Vegan Jamaican Patty
Loaded with spicy veggies and lentils, these vegan Jamaican patties make a delicious lunch or dinner. Here’s how to make them.
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Filled with rich, warming spices and a hearty mix of lentils and vegetables, this Jamaican patty recipe will add flavor to any mealtime.
These vegan Jamaican patties are a great alternative to lunchtime sandwiches, but also make a great dinnertime dish when served with a fresh green salad.
How to Make Vegan Jamaican Patties
step 1: First make the pastry, which needs to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but an hour or more is even better.
If wrapped tightly, this pastry will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, so you can split the time you make this dish over two or three days if you like.
If the butter is too soft, it may be difficult to spread evenly over the pastry. For best results, cube the butter (or break it into small chunks for a spreadable butter) and refrigerate until cold. Do not remove the cubed butter from the refrigerator until you are ready to add it to the pastry mix.
Begin making the pastry by combining all the dry ingredients in a bowl, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Then gradually add the cold water and keep mixing until the dough comes together. Roll it into a ball, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge.
Step 2: While the dough is resting, chop the vegetables and prepare the filling ingredients. Using pre-cut veggies and pre-cooked packaged lentils makes this task easy.
Place the dried spices for the stuffing in a bowl and set aside. If you want to skip this step, you can also substitute half a tablespoon of pre-made jerk spice mix.
Cook the diced potatoes in a small saucepan for a few minutes until cooked but not too tender. Drain and set aside.
Step 3: Add oil to a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft, then add the celery and bell pepper and sauté until soft.
To prevent the garlic from burning or overcooking in the skillet, add the garlic after the other vegetables are cooked.
Step 4: Add the spice mix, fresh herbs, peas, cooked lentils, boiled potatoes and spinach to the pan and sauté until softened – this should only take a few minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, stir in the plant-based milk and let cool.
Step 5: While you’re forming the patties, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Prepare the pastry by lightly flouring a clean work surface and rolling out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness.
Using a 4″ diameter uncurled cookie cutter or bowl, cut circles out of the dough. Re-roll any remaining dough and continue cutting circles until you have run out of dough.
Step 6: Place 1 to 2 heaped tablespoons of cooled filling in the center of each circle, leaving about 1/8 inch around the edge.
Brush the edges with a little bit of plant-based milk and fold the edges together to form a semicircle or half moon shape. Press with a fork to seal.
Place the patties on a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush the tops with a little milk, and bake for about 20 minutes until the patties are golden brown.
Tip: These vegan Jamaican patties can be frozen (before cooking) and stored to eat at a later date.
