Cheeseburger Swirls

Cheeseburger Swirls

Okay, these are genuinely one of the most fun things we've made in ages. Imagine a cheeseburger, but rolled up into a gorgeous, golden swirl of pastry with all that classic flavour locked inside. We love making these when we want something a bit different for dinner that still feels totally satisfying and crowd-pleasing. You get that savoury, slightly smoky plant-based mince, the tang of ketchup and mustard, all wrapped up and baked until crispy on the outside and melty in the middle. Honestly, make these tonight and watch them disappear.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment paper
  • Microwave
  • Potato masher
  • Grater
  • Rolling pin

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp tomato ketchup
  • 6 plant-based sausages cooked
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 sheet of plant-based puff pastry
  • 100g plant-based cheese
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 large gherkin
  • plant-based milk to brush
  • sesame seeds

Method

1

For the 'sausages'

  • Put the plant-based sausages in a bowl and microwave them at 900w for 90 seconds
  • Take the sausages out of the microwave add the salt, pepper, ketchup and mustard to the bowl and mash everything together with a fork to form a minc
2

Fry the mince

  • Warm some olive oil in a frying pan, add the prepared mince and fry for 5-7 minutes until it has begun to brown
  • Put the pan to one side
3

For the pastry

  • Roll the sheet of puff pastry out on the baking paper it comes packaged in
  • Sprinkle the mince evenly over the sheet of puff pastry
  • Grate the cheese evenly all over the mince
4

Cooking the pastry

  • Finely dice the red onion and the pickles and sprinkle them over the top of the cheese
  • Carefully and tightly roll the pastry up into a big log
  • Cut the log into 10 slices, transfer the slices onto a lined baking sheet, brush the slices with dairy free milk, sprinkle over sesame seeds and put the baking sheet in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the swirls are golden brown
5

Time to serve

  • Take the swirls out of the oven and serve with dipping sauce

Tips & Variations

  • Get the mince properly brown: Don't rush the frying stage. Give the mince a good 5 to 7 minutes in the pan and let it actually colour up. That's where the flavour comes from.
  • Make it extra cheesy: We find a generous layer of vegan cheese inside the swirls makes all the difference. Don't be shy with it, more is more here.
  • Serve with a dipping sauce: These are brilliant with extra ketchup, mustard, or a quick vegan burger sauce on the side. Ian always puts out a little bowl of each and it turns dinner into a proper event.

Why This Works

The trick is microwaving the sausages first to soften them up so they mash down into a proper mince texture, which means you get even browning when you fry them off. That combination of ketchup and mustard stirred right into the mince is what gives you that unmistakable cheeseburger flavour in every single bite. Trust us on this one, it's a simple step that makes a massive difference.