Two Luscious Greek-Inspired Vegan Dishes From Tori Avey 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Vegan Spanakopita

This Greek-inspired plant based vegan spanakopita is
quick, easy, and simply delicious. No cheese substitutes
required.

Spanakopita is one of my favorite Greek dishes. This Greek spinach pie with layers of crispy phyllo dough is a classic Mediterranean recipe. In traditional spanakopita, feta cheese is included in the filling. I recently challenged myself to create a vegan spanakopita recipe for people who are avoiding dairy foods or animal products. Unlike other plant-based spanakopita recipes, I opted not to use a feta substitute like tofu or vegan cheese. Instead, I focused on making a filling of pure greens, flavored with healthy ingredients that capture the salty tang of feta, without the need for cheese. The result, in my husband’s humble opinion, is every bit as delicious as the original – and he’s a feta cheese fanatic!

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (1 cup chopped onion)
24 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and well drained
1 bunch green onions chopped
½ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
1/3 cup fresh dill chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

Crust Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough thawed (about 16-20 sheets - you may not need the whole package)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil



Instructions:

Defrost your phyllo dough (you may need to start this process a day ahead).
Before you start, make sure your thawed spinach is very well drained by pressing it firmly several times in a mesh colander over the sink. Removing excess liquid is key to keeping the pie from becoming soggy.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot add onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.



Scoop cooked onions into a mixing bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with all of the remaining filling ingredients, to the bowl. Mix well with a fork or clean hands. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly brush the inside of a 9X13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Remove phyllo dough from package and lay it gently on a flat surface.
Place a clean damp tea towel over the dough, covering it completely.
This will keep it soft and pliable for the recipe. If you don’t cover it,
the dough will dry out quickly and break easily.

If using 13x18 size phyllo sheets, trim 1 1/2 inches from two of the edges
(a short edge and a long edge). If using 9x13 size, overlap the pieces as
you layer them to make sure you get good coverage on the bottom and
sides for the lower crust.

Lay phyllo one sheet at a time in the pan, covering the bottom of the dish,
with dough coming up the sides. Lightly brush each sheet with olive oil.
To spread the olive oil evenly, flick the oil lightly with your brush around
the sheet, then brush gently to spread (it doesn’t have to fully coat the sheet).
Horizontal overhead shot of a hand holding a pastry brush over a sheet of
phyllo dough in a rectangular glass baking dish.

Once you have stacked 8 sheets, spread filling into the dish over the top of
the sheets. Repeat stacking and brushing with the remaining sheets of phyllo
and oil, stacking 6-8 sheets on top of the pie. Brush the top liberally with
remaining olive oil, using more as needed - having the top well oiled will
give it a nice crunch and a golden sheen.

With a sharp paring knife, trim excess dough off the edges so the pastry is
flush with the inside of the pan.

Use the same knife to score the top layer of phyllo into 12 squares. Be sure
not to cut all the way through the bottom crust, or you’ll risk having a soggy
pie.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top phyllo crust is golden brown. Cool
until warm but no longer hot, about 30 minutes. Cut squares along score
marks.

Serve warm. This pie is also great at room temperature.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Note that the filling of this dish is a
little looser than a traditional spanakopita, so when it cuts some spinach
may naturally fall out from between the layers.


NOTES

Serves 12 (approx. 4 oz per serving)

You will also need: 3 quart sauté pan, 9x13 baking dish, kitchen towel
Notes: The flavor of this vegan spanakopita is really lovely; the spinach
and fresh dill really shine. You don't need to replace the cheese, as the
dish is wonderful without it. However if you want to add a vegan feta
cheese replacement, crumbled vegan feta from VioLife is a good shop-
bought alternative. Otherwise, there are plenty of good vegan feta
recipes online. Add no more than 8 ounces of vegan feta to the filling.

Aglaia Kremezi’s Homemade Phyllo Dough Recipe:

If you wish to try making phyllo from scratch, I recommend Aglaia Kremezi’s
recipe and technique. Phyllo is a vegan, egg-free dough, and making it from
scratch will make this recipe extra special. The following recipe is graciously
shared with Aglaia’s permission. The words are her own.

After trying lots of different recipes and variations from the north, central Greece, the Peloponnese and Crete, I have finalized the following one. I usually omit the vodka, because it made the pastry somehow harder. If one wants to make Diples of the Cretan Kserotigana –the various fried pastry ribbons– the vodka is needed.
The dough is silky and forgiving, even for people who roll phyllo for the first time, as we found using it with our participants on Kea Artisanal, where everybody learns the technique and rolls an almost perfect sheet. You can double the recipe and keep half in the refrigerator, rubbed with olive oil, kept in a plastic zipper bag. Let the dough come to room temperature for a couple of hours before rolling. I wouldn’t freeze it.

Phyllo Dough

4 cups bread flour, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the phyllo
3 tablespoons vodka (optional)
About 1 cup water, as needed
Cornstarch for rolling the phyllo

Place the flour, olive oil and vinegar in the bowl of a standing mixer with dough hooks and pulse a couple of times, then as the mixer runs add slowly water on the side, enough to get a soft dough that is not sticky. Let rest at least 30 minutes before rolling.
We usually divide it into 4-5 pieces and work well on the counter each piece, adding a little more flour as needed, to get a soft, silky, and very elastic dough that rolls easily. Then we roll with plenty of CORNSTARCH.

from https://toriavey.com/vegan-spanakopita/


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Vegan Moussaka

A crave-worthy vegan casserole with layers of flavorful roasted vegetables, a lentil-mushroom filling, and a delectable baked hummus topping.

For a special occasion, this vegan moussaka is the ultimate hearty meatless entree. Free of meat and dairy yet full of flavor, it features layers of flavorful roasted vegetables, a lentil-mushroom filling, and a delectable baked hummus topping. No processed meat substitutes here! This all-natural, healthy, and flavorful casserole is sure to impress.

Ingredients

Layered Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium) sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large) peeled and sliced thin
3 pounds small to medium sized eggplants
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups diced onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked or steamed lentils
1 roasted red bell pepper, seeded, peeled and sliced thin
3 cups diced ripe red tomatoes OR 2 cans (15 oz. each) diced tomatoes – I like using fire roasted!
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you prefer a spicy kick you can use 1/2 tsp)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
9 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, more or less to taste

Topping Ingredients

2 1/2 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked and drained or canned and drained
3 cups unsweetened almond milk, or your favorite dairy-free unsweetened milk (soy, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons flour, or use gluten free cup-for-cup flour substitute
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

To Make Layered Moussaka Casserole

Place racks on the upper and lower thirds of your oven.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Grease two baking sheets with 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil each.

Spread out the zucchini on one sheet, the potatoes on another, and
add the 3 garlic cloves to one of the sheets. The vegetables may
overlap in a few places, which is fine. Brush veggies lightly with a
little more olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper.

Place baking sheet with potatoes on the upper rack of the oven.
Place sheet with zucchini on the lower half. Roast veggies for 10
minutes. Remove sheets from oven and place them back in the
oven, switching racks (zucchini and garlic on top, potatoes on
bottom). Do not flip the vegetables themselves. Roast for about 5
more minutes, until veggies are tender and turning golden brown
(check the bottoms of the veggies for browning).

While potatoes and zucchini are roasting, remove the stem ends from
the eggplants. Peel strips from the eggplants so that they have thin
stripes of peel remaining down the sides (they will be half-peeled).

Cut the eggplants into slices a little thicker than 1/4 inch.
Image shows sliced eggplant on a cutting board alongside whole
eggplants and a green peeler. The scene suggests preparation for
cooking.

When potatoes and zucchini are done roasting, remove them from
the oven and scoop veggies into a bowl using a slotted spatula.
Take the 3 roasted garlic cloves and chop them, reserve.

Re-grease the baking sheets with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil each. Spread
eggplant slices into a single layer across the two baking sheets.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheets in the
oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, switching the baking sheets on
upper and lower thirds halfway through cooking, until the slices are
tender and lightly golden (check the bottom edges of slices for
browning).

While eggplant is roasting, place a sauté pan or skillet with high sides
on the stovetop. Warm up 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan over medium high
heat. Add the mushroom slices and turn heat up to high. Let the
mushrooms sear for 2-3 minutes without moving them.

Begin to stir after 2-3 minutes, when the bottoms of the mushrooms
turn golden. Sauté for another minute or so. Remove the mushrooms
from the pan and reserve.

Reduce pan heat to medium and add another 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan.
Sauté diced onion until softened and translucent.

Add roasted bell pepper slices and chopped roasted garlic, saute for
another 2 minutes. Add cooked lentils, reserved mushrooms, diced
tomatoes, fresh dill, oregano, cinnamon, smoked paprika, cayenne
pepper and 3/4 tsp salt to the pan; stir well. Reduce heat to medium
and let mixture cook for about 5 more minutes until warmed through.
If using fresh tomatoes, let the mixture cook for 10 minutes until
tomatoes are soft. Add salt or pepper to taste if desired.

When eggplant is done roasting, remove it from the oven. If you plan
to continue baking the full moussaka now, reduce oven temperature to
375 degrees F. If making ahead, you can turn the oven off at this point.
Use a slotted spatula to scoop up the eggplant slices and place in a
bowl.

Lightly grease your baking dish or pan. Place a single layer of half of
the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of your dish.

On top of that, place a layer of half the potatoes and half the zucchini.

Spread the lentil mixture evenly in a single layer across the surface.

Place the rest of the potatoes and zucchini in another layer on top of the filling.

Finish with a layer of the remaining roasted eggplant slices.

If you are making ahead, at this point you can cover the baking dish
tightly with plastic wrap or wax paper. Place in the refrigerator for 1-2
days prior to cooking. If you are cooking the moussaka now, place it
in the oven without the topping for 20 minutes to bake at 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, while the moussaka is baking, make the hummus topping.

To Make Hummus Topping

Blend together the cooked chickpeas, almond milk (or other dairy-free
milk), salt, pepper and nutmeg for 1-2 minutes until very smooth. Reserve.
Heat up 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cooked the minced onion
for several minutes over medium/medium high heat, until the onion is very
soft, translucent, and starting to turn golden. Add the minced garlic and
sauté for 1-2 minutes longer until fragrant.

Whisk in your flour or gluten free flour substitute. It will clump together a bit.

Add the blended chickpea mixture to the saucepan and whisk over medium
high heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Continue whisking frequently
until it boils around the edges and thickens. Remove from heat. Add
additional salt or pepper to taste if desired.

Bake Assembled Moussaka

Note: The moussaka should be baked without a topping for 20 minutes at
375 degrees F before adding the hummus topping. If you have made your
moussaka ahead, take it out of the fridge, uncover it, and bake it for 20
minutes prior to adding the topping.

Remove the moussaka from the oven. Pour hummus topping evenly over
the top of the moussaka. Your 2 quart dish may seem quite full, but that
is what makes for hearty slices. The topping will not puff up much during
baking so it shouldn't overflow unless you fill the dish to the very top.
Only use as much of the hummus topping as you need. Sprinkle with 1
tsp paprika.

Put moussaka back in the oven. Cook for another 30 minutes until the
moussaka is cooked through and the edges are bubbly. If the top isn’t
evenly browned, you can turn on the broiler and broil it for a minute or
two– keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Don’t broil if
using a glass baking dish.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve warm.

It will slice more cleanly and pieces will hold together better after it has
cooled off a bit. Enjoy!

NOTES

TIME SAVING/MAKE AHEAD NOTES: This vegan moussaka takes quite a bit of time to prepare, but you can cut down the prep time substantially with a few simple modifications. Buy jarred roasted peppers so you don’t need to roast them yourself and buy pre-steamed or canned lentils. Prep all of your vegetables in advance and have all of your items ready to assemble for both the moussaka and the sauce; pausing to hunt for or measure an ingredient every few minutes will increase your cooking time quite a bit. The better you are organized from the beginning, the faster the process will be!

I also highly recommend making this dish a day or two ahead, roasting the vegetables and assembling everything before the hummus topping. Cover the assembled vegetables and refrigerate for up to two days ahead. It’s best to make the topping when you are ready to bake.

Nutrition Note: if watching sodium intake, you can cut the sprinkle of salt on the roasted vegetables, though I do recommend it for flavor. I have calculated about 3/4 tsp of salt total for all of the roasted vegetables, so cutting this will bring the sodium down quite a bit.

https://toriavey.com/vegan-moussaka/


Not simple recipes, but oh so delicious!!

[jfz9580m]

1. Yummy ..

I would ditch the zucchini myself and replace it with sweet potatoes perhaps. Don’t like zucchini.

[justaprogressive]

2. one man's meat...

[La Coliniere]

3. Thank you for posting these recipes.

I haven’t eaten dairy or eggs for 10 years and I’ve been veganizing recipes as much as I can with some successes and a few failures. I’ve veganized the spanakopita recipe that is in the original Moosewood cookbook by using tofu mixed with Violife feta (and other brands) instead of dairy, and I used Miyoko’s butter which is plant based. Next time I make it I’ll use your recipe. The moussaka recipe sounds great too. Thanks!

[justaprogressive]

5. you're

very welcome!

[surrealAmerican]

4. Spanakopita is wonderful ...

... and, if you're not vegan, benefits from feta and butter.

One of my more recent discoveries is that you can use pasta rollers to roll out phyllo dough. It makes it much more accessible to make. It's still a big job, but possible.