If you’re on the hunt for a dish that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious, look no further than this Vegan Borek Inspired Swirl Pie. This plant-based masterpiece is a delicious spiral of crispy phyllo dough filled with a savory spinach and tofu mixture. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, bringing a dish to a potluck, or simply treating yourself to something special, this pie is sure to impress.
Borek is a beloved pastry in many Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Traditionally, it’s made with thin layers of dough, such as yufka or filo, and filled with ingredients like cheese, spinach, or minced meat. The dough is typically rolled or layered, then baked until golden and crispy. This dish has been enjoyed for centuries, with each region adding its own unique twist to the recipe.
Our Vegan Borek Inspired Swirl Pie takes the essence of borek and reimagines it for a plant-based diet. Instead of cheese or meat, we use tofu and nutritional yeast to create a rich, umami-packed filling.
Vegan Borek Ingredients
To make this Vegan Borek Inspired Swirl Pie, you’ll need:
- Filo Pastry: Filo dough is essential for achieving the flaky, crispy texture that makes this pie so irresistible. You can find it in the fridge or freezer section of most grocery stores.
- Frozen Spinach: Spinach is a traditional ingredient in these types of pies, it adds a vibrant color and a nutrient boost to the filling. I’m using frozen for convenience
- Tofu: Tofu serves as the protein-rich base of the filling. It’s blended with nutritional yeast and other ingredients to create a creamy mixture, and mixed with the spinach to create a hearty filling.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is used to brush the phyllo sheets, helping them crisp up beautifully in the oven.
- Zaatar: A sprinkle of zaatar on top adds a burst of Middle Eastern flavor, with its mix of herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac.
Step-by-Step Recipe
Prepare the Spinach and Tofu Filling
Start by thawing the frozen spinach. You can either let it thaw in the fridge or boil it in boiling water until soft. Make sure to squeeze out any excess water to avoid a soggy filling. Then chop it roughly, we want to get rid of the stringy bits.
Next, add the tofu into a large mixing bowl, together with nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp olive oil, soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. the nutritional yeast will give the mixture a cheesy flavor, while the soy sauce adds depth and umami. Blend it until you get a ricotta-like texture. Taste and adjust to taste. Add in the chopped spinach and dry herbs and mix to combine.
Assemble the Swirl Pie
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) static and line a round baking sheet with parchment paper (The one used here is 22.5 cm / 8.86 inches diameter
Lay out a sheet of filo dough on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush it with a mixture of olive oil and water (2:1 ratio), then place another sheet on top. Spread a portion of the spinach and tofu filling along one edge of the filo stack, leaving a small border. It should look like a long thin sausage, do not over fill it, otherwise it will either be too soggy or break the sheets.
Roll the filo tightly around the filling to form a log, brush the ending to make sure that it sticks to the roll. Then starting from one end, carefully coil the log into a spiral shape and place it in the center of the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat the process with the remaining filo sheets and filling, coiling each new log around the previous one to create a larger swirl. Continue until all the filling is used and you have a large spiral on your baking sheet.
3. Bake and Serve
Once assembled, brush the top of the pie with more olive oil. This step is crucial for achieving that golden, crispy crust that everyone loves. Sprinkle the za’atar evenly over the top for a final burst of flavor.
Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy. For the last 10 minutes, move it to the bottom of the oven, to ensure that it bakes properly on the bottom.
Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. This pie is best enjoyed warm, when the filling is soft and the filo is at its crispiest.
Tips for Success
- Don’t Overfill: Adding too much filling can make the dough difficult to roll and can cause the pie to become soggy.
- Get Creative with Fillings: While spinach and tofu are a classic combo, feel free to experiment with other vegetables, herbs, or even plant-based cheeses for different flavor profiles
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I love to see recreations and share them!
Vegan Borek Inspired Swirl Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-12 filo pastry sheets
- 600 g frozen spinach
- 300 g firm tofu
- 6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Zaatar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp mixed dry herbs such as a mix of thyme, majoram, parsley, oregano, basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by thawing the frozen spinach. You can either let it thaw in the fridge or boil it in boiling water until soft. Make sure to squeeze out any excess water to avoid a soggy filling. Then chop it roughly, we want to get rid of the stringy bits.
- Next, add the tofu into a large mixing bowl, together with nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp olive oil, soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. the nutritional yeast will give the mixture a cheesy flavor, while the soy sauce adds depth and umami. Blend it until you get a ricotta-like texture. Taste and adjust to taste. Add in the chopped spinach and dry herbs and mix to combine.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)static and line a round baking sheet/ pied dish with parchment paper. (The one used here is 22.5 cm / 8.86 inches diameter)
- Lay out a sheet of filo pastry on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush it with a mixture of olive oil and water (2:1 ratio), then place another sheet on top. Spread a portion of the spinach and tofu filling along one edge of the filo stack, leaving a small border. It should look like a long thin sausage, do not over fill it, otherwise it will either be too soggy or break the sheets.
- Roll the filo tightly around the filling to form a log, brush the ending wiht the oil and water mixture to make sure that it sticks to the roll. Then starting from one end, carefully coil the log into a spiral shape and place it in the center of the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat the process with the remaining filo sheets and filling, placing each new log around the previous one to create a larger swirl. Continue until all the filling is used and you have a large spiral on your baking sheet.
- Once assembled, brush the top of the pie with more olive oil. This step is crucial for achieving that golden, crispy crust that everyone loves. Sprinkle the za’atar evenly over the top for a final burst of flavor.
- Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy. The smell that will fill your kitchen as it bakes is absolutely irresistible! For the last 10 minutes, move it to the bottom of the oven, to ensure that it bakes properly on the bottom
- Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. This pie is best enjoyed warm, when the filling is soft and the phyllo is at its crispiest.
Hi Francesca. Want to make the coiled tofu spinach pie. The picture shows the coil placed in a pie pan. In the directions it says on baking sheet. Which is way to bake the pie? If pan, what size?
Thank you
Hi! Yes you can use both, the round one I used is 22.5 cm / 8.86 inches diameter. You can also use a regular one, a round one helps to keep the pieces more closely together but it works on a rectangular baking sheet too.
It looks exactly how I like food!
I’ll take it to a friend’s party this week.
Thank you so much!! 😃🌺