Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties

These Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties are truly something amazing and have the texture of actual authentic beef patties without the use of plant-based meats, but using whole food ingredients instead! Wrapped in nicely buttery, curry + herb-infused, flaky crust, and stuffed entirely with a 'meaty' filling that consists of quinoa, carrots, chickpeas, and more; these patties will leave you forgetting that it's totally meat-less and convinced that vegan patties are the new 'foodie' favorite!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links via Amazon for products that I wholeheartedly love.

Whelp, what more can I say about these Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties?! They are just AWESOME! Oh my, OH MY! Seriously, I'm so thrilled to share this recipe with ya'll because after so much trial + error, I've finally mastered the "beef" filling feel without using any store-bought plant-based meats. You wouldn't even realize that these weren't actual beef patties although they are made from simple whole food ingredients like chickpeas, quinoa, carrots, onions, etc. Whew---I feel so accomplished. Haha.

I remember eating these with my husband and us both wondering, where have these patties been all of our lives? I decided to make these patties as authentic as possible to what I grew up eating each summer that I spent in Jamaica and minus a few adjusted/substituted ingredients----these patties taste like the real thing! The crust is SUPER soft, buttery, flaky, and just has the right amount of crunch to them like the ones from Juici Patties in Jamaica, which were my FAVES!!!

And if you're not restricted to a vegan or meatless diet, then I highly recommend trying my Spicy Jamaican Beef Patties, which are the perfect rendition to these vegan patties! However, if you're new to Jamaican cuisine, then I'm sharing my favorite recipes that you should start with to get more acquainted below for you. There's nothing as delicious as homemade Flaky Jamaican Curry Chickpea Kale Veggie Patties---especially when they're achieved in just a few simple steps. This Plant-based Jamaican Oxtail Recipe is the best twist on classic oxtail and It's full of flavor and comfort and entirely meatless.

New to Jamaican Recipes? Try These!

Vegan Jamaican Stew Peas

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Authentic Jamaican Curry Chicken

Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Creamy Jamaican Rasta Pasta

Jamaican Rum Punch Mocktail

These little handheld vegan patties can be a quick breakfast on the go (if you're into savory for breakfast!), a satisfying snack, or a great laidback dinner. Once they’re baked, they can be eaten all week long. With a simple burst in the microwave or oven to warm (for the BEST results), you have a hot and fresh vegan patty all week long.

The Secret to Super Flaky Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties

As you can see, I’m no stranger to homemade patties, pop tarts, or pastries of any sort. Because I’ve made them so many times, I feel like I have completely perfected the recipe. Here's my secret to a super flaky Vegan Jamaican Beef Patty:

GRATE + CUBE THE BUTTER!

Yes---I know. You might be wondering why I've stated this but it works. Since we'll be using 2 vegan buttery sticks (if using) in this recipe, I simply grate 1 stick of butter and cube the other. Honestly, I think that the variation in the butter pieces helps some to melt faster and settle more in the dough, which creates a beautiful flakiness like no other.

To take it a step further, you can add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients and blend it into "peas-like" pieces--leaving out the grated butter for now. Then after the dough has chilled and you've begun rolling it out until a floured surface, simply add the grated butter in, fold a few times and then roll it out. This creates butter in more than one layer which creates a heavenly crust too.

Tips for Making Vegan Jamaican Patties

Here are a few tips for making the perfect at-home vegan Jamaican beef patties:

MAKE YOUR FILLING FIRST!

Because the flaky dough is so sensitive, I like to make my filling first. The vegan butter needs to stay cold to achieve the layers we want, so having the filling ready to go when the dough is ready is essential.

Plus, the filling will need time to cool completely before adding it to the dough. You can gauge the cooled filling’s consistency to ensure it will be perfect for filling the pastry. A filling that is too runny will make a mess, and a filling that is too thick will become dry.

MORE PASTRY FLOUR MEANS MORE FLAKINESS

You’ll see that I use organic all-purpose flour, however you can also use pastry flour as well. I discovered that mixing both flours when experimenting adds to the Jamaican patty flakiness. The pastry flour adds a nice crunchy, flaky outer layer to the pastries.

Also, be sure your vegan butter is VERY COLD and cubed uniformly to achieve that flaky crust. In fact, your plant milk should also be very cold. When making flaky pastry such as pie crust, all ingredients should be chilled to enhance the flakiness of the pastry. This combined with pastry flour makes for the best flaky dough ever!

DIMENSIONS + SHAPE MATTER!

It may seem tedious to get the right size for your patties, however, it makes the world of a difference especially when it comes to how much filling can fit in the centers and the ultimate authentic feel of the patties themselves. Personally, I like to use a small saucepan lid (that has sharp ridges) or a large biscuit cutter to cut out the dough for the perfect size.

When it comes to the shape, you can make these patties squared (if that's your preference), but the authentic shape of Jamaican beef patties are like a crescent. To do this: On one half of the circular dough, lightly brush with vegan 'egg' wash to ensure that they close together best! On the other half of the dough, add 2-3 Tbsps of the vegan 'beef' filling and carefully bend the egg wash half over the side with the filling (creating a half moon shape). Gently press the edges down and using a fork, carefully “crimp” around the edges and place patty onto the baking sheet. Prick tops of patties with a few holes using a fork (this ensures that the filling doesn't burst out of crust while baking). 

Ingredients for Crust

The crust is such an important part of these Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties, especially when it comes to texture. Here's what you'll need:

• All-purpose flour. I use organic flour from Bob’s Red Mill or King's Arthur. For a better flakier texture to your crust, you can add pastry flour to the mix.
• Baking powder. This acts as a leavener + helps to make the dough a bit more fluffy and soft.
• Curry powder. You can use a quality curry powder or turmeric as a substitute, if desired.
• Vegan butter. Make sure your butter is VERY COLD! This is the key to flaky layers. I love buttery sticks from Earth Balance.
• Almond milk. You can use water or other unsweetened dairy-free milk if you like.
• Apple cider vinegar. This adds a tangy buttermilk-like flavor without actual buttermilk. You can use lemon juice instead.

Ingredients for Vegan Jamaican Beef Patty Filling

The ingredients for these vegan patties are important for developing the right flavor notes and texture. Here's what you'll need:

• Herbs + Spices. For the crust + filling it's all about the herb + spice blend, which includes salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, parsley, onion powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, turmeric powder, thyme, and allspice.
• Nutritional yeast. This gives you a slight "cheesy" taste and has great nutrients.
• Browning seasoning. You can find this at specialty markets or online at Amazon.
• Chickpeas. One of my faves! Chickpeas are packed with a host of vitamins, minerals, + fiber and offers a variety of health benefits. They make a great ingredient for the filling.
• Quinoa. It's one of the highest protein whole grains and is so easy to cook. Adds a nice "meaty" feel to dishes.
• Carrots. For a hint of sweetness and helps to create the filling.
• Breadcrumbs. You can buy store-bought breadcrumbs or panko. Or see the notes below the recipe to easily make your own breadcrumbs.
• Brown sugar. I like to use organic sugar.
• Vegetable stock. Use store-bought low-sodium broth or make your own! For added nutrition, add in half the amount in bone broth (non-vegan option---of course).
• Red onion. Substitute with yellow or white if that’s what you have.
• Olive oil. You can also use avocado oil or Grapeseed oil, if you prefer.
• Garlic. You'll be mincing these.
• Thyme. I recommend fresh, but if you only have dried, use a half teaspoon.
• Ginger root. Fresh is best, but you can use ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Flavo Rice. This is optional for Jamaican dishes, but it adds to the signature Jamaican flavor. You can also substitute with all-purpose seasoning.
• Scotch bonnet. If you don't like spice, use less of the peppers. Also, habanero peppers work!

What is Jamaican Curry?

There is no singular recipe for Jamaican curry because all families have their own traditions. However, it is generally a mix of locally-found seasonings. You can find either store-bought mixes or you can season your curry on your own using a variety of flavorings.

Scotch bonnet peppers are found in many Jamaican dishes, so I had to include them in this sauce. They add a sweet-spicy kick, but watch out! These guys can get seriously spicy, especially for those with mild heat tolerance.

Why Do I Need to Burn the Curry?

Whenever using Jamaican curry powder, it's important to burn the powder first to avoid digestive issues for some people because of it's potency. In addition, the "burning" process releases better flavor + color.

SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THESE PATTIES!

Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with these Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, high-powered blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

Tips For Making the Flakiest Crust

• The butter is SUPER important. When it comes to the vegan buttery sticks, ensuring that they are COLD and of course from a great brand is key! For Vegan pastry crusts, I generally go for Earth’s Best Buttery Sticks, which taste like real unsalted butter.
• Adding Shortening works too! Although I tend to use buttery sticks alone, adding shortening or lard adds great wonders as well. All you need is half shortening and half butter.
• Fridge time is an important time! Chilling your dough for an hour at a minimum is so imperative to a flaky crust. Even slightly longer makes for a great advantage.

• Your flours matter, big time! Again, while different brands of flour hydrate differently (causing a slightly different result), ensuring that you mix in all-purpose flour with pastry flour is also just as important. Believe it or not, pastry flour makes a difference and serves a greater purpose!
• SLOWLY pour in liquids, don’t dump it! Gently pouring in the milk-ACV mixture is so imperative. I pour ¼ cup at a time and work the dough with my hands to eyeball how wet or dry everything is.
• The dough can be made in advance, too. If making your crust ahead, you can always store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. No longer!
• Not too Thick or Thin. Ensuring that you roll out a good enough crust is of course a must. Most go by the rule of thumb being ⅛ or so of an inch thickness or even slightly thicker. This helps your crust to the perfect thickness to carry the weight of your filling without compromising flakiness.

Hate Cooking Quinoa in Fears of it Being Bland in Flavor?

OK, so I’ve heard so many people talk about not really being a huge fan of quinoa because it has no taste or the taste is so bland.

Honestly, the KEY is to build flavor for every component of your dish so that together, the flavor is EXPLODING, including with your quinoa.

MY SECRET? Veggie stock or chicken stock (for non-vegan/vegetarian options). Yup. Instead of using water, I just substitute with some sort of stock, adding salt or whatever based on necessity. Trust me, your quinoa will NEVER BE THE SAME after this delicious trick.

10 INGREDIENTS TO KEEP HANDY WHEN MAKING JAMAICAN DISHES

Sharing my top 10 ingredients that are a must-have for making Jamaican dishes and these ingredients do not necessarily need to be gluten or dairy-free, but they are incredibly important in creating authentic and flavorful Jamaican dishes.

How to Store Leftover Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties

Leftover patties can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To serve warm, heat in the microwave, or flat in a toaster oven.

Can I Freeze these Patties?

Absolutely! For longer storage–the patties can be stored in the freezer. After they have baked and are completely cooled, simply place your patties onto a baking sheet (spaced apart) and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip loc bag and reheat when ready to eat!

Can I Make the Crust in a Food Processor?

Oh yes! If using a food processor to incorporate milk to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of milk AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”. With this method, you may not need the entire 1 cup of almond milk.

Other Vegan Recipes That I Love

Love these Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties and want more vegan delights? Here are some of my faves!

• The Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Savory Chickpea Quinoa Buddha Bowl 
• Nashville Hot Cauliflower + Kale Grits
• How to Build a Vegan Brunch Charcuterie Board
• Vegan Pot Pie
• Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Chopped Salad
• Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Loaded Vegan Veggie Soup
• Deconstructed Vegan Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you choose to make these Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love, rate, comment below, + share!

Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties

February 20, 2023 •

By Shanika

4.80 from 20 votes

These homemade, freshly baked Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties are a great contender with their restaurant counterparts. A true family favorite that is easy to make, comes with amazing tips for perfection, and makes for a fun baking experience for everyone who enjoys a spicy flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Serves: 6 vegan patties

Units:

US Customary|Metric

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Ingredients

CRUST:

• 2 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tsps curry powder (For authenticity, it's great to use Jamaican curry)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup COLD vegan butter, cubed + grated (I love using vegan buttery sticks by earth Balance; if using regular butter, cut into pieces)
• 1 cup COLD Almond milk + 2 Tbsps (Be sure to use unsweetened; You can use your fave plant-based milk)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

FILLING:

• 1 (15 oz.) can organic chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled (That's cooking ½ cup of quinoa; See Post for more Tips)
• 1-2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carrot, peeled + chopped
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers, minced (You can also use habanero peppers; reduce amount to lessen spiciness)
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger root (You can sub with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
• ½ cup breadrcumbs
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 cup organic vegetable stock/broth + ¼ cup
• 1 teaspoon organic brown sugar
• 2 Tbsps nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon browning (I love using the Grace brand)
• 2 tsps curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Flavo Riz, optional (You can substitute with all-purpose seasoning!)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon Jamaican hot sauce, optional  (You can also use your favorite hot pepper sauce)

VEGAN 'EGG' WASH:

• 2 Tbsps Almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CRUST:

• In a measuring cup, add the COLD milk and apple cider vinegar, stirring it together until combined and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until "activated" and thickened.
• In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, curry powder, turmeric, parsley, thyme, salt, and black pepper, whisking them all together until combined.
• Add the cubed + grated butter (or pieces of regular vegan butter) and using a pastry blender, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture becomes “peas-like” and crumbly.
• Pour the cold milk mixture and stir (working it together with one hand) until the dry ingredients are moistened. NOTE: If the ingredients feels a little too dry, add 1 tablespoon of cold milk at a time, until it’s moistened BUT not too wet!
• Now, shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it slightly and chill for at least 1 hour. NOTE: The dough will look rather light yellow in color. It will darken and become golden once baked.

MAKE THE FILLING:

• In a food processor, add the chickpeas, cooked quinoa, onions, carrots, garlic cloves, scotch bonnet, ginger root, breadcrumbs, and 1 cup veggie stock, processing until fully broken down and "paste-like" in texture.
• In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil followed by the filling mixture. Add the salt, black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, Flavo Riz (or all-purpose), onion powder, curry powder, nutritional yeast, and allspice, stirring everything together until combined. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the browning, ¼ cup veggie stock, hot sauce, and 2 thyme sprigs, stirring until combined and the filling becomes 'wet' and turns brown in color, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Let the filling cool completely.

TO MAKE THE VEGAN EGG WASH:

• In a bowl, add the milk and maple syrup together, whisking until combined.

ASSEMBLY:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface, rolling it out into a large rectangle (about 3 mm thick). Cut into medium circles (I use a small saucepan cover or a large biscuit cutter---for a smaller patties), until all dough it used.
• On one half of the circular dough, lightly brush with vegan 'egg' wash to ensure that they close together best! On the other half of the dough, add 2-3 Tbsps of the vegan 'beef' filling and carefully bend the egg wash half over the side with the filling (creating a half moon shape). Gently press the edges down and using a fork, carefully “crimp” around the edges and place patty onto the baking sheet. Prick tops of patties with a few holes using a fork (this ensures that the filling doesn't burst out of crust while baking). Repeat until all patties are made.
• Lightly brush all the patties with remaining vegan 'egg' wash and bake in the oven 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the crust looks crispy.
• Once done, remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes (10 minutes or so).
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• STORAGE: Leftover patties can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To serve warm, heat in the microwave, or flat in a toaster oven. 
• FREEZE: For longer storage–the patties can be stored in the freezer. After they have baked and are completely cooled, simply place your patties onto a baking sheet (spaced apart) and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip loc bag and reheat when ready to eat! 
• TURMERIC: While adding turmeric is optional, it definitely has benefits: powerful medicinal properties, natural anti-inflammatory ingredient, increases antioxidant activity in the body, and more.
• FOOD PROCESSOR FOR CRUST: If using a food processor to incorporate milk to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of milk AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”. With this method, you may not need the entire 1 cup of almond milk.
• GRATED + CUBED BUTTER: To create a beautifully crumbly and flaky crust, I suggest grating 1 stick of butter and cutting the second stick into cubes. To grate your butter, add the 1 stick to a freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and using a grater, grate into pieces. 

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2005IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 5mg

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Vegan Jamaican Beef Patties.

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