are easy to make, with an array of tasty fillings. From tasty little appetizers and canapes, through to fancier pies and main dishes, and of course sweet treats including everyone’s favourite baklava. You’ll be amazed at how versatile this thin pastry is to work with, and how many delicious dishes it can make.

What is Filo Pastry?

Filo Pastry, also known as Phyllo Pastry, is a very thin pastry made with flour, water and a little vegetable oil. It’s rolled extremely thinly, then commonly used in layers with some kind of oil or melted butter between the layers to form a crust or casing for both savory and sweet fillings.

Making filo pastry from scratch takes skill and patience with the dough needing to be rolled out very thinly to be used. Nowadays however, we can pick up pre-made dough in packets from the supermarket and grocery stores, ready to be used in all kinds of ways.

Because of the way it is made, filo pastry is usually suited to vegans and vegetarians as it typically contains no animal products such as butter or egg. Be sure to check the package when purchasing to be sure.

No one really knows the exact origins of filo pastry, however it is commonly found in desserts such as baklava, common throughout the Middle East, as well as in savory dishes such as Börek, a pie common in the Balkans and Middle East, as well as Pastiz (Malta) and many many other dishes throughout the Balkans, Middle East, Greece and Turkey.

I love using filo pastry in all kinds of vegan dishes. From appetizers and mains, through to desserts. Here are some of my favourite vegan ways to use filo dough!

Appetizers, Canapes and Snacks

Filo pastry is delicious when the sheets of dough are given a gloss of olive oil, then folded into parcels. Here you can find everything from a vegan spanakopita recipe, made with tofu, nutritional yeast and a spinach mixture, or spicy samosa style parcels stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas.

Vegan Filo Triangles with Spanakopita Filling

Delicious golden brown filo pastry encases a tangy spinach and vegan feta mixture. Perfect little hand pies for parties and snacks.

Spicy Fillo Pastry Samosa – Edible Firecrackers

These fiery little appetizers are absolutely perfect for holiday celebrations like the New Year’s or Fourth of July but also for any gathering and parties. Savory bites with flaky pastry that shatter perfectly when eating for a crispy bite.. Perfect for easy entertaining.

Photo credit: All that’s Jas

Easy Air Fried Vegetable Samosas

Crispy, flaky air-fried vegetable samosas stuffed with spicy potato take only 10 mins. Serve this vegan samosa with cilantro dipping sauce.

Photo credit: Intentionally Eat

Epic Green Bean Casserole Appetizer Recipe

These Mini Green Bean Casserole Appetizer Bites offer a delicious variation to the usual holiday side dish. Serving them in individual phyllo cups adds a crunch to the creaminess of classic green bean casserole, making them the perfect vegan appetizer.

Photo credit: Intentionally Eat

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Cups

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Cups ~ a crowd favorite tucked inside a crispy and flaky shell.

Photo credit: Vegan Huggs

Homemade Phyllo Cups with Hummus (3 ways!)

Bite-size, crispy, and delicious, these hummus-filled homemade filo cups are easy to make and perfect for entertaining. Fill your phyllo shells with creamy hummus and top with small pieces of fruit, veggies, nuts, or cheese or fresh herbs.

Photo credit: The Forked Spoon

Mini Bruschetta Tarts with Dijon Cashew Cream

Dainty, pretty little party bites, so perfect in every way. Flaky fillo cups filled with a luscious Dijon Cashew Cream and topped with fresh, herbed bruschetta. This easy Mini Bruschetta Tarts recipe for entertaining is dairy-free, guilt-free, stress-free, and cruelty-free. But full of love and all the good things.

Photo credit: Erica’s Recipes

Main Dishes and Pies

Here you’ll find some innovative uses of filo pastry made into pies and tarts. There is a vegan version of Borek, which has it’s origins in Balkan Cuisine, Spanakopita , a Greek Pie and even a festive Christmas pie that has been layered with butternut squash and mushrooms.

Vegan Christmas Filo Pie

With flaky filo pastry filled with pesto, butternut squash and mushrooms, this beautiful center piece is a real crowd pleaser for Christmas entertaining.

Vegan Pot Pie with Filo Crust

Cozy bechamel sauce with vegetables is elevated to special occasion status by the addition of a filo pastry crust, baked with a little oil brushed on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for added texture.

Photo credit: Happy Kitchen Rocks

Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Spinach Filo Pie

This yummy phyllo pie is perfect for entertaining. Make ahead of time and par-cook. Then just before you need it, warm it in the oven with a little olive oil brushed over the scrunched up sheet of filo pastry, perhaps with a few sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Vegan Gibanica Recipe (Serbian Cheese Pie)

Vegan gibanica recipe is the traditional Serbian savory cheese pie. A perfect and easy recipe to put together and enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Photo credit: Heartful Table

Vegan Spanakopita Recipes

This yummy version of the famous Greek Spinach Pie has plenty of fresh herbs such as dill and parsley, as well as green onions and vegan feta cheese in the spinach mixture. Paired with the crispy filo pastry layers it is a pie that everyone will want a piece of.

Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Borek

Rolls of Flaky filo pastry are baked with a creamy spinach, artichoke and cashew filling. This Balkan inspired recipe is perfect for serving at a dinner party.

Photo credit: Quite Good Food

Asparagus and Tomato Tart with Cashew Ricotta

Loads of flaky filo pastry layers are topped with a creamy cashew cheese, then layered with asparagus and tomatoes before baking. A delicious vegan dish that would be perfect for spring dining.

Photo credit: Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen

Sweet Treats and Baklava

Probably one of the most famous sweet treats made with filo sheets is baklava. Here you’ll find several different vegan baklava recipes, as well as strudel, rich with cherries and vegan cream cheese, plus a sweet Greek pie made with squash and cute little mini apple pies.

6 Ingredient Mince Pie Baklava

A lovely twist on the Christmas Classic that everyone will love. Loads of spiced fruit mince layered with buttery, flaky filo pastry into a yummy Baklava!

Vegan Persian Baklava with Rosewater Syrup and Pistachios

A classic vegan version of the Persian baklava . It has crispy golden phyllo pastry and a pistachio filling scented with cardamom drenched in sticky rosewater syrup.

Photo credit: Cinnamon Snail

How to Make Baklava – (Easy Baklava Recipe)

Layers of flaky filo are filled with nuts and then soaked with a sticky sweet syrup. This easy dessert is beloved by so many for a reason!

Photo credit: Go Eat Green

Kolokithopita – Greek Pumpkin Pie

Kolokithopita is a Greek pumpkin pie. Made with real pumpkin, as well as rice and warming spices, this is a deliciously different way to enjoy a pumpkin pie.

Photo credit: Souvlaki for the Soul

Greek Pumpkin Hand Pies – Kolokithopita

Kolokithopita is Greek pumpkin pie. This version is shaped into pretty filo pastry triangles before baking to golden, flaky perfection.

Photo credit: Pastry Wishes

Peanut Butter and Jelly Fillo Doughnuts

Ever wish there was a healthier doughnut option that you can easily make at home? Then this revolutionary new recipe is for you! Made with fillo (phyllo) pastry and baked rather than fried, these fillonuts are not only healthier but made in a fraction of the time that it would take for the traditional donuts or even popular cronuts that require days to create.

Photo credit: All that’s Jas

Vegan Cherry Strudel with Cream Cheese

This vegan cherry strudel is a beautiful, simple dessert with thin crispy layers of dough, tart cherries, and a soft vegan cream cheese that has notes of lemon and vanilla. Tangy and not overly sweet, this is the perfect dessert for trying in summer.

Photo credit: Heartful Table

Mini Apple Pie Tarts

Use filo pastry to construct little tart cases to make these little apple pie tarts.

Photo credit: The Urben Life

Tips and Hints for working with filo pastry:

1. Choose pastry that is fresh. Filo pastry dries out very quickly, so don’t expect pastry that has been left in the freezer for months to work as well as fresh bought pastry.
2. When working with filo dough, work quickly and cover the dough you are not using with a damp cloth to prevent it drying out.
3. Use a pastry brush to evenly distribute the olive oil or melted vegan butter over the filo sheets. Be sure to put an even thin layer of oil or butter between each sheet of dough for the best, flaky golden crust.
4. If you are using frozen filo pastry, make sure to thoroughly thaw before using. It tends to shatter when frozen, making it difficult to shape.

If you loved these vegan filo pastry recipes, make sure to follow and like The Vegan Larder!

x Louise-Claire

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