Blitva is a traditional Croatian side dish that stars Swiss chard, potatoes and a lot of garlic. Inspired by this dish, I created a savory vegan puff pastry turnover recipe with potatoes, Swiss chard, garlic and chickpeas. Whether you enjoy these savory turnovers as a snack or a meal, they are easy to execute, absolutely delicious and satisfying.
This recipe makes 8 turnovers.
A few notes…
- ・Not all frozen puff pastry is vegan. In the U.S., Pepperidge Farm Frozen Sheet Puff Pastry is vegan and pretty easy to find at major U.S. grocers.
- ・The vegan cheese is optional, and to your taste. In the past, I have smeared some almond ricotta under the filling, topped it with vegan feta, or used a little vegan parmesan. It adds a nice salty, creamy element, but this savory vegan turnovers recipe is still good without it.
- ・You may have a bit of the filling leftover. If you do, it tastes great on the side.
Discover more UVK recipes, like Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes, Lemon Puffs with Almond Ricotta, Potato Swiss Chard Soup or Mushroom Lentil Pot Pie. And please enjoy this vegan savory turnover recipe 💚
Savory Turnovers with Swiss Chard, Potatoes and Chickpeas
2 cups small dice Yukon gold potatoes
3 cups fake chicken broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
15.5 ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chopped Swiss chard (stems removed)
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
17.3 ounce package of frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed (like Pepperidge Farms Frozen Puff Pastry)
Salt, to taste
Vegan cheese, to taste – optional (see note above)
1. First, you’ll prepare the savory vegan turnover filling. Add the potatoes and broth to a medium saucepan. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Boil for ~7 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain off the broth, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and a dash of salt over medium-low heat. Cook for about 30 seconds to flavor the oil, and then, add the drained potatoes and chickpeas. Cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add ½ the Swiss chard, and cover with a lid for a minute, so the Swiss chard breaks down. Then, stir the chard into the potatoes and chickpeas. Add the remaining Swiss chard, and repeat the process.
4. Stir in the lemon juice, and then, taste the savory turnover filling and make adjustments, if needed (Salt? More lemon juice?).
5. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Then, line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Cut one sheet of puff pastry into 4 equal squares. Cut the second sheet of puff pastry into 4 equal squares. You should have a total of 8 squares (or one for each vegan turnover).
7. Place filling in the center of every square. If you are using vegan cheese, add some at this time. In the photo above, I crumbled some vegan feta.
8. Then, wet your finger, and trace the perimeter of each of the squares. When you fold them over, the wet edges will seal better.
9. Fold puff pastry over the filling to form a triangle. Press together, and then, crimp the edges of the turnover with a fork (see photo above).
10. Place the completed savory vegan turnover on the cookie sheet lined with parchment. Repeat this process until all the puff pastry squares are folded, sealed and crimped.
11. Bake at 400º F for 18-21 minutes or until the vegan savory turnovers are cooked through and crispy. Serve with any leftover filling on the side.
