Looking for a quick, tasty flavour-packed snack? This month on the blog, every recipe features just 4 or 5 ingredients and we’re kicking things off with these 4-Ingredient Vegan Pesto Puff Pastry Twists. They’re my plant-based spin on my all time favourite – my original pesto twists. Just like the original twists, they’re golden, crisp, and bursting with green goodness but this time, they’re completely dairy-free and vegan-friendly. With only four simple ingredients, they come together in minutes, making them perfect for a last-minute appetiser, snack or party food that everyone will love.
Pesto twists are my quintessential party bite, if I invite you (or for that matter, you invite me) for drinks you can be pretty sure that I’ll present you with a plate of golden, flaky pesto twists.
A few months back, we were invited for drinks and one of our hosts had a dairy allergy. I still wanted to take my signature snack, but I knew I’d have to give them a dairy-free twist (pun intended!)
After a little investigating, I discovered that regular puff pastry here in the UK is vegan because they use vegetable fat instead of butter (but of course, always check the label to be sure.) Mind blown! From there it was easy – simply swap regular pesto for vegan pesto (I like making my own but a good shop-bought option works too.)
Instead of sprinkling cheese in and on the twists, the vegan version uses nutritional yeast flakes which are affordable, packed with flavour and add a lovely, cheesy note without the dairy. Finally, the twists are brushed with egg or for a vegan twist, your plant milk of choice to give them that gorgeous golden colour in the oven.
These vegan pesto twists aren’t just quick and tasty – they’re also a little bit festive. With their beautiful golden pastry and vibrant green pesto swirl, they look right at home on a Christmas buffet or party platter. They’re easy to batch-bake, freezer-friendly, and are always a hit with guests, which makes them perfect for the holidays. Serve them warm straight from the oven with a glass of fizz, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate Christmas party snack.
I honestly make these vegan pesto puff pastry twists just as often as my regular pesto version now -they’re every bit as flaky, cheesy-tasting, and crowd-pleasing. They freeze beautifully too, so I love keeping a stash on hand for last-minute guests or quick snacks.
Perfect for holiday parties, Christmas buffets, or a festive sharing platter, these twists are proof that no one has to miss out on a festive, delicious treat. This simple 4-ingredient recipe has all the flavour but none of the dairy – now everyone can have their pesto twists and eat them!
Do you have a signature snack? What’s your favourite way to use a sheet of pastry?
Makes 20 twists
Ingredients
1 x 320g ready rolled sheet puff pastry
6-8 tablespoons vegan pesto
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2-3 tablespoons plant milk of choice or 1 small egg, beaten
How to
- Preheat oven to 200C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Carefully fold the sheet of pastry in half lengthways (so bring the short edges together.) Cover one half of the pastry with the pesto and sprinkle over some nutritional yeast flakes.
- Fold the other half of the pastry on top and gently press down around the edges to seal.
- Cut the pesto pastry in half width ways and then cut into strips, approximately 1.5cm wide.
- To make the twists, take a strip, twist it at the top, the bottom and in the middle. Place each twist on the baking tray.
- When all the pastry has been twisted, brush the twists with beaten egg or plant milk and sprinkle over some nutritional yeast flakes.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden.
