Sandwich Queen: Vegan Kefta Stuffed Rolls
I am a huge fan of International cuisine. I love trying new foods and local fare no matter if it’s in the U.S. or overseas. I’ve been wanting to do a sandwich with some International flavors for some time now, so when I read an article about a Moroccan Kefta sandwich I knew I wanted to give it a shot!
Kefta is a type of seasoned meat such as ground beef or lamb that has been mixed with cumin and coriander and is often found in Middle Eastern dishes. Instead of using a meat I used the same type of seasoning along with crumbled tempeh to give it a meat-like texture.
I love the warm flavors such as cinnamon and cumin and I like the idea of a stuffed sandwich as it’s not something I’ve ever had. This recipe is fairly easy to make, even with making the bread from scratch, but if you are in a time crunch you could probably recreate this with a pre-made biscuit or pizza dough.
The bread is nice and fluffy and the inside is pure comfort food with an exotic twist. The bold flavors prevent the bread from becoming overwhelming – as that’s one reason I’ve never had a stuffed sandwich. I tend to think that sandwiches should be more about the filling than the bread, so the thought of bread completely encompassing the goodies on the inside always seem counter-intuitive to me. These are so delish though that I’m glad I gave it a try!
You can make these in advance and then freeze them after you roll them into balls. If you do freeze them, just take them out and let them sit for at least 1-2 hours or until they’ve thawed and doubled in size. These would be great to take on a picnic or a hike because they are very portable. Enjoy with a side salad or a side of couscous with dates for a truly Moroccan meal! Inspiration for this dish can be found here.
Ingredients
- For the Filling:
- 4oz Tempeh (1/2 package)
- 1/2 small Onion, diced
- 1/2 Green Pepper, diced
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup Warm Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 tbsp Yeast
- 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Earth Balance, melted
Directions
- Make the filling by heating a small amount of water in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add in the diced onion and green pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes, adding more water as needed to keep from burning. Crumble the tempeh and add it to the pan. Mix in the spices and cook for 3-5 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste thoroughly and cook 1-2 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
- Start making the dough by dissolving the yeast in the warm milk. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the milk and yeast mix and the melted butter to the flour mixture and stir well. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with an electric mixer with a dough hook. Place in a an oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and sit a warm spot for at least 1 hour or until dough is doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Separate the dough into 4-6 pieces (depending on how much filling you want in your sammy). Roll each piece out into a 1/4" thick circle that is thinner around the edges and thicker in the middle. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the tempeh mixture to the center and pull the sides of the dough up to cover the filling and twist. Turn the ball over and roll it gently to smooth out the bottom as best as you can. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover the balls with a damp towel and let rise for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size again.
- Brush each ball with a bit of olive oil or melted Earth Balance. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool slightly and serve warm!
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