Vegan Caribbean Beef Patties
Caribbean Vegan Patties
The perfect flaky, golden, and flavour-packed patty—without the meat!
These vegan Caribbean patties are an homage to the iconic Jamaican patties, with a twist. Full of savoury mushroom, walnut, and lentil filling, they’re spiced just right with jerk seasoning, thyme, and a kick of scotch bonnet. The homemade pastry is buttery and flaky, and once baked to perfection, you won’t even miss the meat. Let's dive into this island-inspired recipe!
Ingredients
For the pastry:
400g plain flour
250g block vegan butter (I use Nutrioli)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
200ml cold water
1/2 tsp sugar
For the filling:
500g oyster mushrooms, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 spring onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb of ginger, minced
1 1/2 tbsp dried jerk seasoning
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
Small handful of walnuts, crushed
100g beluga lentils, cooked
1 slice of bread
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp molasses
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Method
1. Prepare the pastry:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and curry powder. Add the turmeric for that beautiful golden colour.
Grate the vegan butter into small pieces, then freeze the grated butter for at least 30 minutes or until frozen solid.
Once the butter is frozen, add half of it to the flour mixture. Use your fingers to rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Gradually add cold water bit by bit, mixing until you form a dough that’s firm but not sticky. (You may not need all the water!)
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in an air tight container or in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.
2. Laminate the dough (for that flaky, buttery texture):
Once your dough has chilled, lightly dust a suface in flour. Take out the dough and roll it into a large, even rectangle (roughly 12x8 inches).
Sprinkle the frozen grated butter evenly over the surface of the dough, covering about two-thirds of it.
Fold the unbuttered third of the dough over the buttered portion, then fold the other side over the top, like folding a letter.
Roll out the dough again into a rectangle and repeat the folding process two or three more times. This creates the layers for that perfect flaky texture.
After the third fold, wrap the dough back up in an air tight container or cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Make the filling:
In a large pan, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil until they release their moisture and start to brown.
Add the diced onions and cook until soft, then stir in the garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet pepper.
Sprinkle in the jerk seasoning and fresh thyme. Stir well to combine and let the spices bloom.
Add the walnuts and cooked lentils to the pan, then mix in the soy sauce, molasses, and red wine vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
Blend the bread with about 200ml of water to make a thick, runny paste, then stir this into the mixture to help bind everything together.
Allow the filling to simmer for 10 minutes, then set it aside to cool. (I like to pop it in the fridge so it’s nice and chilled before assembling!)
4. Assemble the patties:
Divide your dough into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece at a time and roll it out into a circle (around 6 inches in diameter).
Place a generous amount of the filling in the centre of each circle.
Fold the dough over the filling to form a semi-circle, then use a bowl or lid to trim off any excess dough, creating a perfect shape.
Use a fork to press down along the edges, sealing the patty and creating that signature crimped edge. Place the pattie in the fridge while you work on the next one.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
5. Bake:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Arrange the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a fork, prick the top of each patty once to allow steam to escape while baking.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the patties are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
I like to eat straight away!