* This is a sponsored post for Quorn *
When it comes to party food, vol-au-vents are a must! This vegetarian version, featuring Quorn Finely Sliced Ham, is creamy and cheesy and will be a delicious addition to your Coronation celebrations or any party you might be having. Vegetarian Vol au Vents look far fancier than they are, as they are actually pretty easy to make.
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What are Vol-au Vents?
Vol-au-vents (also known as volovants) are tasty, crispy little canapés made from a puff pastry case and stuffed with a variety of different fillings. Translated into English as 'flight in the wind', this refers to how light and delicate they are.
If you went to a dinner party in the 1980s then you probably would have been served these, along with a prawn cocktail and black forest gateau. But, we think this classic should still be enjoyed, as it's versatile and pretty easy once you have made the cases a couple of times.
If you are looking for more vegetarian party food recipes, why not try our Melba Toast, Cheese Straws or Mushroom Tartlets?
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Why you will love them
- Easy - These might look fancy, but they are actually pretty easy to make once you get a hang of the pastry. And the vol au vent filling is super easy. You could even use ready made vol au vent cases to make it even easier.
- Adaptable - Use this vol au vent recipe as a base and then adapt it with the suggestions we have given below.
- Vegetarian option - Party food is usually quite meat based, but this vegetarian vol au vent filling means it's a great choice for those that want a meat free option.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Puff pastry - When it comes to party food, there is usually a lot to make to we want to take time saving hacks where we can. Whilst you can make your own pastry, if you want, using good quality store bought puff pastry will save you hours.
- Egg - This helps the pastry to get lovely golden brown.
- Oil - This is what the shallots and mushrooms are cooked in. You could use butter which would have a richer flavour.
- Shallots - These add a nice sweetness to the filling, but they could be swapped for a very small brown onion instead.
- Mushrooms - These add a lovely chunky texture to the vegetarian vol au vents and we have used shiitake mushrooms for something a little fancy.
- Quorn Finely Sliced Ham Style Slices - A great vegetarian protein source, we have added some Quorn Finely Sliced Ham Style Slices into our vegetarian vol au vents. Party food can be quite meat heavy, so this is an easy way to add a meat free option that both vegetarians and meat eaters will love. More on Quorn and their party food options below.
- Cream cheese - This makes for a really creamy sauce. We used a garlic and herb cream cheese for extra flavour. Try to use a good quality brand, rather than super market own because it will be thicker and creamier.
- Grated cheese - The more cheese the better, right? We used a Continental grated cheese blend which included Edam, Emmental and Gouda, and they add a lot of flavour. Make sure the brand you are using is vegetarian though, to keep this a vegetarian dish.
- Milk - This helps to loosen up the sauce a little.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season.
- Parsley - We scattered these vol au vents with some fresh parsley before serving to lighten them up and make them look more presentable too.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make vegetarian vol au vents - Step by step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
One: Roll out the puff pastry and cut each sheet into three equal rectangles.
Two: Brush one piece with egg and top with a second piece of pastry. Brush this one with egg and top with the third piece of pastry. Brush with egg again. Repeat with the other three pieces, so you have two stacks of three pieces of pastry.
Three: Use a 7cm/2.75in cookie cutter to cut out disks from the pastry (a). Use a 5cm/2in cookie cutter and lightly press into the disks, about ¾ of the way through (b). DO NOT cut all the way through!
Four: Put the disks onto the baking tray and into the oven. Bake for 22-23 minutes until slightly golden brown (a). Use a sharp knife to gently cut out the inner circle (b). Either discard, or use as a lid for your vol au vents. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes.
Five: Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms and shallots. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
Six: Add the Quorn Finely Sliced Ham, both cheeses, milk, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cheese has melted.
Seven: Leave the mushroom mixture to cool for a couple of minutes. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cooked vol au vent cases. Top with chopped parsley (optional).
Quorn
We are big fans of Quorn products in the HHH house. From making meat free versions of family favourites like spaghetti bolognese and shepherd's pie with their Vegetarian Mince, to making homemade curries with their Vegetarian Chicken Pieces.
But when it comes to a picnic or party platter, Quorn have got us covered too. We love their Deli Food, with the Quorn Picnic Eggs and Quorn Cocktail Sausages being a favourite with our kids.
For meat free sandwiches and wraps, we love using the Roast Beef Style Slices and the Quorn Finely Sliced Ham Style Slices, which is what we have used in these vegetarian vol au vents.
This succulent and full of flavour meat-free ham is high in protein, low in sat fat, a source of fibre and also vegan (although this dish isn't vegan). The whole Quorn range is SO versatile, which is one of the many reasons we love it. Check out the Quorn Website for more information on the new deli range.
Variations
Firstly, if you are making these in a rush then you can skip the making your own vol au vent cases step and just use store bought and make your own filling. However, making your own really does give that incredible light and crispy case that everyone knows and loves.
When it comes to the filling, this is really adaptable. Feel free to change the cheese that is used. A mature cheddar is great, as it has such a strong flavour and a little goes a long way. Stilton is also a really good choice, and it goes well with the mushrooms. You could even add some chopped up Quorn Cocktail Sausages.
We made larger vol au vents (although you can still eat them with your hands the way party food is meant to be eaten), however if you wanted to make mini bite sized ones, then you can. We actually did both - we made 8 larger ones like in this recipe, and then with the pastry offcuts that were left over, we made 8 mini ones.
Serving Suggestions
These vegetarian vol au vents are a must on any party food table, especially during the Coronation. Why not serve them on our Vegetarian Charcuterie Board?
Then, why not serve with a Fruit Platter for dessert?
Storage
Store: The filling can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving. If you do have any made up vol au vents left, then will keep in an air tight container for 2 days too.
Freeze: These do not freeze well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these can be made in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. You can also make the pastry cases and vol au vent fillings separately in advance and then make them up just before serving.
Yes, you can. Just follow the cooking instructions on them.
This is fairly flexible. As long as you have 2 cookie cutters, one slightly smaller than the other, this will be fine. Just try not to make them too big, as they are meant to be party food.
How much vol au vent filling goes into each case depends on how big you made yours. We found 2 teaspoons in each was about right.
Extra tips
• This recipe calls for two 320g packs of puff pastry, but not all is used. We have calculated the correct nutritional information to reflect exactly how much pastry has been used.
• Allow the vol au vent cases to cool for a minute or two before adding the filling.
• We used two teaspoons to add the filling to the cases which makes it a bit easier.
• If you want to add a bit of spice to these, why not add a pinch of Peri Peri seasoning?
• You could use sour cream instead of cream cheese if you prefer.
• Use a frilled cookie cutter for a different shape.
More puff pastry recipes
If you've tried this vegetarian vol au vent recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Vegetarian Vol au Vents
Ingredients
- 640 g (1.5 lb) of Puff pastry - (320g/11.25oz per pack)
- 1 Egg - whisked
- 1 teaspoon of Olive oil
- 140 g (5 oz) of Shiitake mushrooms - finely diced
- 3 Shallots - finely diced
- 120 g (4.25 oz) of Quorn Finely Sliced Ham Style Slices - chopped
- 100 g (0.5 cups) of Cream cheese
- 80 g (0.75 cups) of Cheese - mixed types; grated
- 2 tablespoon of Milk
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley - finely chopped; to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Roll out 640 g of Puff pastry and cut each sheet into three equal rectangles.
- Whisk 1 Egg Brush one piece of pastry with the egg and top with a second piece of pastry. Brush this one with egg and top with the third piece of pastry. Brush with egg again. Repeat with the other three pieces, so you have two stacks of three pieces of pastry.
- Use a 7cm/2.75in cookie cutter to cut out disks from the pastry. Use a 5cm/2in cookie cutter and lightly press into the disks, about ¾ of the way through (b). DO NOT cut all the way through!
- Put the disks onto the baking tray and into the oven. Bake for 22-23 minutes until slightly golden brown (a). Use a sharp knife to gently cut out the inner circle (b). Either discard, or use as a lid for your vol au vents.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes.
- Heat 1 tsp of Olive oil in a frying pan and add 140 g of Shiitake mushrooms and 3 Shallots. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the 120 g of Quorn Finely Sliced Ham Style Slices, 100 g of Cream cheese, 80 g of Cheese, 2 tbsp of Milk and 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cheese has melted.
- Leave the mushroom mixture to cool for a couple of minutes. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cooked vol au vent cases.
- Top with Fresh parsley (optional).
Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for two 320g packs of puff pastry, but not all is used. We have calculated the correct nutritional information to reflect exactly how much pastry has been used.
- Allow the vol au vent cases to cool for a minute or two before adding the filling.
- We used two teaspoons to add the filling to the cases which makes it a bit easier.
- If you want to add a bit of spice to these, why not add a pinch of Peri Peri seasoning?
- You could use sour cream instead of cream cheese if you prefer.
- Use a frilled cookie cutter for a different shape.
Nutritional Information
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We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Hayley Dhanecha says
Homemade is always best, we tried these vegetarian vol-au-vents over the weekend, so delicious!
Daniela Modesto says
This is an excellent addition to my party food recipes and one that will be on repeat!
Suja md says
Better than store-bought and so much more wholesome! Loving these!
Mahy says
It's been a while since I was surprised with a recipe. These vol-au-vents are magnificent!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I've always loved vol au vents at parties and I really like this vegetarian version, especially the mushrooms.
Jess says
This Vegetarian Vol au Vents recipe looks like a tasty and elegant appetizer that would be perfect for a party or a fancy dinner.
TAYLER ROSS says
I've been trying to cut back on meat lately, and these vol au vents look like the perfect way to do it! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
So delicious and easy! I actually used real ham, but love that you have a vegetarian version!
Holley says
This is such a tasty and different kind of appetizer I was looking for! My party guests LOVED these!
Whitney says
The garlic and herb cream cheese really does give this recipe an extra zing, these are delicious!!