Satisfy your cravings with the best Vegan Cordon Bleu recipe! This plant-based version of the beloved dish combines the savory goodness of seitan, the smokiness of vegan ham, and the creamy delight of vegan cheese.
Our vegan cordon bleu is a culinary masterpiece that is both delectable and cruelty-free, for those seeking a more compassionate approach to their meals. Plus, making it yourself from scratch will cost you only around $2 per serving!
If you are a fan of making vegan meats at home we recommend you to try our vegan schnitzel, this juicy tofu steak, and these easy crispy vegan chicken wings.
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This post is sponsored by Wellington. A big shoutout to the brands that make The Simple Sprinkle possible!
📋 Ingredients
Before embarking on your culinary adventure to create this mouthwatering vegan cordon bleu, let's dive into the reasons behind the selection of the ingredients:
Seitan:
- Vital Wheat Gluten: The star ingredient that forms the base of your Cordon Bleu. It provides a chewy, meaty texture that is reminiscent of traditional Cordon Bleu.
- Chickpea Flour: Adds a subtle nuttiness and helps bind the seitan together. It's also a source of plant-based protein and complements the overall flavor profile.
- Nutritional Yeast: This not only contributes a hint of savory, umami flavor but also provides essential nutrients like B vitamins.
- Vegan Chicken Broth: Acts as a flavor base for the seitan, infusing it with a delicious poultry-like essence. Opting for vegan chicken broth ensures that your Cordon Bleu remains 100% plant-based. Some popular brands that have a plant-based chicken-style broth include Better Than Bouillon, Edward & Sons, and Organic Imagine.
- Tahini: Provides a creamy and slightly nutty element to the seitan. It also contributes to the overall texture and mouthfeel, making it a wonderful binding agent.
Filling:
- Vegan Ham Slices: These slices bring a smoky and salty element that is quintessential to the traditional Cordon Bleu experience. Choose a store-bought brand like Tofurky or make your own.
- Vegan Swiss-style Cheese: What's Cordon Bleu without the perfect melty cheese? Vegan Swiss-style cheese offers a creamy, slightly nutty flavor that complements the seitan and ham. It's the crowning glory that binds all the flavors together.
Breading:
- Wellington’s Garlic & Herbs Crackers: These delicious and high-quality crackers are crushed to create a crispy and golden exterior for your vegan Cordon Bleu. Their flaky texture adds a delightful crunch to every bite, while their garlic and herbs flavor profile adds extra flavor goodness!
- Season Salt: Season salt brings flavor to the breading!
- Cornstarch: This is a key component for achieving a light and crispy breading that also binds.
- Oat Milk: Acts as the glue that helps the breading adhere to your Cordon Bleu.
- Oil for Frying: Essential for achieving that perfect golden and crispy crust on your Cordon Bleu.
🍴 Substitutions
If you're looking for substitutions or quicker alternatives, we've got you covered:
- Vital Wheat Gluten and Seitan: If you prefer not to make seitan from scratch with vital wheat gluten, use store-bought seitan, tofu, or even store-bought vegan chicken patties. Another option is to make gluten-free seitan.
- Vegan Chicken Broth: If you cannot get any vegan chicken-style broth you can use regular vegetable broth or make vegan chicken broth at home yourself.
- Vegan Ham and Cheese: Feel free to experiment with different vegan ham and cheese brands to find your favorite. You can also play around with different filling ideas!
- Breading: Instead of cracker crumbs, use breadcrumbs or panko for the breading.
- Oat Milk: Any plant-based milk of your choice will work here, such as soy or rice milk.
🥄 Variations
While the classic Vegan Cordon Bleu is a delight in itself, you can explore variations to suit your taste:
- Herb-Infused: Enhance the flavor by adding herbs like thyme and rosemary to the seitan or breading mixture.
- Spicy Kick: If you enjoy a bit of heat, sprinkle some cayenne pepper, chili or paprika into the breading or seitan mixture.
- Mushroom Surprise: Stuff your Cordon Bleu with sautéed mushrooms and vegan cream cheese for a delightful twist. Another great addition to this would be spinach, garlic, and a hint of lemon juice!
- Mediterranean-style: Make a pesto filling with basil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and sun-dried tomatoes. Layer the pesto mixture with vegan mozzarella or a similar cheese substitute.
🍽 Equipment
To successfully create the best Vegan Cordon Bleu, you'll need the following kitchen equipment:
- Mixing bowls for preparing the seitan and breading mixture, as well as a whisk and spatula to combine your ingredients!
- A rolling pin is helpful to flatten the seitan cutlets.
- A food processor for crushing the crackers.
- Shallow dishes for the plant-based milk and breading.
- A non-stick frying pan or skillet for cooking.
- Tongs or a spatula for flipping the Cordon Bleu.
👩🏽🍳 How To Make Vegan Cordon Bleu
Now, let's dive into the step-by-step process of making vegetarian and vegan cordon bleu from scratch at home!
Prepare the Seitan:
1. Start by combining vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, black pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, or measuring cup, whisk together vegan chicken broth, soy sauce, and tahini.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a dough. Knead the dough until it becomes firm and elastic (2 to 4 minutes). Let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. Form the dough into a log shape. Then divide the dough into 6 cutlets and flatten each into a rectangular shape, by rolling it out gently.
Assemble the Cordon Bleu:
1. Place a slice of vegan ham and a slice of vegan Swiss-style cheese on each seitan rectangle.
2. Fold the seitan around the filling, pinching the ends or rolling gently. Make sure it's closed all around, to prevent the cheese from spilling out.
Prepare the Breading:
1. Crush the Wellington’s Traditional Crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor. In a shallow dish, pour the plant-based milk.
2. In another shallow dish, combine the fine cracker crumbs with season salt, cornstarch, garlic and onion powder, and black pepper.
Coat and Bread the Cordon Bleu:
1. Dip each seitan roll into the plant-based milk, ensuring it's well-coated.
2. Roll the coated seitan in the cracker crumb mixture, pressing down gently to adhere to the breading.
Optional: Repeat the dipping and rolling process to double-coat each seitan roll.
Cook the Cordon Bleu:
1. Heat a pan of oil over medium-high heat. If desired, add as much oil as needed until the seitan cordon bleu can swim in it to deep-fry them. Heat oil until it's approx. 180°C/355°F hot.
2. Carefully place the breaded seitan rolls in the hot pan and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes per side. Make sure to check the temperature regularly, so it does not burn.
Serve: Slice and serve your delicious Vegan Cordon Bleu as desired! Check out our serving ideas section below for inspiration.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Air-Frying:
- Preheat your air fryer to the recommended temperature for your appliance, typically around 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly spray or brush the seitan cordon bleu with oil or cooking spray to help them brown and crisp up.
- Place the cordon bleu in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to cook them in batches if your air fryer is small.
- Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.
- The cooking time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model, so keep an eye on them and adjust as needed.
- Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the seitan cordon bleu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a lightly greased baking dish.
- If you want them to be crispier, you can lightly brush or spray them with oil.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and heated through.
Both of these alternative methods will result in a slightly different texture compared to deep-frying, but they can still be delicious and lower in oil. The key is to ensure that the cordon bleu is heated and cooked through, and has a nice crispy exterior!
✨ Sprinkle's Expert Tips
- Be gentle when flattening and shaping the seitan cutlets to avoid tearing.
- Double-coating the seitan rolls in the breading mixture ensures a crispy and flavorful crust!
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the seitan reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
🍽 Serving Ideas
Elevate your Vegan Cordon Bleu dining experience with these serving ideas:
- Roasted Baby Potatoes with Cherry Tomatoes
- Vegan German Potato Salad
- Roasted Baby Corn
- Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms
- It goes well with a variety of vegan Salads!
- Make vegan french fries from scratch and serve your cordon bleu with Vegan Loaded Fries
- Make a Cordon Bleu Burger with these delicious Vegan Burger Buns.
💭 Recipe FAQ
Cordon Bleu is a classic dish that originated in Switzerland and has become popular in many countries. It typically consists of a thin slice of meat (usually chicken or pork) that is wrapped around ham and cheese.
In traditional Cordon Bleu, Swiss cheese or Gruyère cheese is often used. These cheeses have a creamy and nutty flavor that compliments the ham and meat.
And by the way, the French term "Cordon Bleu" means "Blue Ribbon".
It is generally considered a healthier alternative to the traditional meat-based version. It is typically lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, making it a good option for those seeking a lighter, plant-based dish. However, deep frying is not a very healthy cooking method - so keep that in mind when preparing your vegan cordon bleu.
You can find vegan cheese and meat substitutes at most well-stocked grocery stores and health food stores nowadays. Look for dairy-free cheese alternatives, such as vegan Swiss-style or mozzarella-style cheese, and plant-based protein options, such as seitan or tempeh, to use as meat replacements. Additionally, most online retailers, such as amazon, offer a variety of vegan meats and cheeses.
Our recipe for Vegan Cordon Bleu uses vital wheat gluten to make seitan, which is not gluten-free. If you need a gluten-free option, you can explore gluten-free seitan, or you can adapt the recipe to use ingredients like tofu, jackfruit, or vegetables like kohlrabi, which are gluten-free.
Yes, you can prepare the seitan cutlets and assemble the cordon bleu ahead of time, refrigerating them for a day or two or even freezing them!
🥣 Storage and Reheating Instruction
Storage: If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. Consume within a day or two. This dish is best enjoyed fresh and is not suitable for freezing.
Reheating: To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), place the slices or whole Cordon Bleu on a baking sheet, and heat for about 10-20 minutes until heated through.
Freezing: You can freeze both the cooked and uncooked and breaded seitan cutlets. Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet or a tray, ensuring they are not touching each other. Place the baking sheet or tray in the freezer for about 1-2 hours, or until the seitan cutlets are partially frozen.
This helps prevent them from sticking together during long-term storage. Once partially frozen, transfer the cutlets to an airtight freezer-safe containers or freezer bags, separating them with layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Store them for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating after freezing: You can prepare the frozen seitan cutlets with your preferred cooking method frying, baking, or air-frying. You can cook the frozen cutlets without the need for thawing. You may need to increase the cooking time slightly! Make sure your cordon bleu is cooked and heated through.
More Vegan Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Best Vegan Cordon Bleu
Equipment
- 2 shallow dishes
Ingredients
For the Seitan:
- 280 grams vital wheat gluten
- 60 grams chickpea flour
- 15 grams nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
- 1 teaspoon each black pepper and salt
- 480 milliliters vegan chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 40 milliliters tahini
Filling:
- vegan ham slices (e.g. Tofurky or homemade)
- vegan swiss-style cheese (e.g. Chao or Daiya)
For Breading:
- 1 package Wellington Garlic & Herbs Crackers
- 1 teaspoon each season salt and black pepper
- 35 g cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
- 120 ml oat milk
- Oil for frying (or cooking spray)
Instructions
Prepare the Seitan:
- Start by combining vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, black pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, or measuring cup, whisk together vegan chicken broth, soy sauce, and tahini.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a dough. Knead the dough until it becomes firm and elastic (2 to 4 minutes). Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Form the dough into a log shape. Then divide the dough into 6 cutlets and flatten each into a rectangular shape, by rolling it out gently.
Assemble the Cordon Bleu:
- Place a slice of vegan ham and a slice of vegan Swiss-style cheese on each seitan rectangle.
- Fold the seitan around the filling, pinching the ends or rolling gently. Make sure it's closed all around, to prevent the cheese from spilling out.
Prepare the Breading:
- Crush the Wellington’s Traditional Crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor. In a shallow dish, pour the plant-based milk.
- In another shallow dish, combine the fine cracker crumbs with season salt, cornstarch, garlic and onion powder, and black pepper.
Coat and Bread the Cordon Bleu:
- Dip each seitan roll into the plant-based milk, ensuring it's well-coated.
- Roll the coated seitan in the cracker crumb mixture, pressing down gently to adhere to the breading. Optional: Repeat the dipping and rolling process to double-coat each seitan roll.
Cook the Cordon Bleu:
- Heat a pan of oil over medium-high heat. If desired, add as much oil as needed until the seitan cordon bleu can swim in it to deep-fry them. Heat oil until it's approx. 180°C/355°F hot.
- Carefully place the breaded seitan rolls in the hot pan and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes per side. Make sure to check the temperature regularly, so it does not burn.
- Slice and serve your delicious Vegan Cordon Bleu as desired! Check out our serving ideas section in the blog post above for inspiration.
Notes
Alternative Cooking Methods:
-
Air-Frying: Preheat your air fryer to around 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray or brush the seitan cordon bleu with oil or cooking spray for browning and crispiness. Arrange the cordon bleu in a single layer in the air fryer basket, possibly in batches for small air fryers. Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until they turn golden brown and crispy. Be attentive to cooking time variations based on your air fryer model and adjust as needed.
-
Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the seitan cordon bleu on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a greased baking dish. For extra crispiness, lightly brush or spray them with oil. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway, until they become golden brown and thoroughly heated through.
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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