Spinach and Mushroom Puffs [Vegan Hand Pies]

Quick, Simple, and Delicious Tofu, Spinach, and Mushroom Pastries

As we’re in the holiday party season, we thought we’d bring out some easy vegan party food recipes again, like tofu vegetable crispy wontons, spicy chipotle white bean dip, and these simple spinach and mushroom puffs (aka vegan hand pies).

With a combination of just 7 ingredients and several pantry-friendly seasonings, these easy pastry triangles/half-moons combine a mushroom, spinach, and seasoned tofu (in cubes or mashed into a ‘tofu’ ricotta) filling all wrapped up in store-bought puff pastry for maximum ease and timesaving.

The results are flavorful and surprisingly nutritious savory vegan hand pies that are perfect for impressing guests at parties, as an appetizer, and more.

The Ingredients

By using pre-made pastry, the ingredients list for this mushroom & spinach pastry puff recipe is kept to a minimum.

Save time by buying pre-rolled sheets. Otherwise, you’ll need to roll out the pastry until it is about 3 mm thick.

What Else Could I Add To Spinach and Mushroom Puffs?

There are several ways you can increase the flavor in this vegan hand pie recipe, including:

• Onion: To sauté with the mushrooms OR use caramelized onions.
• Leek: Instead of onion, thinly sliced leek is a great pairing for spinach and mushroom recipes and tastes delicious, with a mild oniony flavor.
• Peas: Add about ¼ cup of peas (frozen) to the filling.
• Vegan cheese: Add melty vegan cheese for extra flavor to the vegan hand pie filling.  
• Seeds: Optionally sprinkle some sesame seeds or bagel seasoning over the vegan spinach pies. Brush a little plant-based milk over the pastry first to help the seeds stick.
• Nutmeg: Just a pinch. You won’t taste it, yet it adds extra complex flavor.
• Thyme/Oregano: You can use one or both for extra flavor to the mushroom hand pie filling.
• Red pepper flakes: (or chili/cayenne pepper) To add some heat to the mushroom puffs.

How to Make Spinach & Mushroom Puffs?

Before making this vegan hand pie recipe, ensure your pastry is fully thawed and has been out of the fridge for the required time (as stated on the package). Also, press the tofu (follow this guide to pressing tofu) for 30 minutes to eliminate all excess liquid. Then:

To avoid soggy pastry, it can help to strain the mushroom and spinach mixture through a sieve, using a wooden spoon to press out any excess liquid.

If you cut circles, note that it will leave you with scrap pastry. To keep the pastry folds, pile the scraps flat over one another to roll out again rather than in a ball.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Drain the filling: If you don’t want soggy spinach, mushroom, and tofu pies, it’s important to drain the veggie mixture before adding it to the pies.
• The yield will vary: Based on whether you cut the tofu into cubes or mash/blend it into a ‘ricotta’ consistency.
• If you have extra filling: There are plenty of ways to use it. For example, turn it into a breakfast vegan tofu scramble, enjoy it in wraps, add the veggies to a vegan omelette or vegan potato frittata, etc.
• To save time: Use pre-sliced mushrooms AND pre-rolled puff pastry sheets rather than a dough block.
• Individual vs. one large pastry: Prefer one large pastry? Use two sheets of pastry and layer them, adding some slits/fork prods to the top layer of pastry to allow steam to escape while it cooks. Bake until golden and crisp, then cut into individual servings.
• For shinier/browner pastries: Brush the puff pastry triangles with a little plant-based milk.

Serving Recommendations

We often serve these spinach and mushroom pastries as part of a party food spread/when entertaining guests. However, you can also enjoy them as part of a quick meal paired with a simple side salad like this strawberry kale salad.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

To cut down on prep time, you could prepare the spinach mushroom and tofu fillings 1-2 days in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Then, bring them back to room temperature (and remove any excess liquid from the veggies) before continuing with the recipe.

Once baked, allow the spinach turnovers to cool and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. They are also freezer-friendly for 2-3 months – thawing them in the fridge overnight before enjoying chilled or reheating them.

When reheating the vegan spinach pies, a microwave will cause the pastry to become soft. Instead, reheat them in the oven (or an air fryer) for a few minutes until warm and crispy.