Vegan Cordon Bleu Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
Completely vegan, these Cordon Bleu are made of cannellini beans and they are an inexpensive alternative to store bought versions.
Let’s admit it, from time to time even us vegans find ourselves craving for some of those comfort foods that we used to have.
When I was a child, cordon bleu were definitely a favourite between me and my brother, and for quite a while now I’ve been meaning to try to make a plant based version completely from scratch (well, if we don’t count store bought vegan ham and cheese actually).
I then started experimenting with cannellini beans to make a version that is also soy free. And here they are: as tasty and cheesy as I remembered.
What are Cordon Bleu
Originally from France, Cordon bleu are white meat cutlets-like (or roulade), typically chicken, filled with ham and cheese.
The name literally translates into “blue ribbon”, a prize that was (and still is today in some country fairs) awarded to those with brilliant culinary skills.
Still today the term is referred to culinary schools in which you can learn French cuisine.
How to make Vegan Cordon Bleu
Obviously our version will be completely cruelty free, and funnily enough it won’t have any chicken, cheese or ham.
Instead, we are going to substitute the chicken meat with a mixture of cannellini beans, wholemeal flour and a bunch of spices and herbs.
This mixture, or thick batter if you like, really comes together in no time and it can be made from both canned or home cooked beans.
It can also be prepared up to two days in advance or you can freeze the vegan cordon bleu for batch cooking.
For the ham part we are going to use store bought vegan slices and the cheese can be either store bought or homemade.
We are then going to coat the our cannellini bean sandwiches in crumbs. Regular bread crumbs, panko bread or even ground vegan corn flakes will all work perfectly.
Finally, we are going to cook our vegan cordon bleu; they can be either deep fry, pan fry, air fry or oven bake.
I personally prefer cooking them in the air fryer as it allows me to cook with less oil and to end up with a product that is gorgeously crispy and fragrant just like it would be deep fried.
I suggest to serve these delicious cordon bleu with a side of salad (bean salad, potato salad or coleslaw salad) or in a burger bun.
Vegan Cordon Bleu Recipe
Ingredients:
300 g Cannellini Beans (cooked and drained – around 150 g dry beans)
70 g Wholemeal Flour (swap for GF oatmeal for a gluten free version)
1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Mustard
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Granules
1/2 tsp Sage (dry)
1/8 tsp White Pepper
1 pinch Celery Salt
1 pinch Nutmeg
Salt to taste (around 1/2 tsp)
…for the filling…
4 slices Vegan Cheese (I used Violife)
4 slices Vegan Ham (I used Quorn)
…to coat…
Vegan Bread Crumbs (use GF bread or ground corn flakes for a gluten free version)
Method:
1. Add the cannellini, all the condiments and spices and 50-60 grams of flour to start with in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. It might require a few rounds where you push down the mixture with a spatula and blend again.
2. Stir in the remaining flour and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes (the mixture will thicken up during this time, so waiting time is important to achieve the perfect shape of the cordon bleu). After this time, the dough should look and feel like a soft short pastry; if it doesn’t, add some more flour to the mixture until you reach a consistency that is workable with the hands and just slightly sticky.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts (you might want to weight the pastry to be precise) and divide each portion into 2. Roll each half to form a ball, then press it flat with the hand on a sheet of parchment paper or film.
4. Place the vegan ham and cheese slices on one half, then arrange the second half on top and press down the edges to merge and seal the two doughs together.
5. Pour enough bread or corn flakes crumbs on a flat plate, then coat each cordon bleu evenly.
6. Spray the bottom of the air fryer with some vegetable oil, then arrange the cordon bleu on the basket, making sure not to overlap them.
7. Spray some oil on top of the cordon bleu and cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), carefully flipping them halfway though and then spray the other side with extra oil as well. The cordon bleu will harden whilst cooking.
8. Serve the vegan cordon bleu hot with a side of salad of your choice. Alternatively you can serve them in a sandwich or burger bun with a kiss of vegan mayo on each bread half and some lettuce for a refreshing touch.
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