Vegetable Strudel | Kathy's Vegan Kitchen (2024)

This vegan vegetable strudel recipe is stuffed with vegetables in a thick and creamy vegan gravy, wrapped in a light, flaky, oil-free dough, and baked to perfection. Served with vegan mashed potatoes and gravy.

Recently, my husband and I traveled to Bisbee, Arizona, for a weekend get-a-way. Although Bisbee is a small town in Arizona, this quaint little town offers many vegan options. The owner of the place we rented strongly recommended Cafe Roka, an elegant restaurant on Main Street in the middle of town. Of course, we made reservations in advance, and I ordered vegetable strudel, the vegan option on the menu. When we got home, I made a copy cat vegan vegetable strudel recipe that is to die for!

Despite my concerns about finding anything vegan on the menu, I ate one of the best vegan meals of my life! In fact, to my surprise, Cafe Roka offers a vegan option as their nightly special.

Not only did Cafe Roka offer a vegan option, but they also served vegan soup, salad, and sorbet between courses!

After raving about my Cafe Roka experience, I attempted my vegetable strudel at home. And, as a novice, I came pretty close to mastering the fabulous meal at Cafe Roka.

Vegetable Strudel Ingredients

• Broccoli: Broccoli is delicious in the strudel and absorbs the gravy.
• Cauliflower: Cauliflower is similar to broccoli, as it absorbs flavors from the gravy.
• Carrots: Carrots add texture and sweetness.
• Asparagus: I cut the asparagus into bite sized pieces similar to the sizes of the other vegetables.
• Mushrooms: Is used cremini mushrooms for the strudel filling.
• Onions: Onions add a depth of flavor to the vegetable mixture.
• Kale: I like kale in casseroles and strudel because it if from and cooks well.

Vegetable Strudel Ingredient Substitutions

• Any combination of vegetables works well in strudel. So, choose your favorite combination of vegetables.
• I like green beans in the veggie mix!

How to Make Vegan Vegetable Strudel Filling

To avoid overcooking the vegetables, cook the vegetables in stages. It is also important to remember that you will technically be cooking the vegetables twice, once sautéed in a pan and a second time when the vegetable strudel is baked.

• First, saute the mushrooms and onions.
• Then, add the cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus. To avoid overcooking, make sure to saute all the vegetables for no more than 15 minutes, from start to finish, ending with the kale.

• For instance, use vegetable broth instead of cooking with oil; water also works well if you don't have vegetable broth.
• Once cooked al dente, remove the vegetables from the heat and make the vegan gravy.

Vegan Gravy Ingredients

• Portobello Mushrooms: I like portobello mushrooms because they are more sturdy than cremini mushrooms.
• Yellow Onion: Yellow onions are strong, however when sautéed, they sweeten.
• Shallots: Shallots have a flavor that some people describe asonion with a hint of garlic on the finish. They are peppery like a raw red onion but get sweet when cooked. Their flavor is a bit more delicate than that of onions.
• Garlic: Garlic gives the gravy a warm, rich flavor.
• Vegetable Broth: I always use low-sodium vegetable broth.
• Organic Tomato Paste: A little tomato paste gives the gravy a lot of rich flavor and color.
• Paprika: Paprika is smokey and provides a depth of flavor.
• Sea Salt/Fresh Ground Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper provides even more flavor.
• Dry White Wine (optional): I buy baby bottles of Chardonnay that come in a four-pack for cooking. I also buy small bottles of red wine for recipes like Mushroom Stew.
• Raw Cashews: Raw cashews make the gravy thick; however, if you have allergies or don't eat nuts, see the substitutions below.

Vegan Gravy Ingredient Substitutions

• Choose any mushrooms.
• White onion is a substitute for yellow onion in recipes.
• Use red onion instead of shallots.
• One clove of fresh garlic equals ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic powder. The exact conversion applies to dehydrated or freeze-dried garlic or even minced refrigerated garlic. If you don't have plain garlic powder by itself but have garlic salt, you can go ahead and reach for that.
• Yondu is an excellent substitute for vegetable broth.
• If you don't have tomato paste, substitute tomato sauce or ketchup in a pinch.
• Smoked paprika gives the gravy a smoky flavor.
• Skip the wine and use lemon juice r white vinegar.
• Instead of raw cashews, opt for ¼ cup of flour blended with vegetable broth, or use silken tofu or white beans.

How to Make the Vegan Gravy for the Strudel

• Prepare the cashew cream for the gravy first.
• In a cup-sized blender, combine cashews, ½ cup vegetable broth, 1 garlic clove, and lemon juice.
• Blend until smooth.
• Set aside.
• Prepare the mushroom gravy.
• In a large non-stick skillet, on medium heat, sauté onions, garlic, and shallots until translucent.
• Add diced Mushrooms.
• Cook until brown and all liquid from the mushrooms has dissipated.
• Add the remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth.
• Stir.
• Then, add salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Stir in the tomato paste until it blends with the rest of the liquids in the pan.
• Pour in the cashew cream. MAKE SURE YOU GET IT ALL. SCRAPE DOWN THE SIDES.
• If using the white wine, add it now.
• Stir.
• The mixture will thicken as you stir. Be patient.
• As soon as the sauce thickens, add ½ cup of the gravy to the sauteed vegetables and set aside.

Strudel Dough is Oil-Free and Delicious!

Then, it's time to prepare your vegan pasty dough. As many of you know, finding a store-bought oil-free dough is difficult. I use the same oil-free dough for my Oil-Free Pizza Sauce and Pizza Dough,Pizza Pinwheels, andVegan Mushroom Wellington. This is a perfect healthy puff pastry alternative.

Vegan frozen puff pasty is an easy shortcut if you are not following an oil-free plant-based plan.

When it is time to serve the strudel, place the vegan gravy in a small pan to reheat on top of the strudel and mashed potatoes if you choose to serve the strudel with mashed potatoes.

Oil-Free Dough Ingredients

• Warm Water: It is essential to use warm water when making any bread recipe so the dough rises.
• Dry Active Yeast: Dry active yeast comes in small packages in the baking section.
• Vegan Raw Sugar: Raw sugar is brown, not bleached. There is only a small amount of sugar in this recipe. However, you can substitute it with maple or date syrup.
• Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat flour is not processed or bleached.
• Vital Wheat Gluten (optional): Vital wheat gluten helps to give the dough elasticity.
• Flaxseed Meal: Flaxseed is used as a binder, like an egg.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup provides additional flavor.

Vegan Store-Bought Puff Pastry Options

• Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Dough
• Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry
• Orgran Gluten-free Pastry Mix
• Pampas Puff Pastry Sheets
• Jus-Rol Puff Pastry

How to Make the Vegetable Strudel Recipe

• Once the dough was chilled, I rolled it out on a floured surface. Next, I added the cooled vegetables mixed with gravy to the center of the rolled-out dough.
• Next, fold the top and bottom vertically before folding the two sides over, sealing the loaf. Then, gently flip the loaf over and seal it down.

• With the additional reserved dough, use a small cookie cutter to cut small shapes on top of the vegetable strudel.
• It is also essential to make sure you make several slits with a knife down the loaf so it can vent while cooking.

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees
• Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until dough is browned.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting.

• Furthermore, allowing the strudel to set up for about 10 minutes allows for easier cutting and serving.

Serving Suggestions

Since I LOVE vegan mashed potatoes, I served my vegetable strudel with mashed potatoes and gravy.

I also have another mashed potato recipe made with butter beans instead of miso for those who avoid soy products.

Regardless of your favorite mashed potato recipe, mashed potatoes taste great with vegetable strudel.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• The vegetable filling can be made ahead of time with the gravy.
• Instead of making a strudel, consider making a large pot pie or individual pot pies.
• If using frozen dough, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Store-bought puff pastry should be thawed according to the packaged ingredients.
• If using frozen vegetables, cook them in the pan to reduce the amount of water; do not add frozen vegetables.
• Use a small cookie cutter to decorate the strudel for a particular holiday.
• Freeze the vegetable strudel cooked or uncooked up to 3 months.
• When cooking frozen strudel, thaw overnight before cooking.

Enjoy this vegan vegetable strudel recipe for a weeknight meal or a holiday dinner!

Vegan Holiday Recipes for the Season!

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