Is baklava vegan? Everything you need to know about this delicious treat! – 2023

Every country has its own typical dessert. France is known for croissants, Italy for gelato and Portugal for its delicious pastel de nata. But there is another incredibly popular dessert that will make your mouth water, Baklava!

These heavily caloric pastries are extremely popular in the Middle East and Greece but are now available all over the world. But are they vegan?

What is baklava?

Debate is still open as to where baklava originated, with some claiming that it was invented IstanbulOthers believe it has Of Persian or Mongolian origins, and others are strongly convinced that it is derived from something older Roman, Turkish or Persian the cake

Whatever its origin, Baklava is a delicious dessert consisting of layers of phyllo dough interspersed with freshly chopped almonds and topped with a cascade of sweet syrup. But can baklava be enjoyed by vegetarians?

Is baklava vegan?

Unfortunately, we have bad news for you. The original baklava recipe contains several non-vegan ingredients, making this dessert unsuitable for a completely plant-based diet. But, don’t despair.

Thanks to the rise of veganism, today you will Various brands are selling vegan baklava In several countries. If instead, you prefer to save some money, you can do it yourself!
Below you will find our recipe for the perfect vegan baklava, but first, there are a few additional points we still need to discuss.

Non-vegan ingredients in baklava

OK, so we’ve established that baklava is not vegetarian. But what are its animal-derived ingredients?

• Butter: Unfortunately, most baklava recipes surround their phyllo dough layers in butter.
• Egg wash: Egg wash is a liquid made from beaten eggs and a little water, milk or cream. This ingredient is often used for desserts because it is added to baked pastries before they are put in the oven. Egg wash is present in most baklava recipes.
• Honey: Honey is another key ingredient in traditional baklava. In fact, this dessert is often topped with copious amounts of honey syrup.
• Phyllo Dough: Phyllo dough is usually made from flour, water and oil or butter. When oil is used in the dough, there is no problem and the end result can be enjoyed by both vegans and non-vegans alike. However, when butter is used, baklava becomes unsuitable for vegetarians.

Check out other additional ingredients in the store

The above ingredients are the main ones you should look out for when buying baklava at a bakery However, if you are buying your baklava from the supermarket, there are some additional ingredients that you need to pay attention to.

• White Sugar: Unfortunately, white sugar is not always vegan. In fact, its manufacturing process includes an animal-derived material, bone marrow. It is often used to give sugar a white color.
• Glycerin/Glycerol: Used in a variety of products, this ingredient can be derived from both plants and animals. If the label says ‘Vegetarian Glycerin’ then there is no need to worry. Otherwise, you may want to contact the company to double-check.
• Artificial Flavors: Unfortunately, there is no way to know whether artificial flavors were extracted from animal products or not. When in doubt, always contact the manufacturer.
• L-Cysteine: Although it is rarely derived from animals, this amino acid can also be extracted from animal hair or feathers. Often used in bread and other products, it’s always best to avoid it if possible.

Vegan alternatives to homemade baklava

The list of non-vegan ingredients in baklava seems pretty long, but if you’ve been paying close attention, you’ve probably realized that making vegan-friendly baklava isn’t that difficult. Although the original recipe includes butter, egg wash, and honey, none of these ingredients are basic. So, how can you make baklava from the comfort of your apartment?

The key is to replace every animal-derived product with a vegan variant. A few examples?

• Instead of butter, choose vegan butter. Today most supermarkets have a lot of options available so it won’t be too difficult for you to find alternatives.
• When honey comes, the answer is simple. Just use your favorite syrup. The options are endless. You can choose from agave syrup, date syrup, maple syrup and more.
  But how do you make baklava from scratch?

Our vegan baklava recipe

Let’s start with this Make the syrup. You can easily do that by boiling a A cup of water, a cup of sugar (Make sure not to use white sugar), and ½ cup of your favorite syrup. Let it cook until you reach the perfect texture and then let it cool.

Now it’s time for our nut mixture. Traditionally, the Turkish version of baklava uses pistachios, while the Greek version has walnuts, but you can use any nut you like. Walnuts, pistachios, cashews, brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, just get creative! Use a food processor to blend everything together and, if you like, add some sugar and cinnamon to the mixture. Now it’s time to assemble our baklava.

Put some vegan butter on the bottom of your casserole And then add eleven sheets of filo dough (most filo dough on the market is vegan, but make sure to double check.) Repeat the whole process while adding half of your nut mixture and then again. Eleven layers of filo dough and the other half of your nut mixture (Reserve some for the topping). Add the final eleven layers of filo dough and there you are, your baklava is almost ready!

Traditionally, bakers add a thin layer of butter between each sheet, but this can be extremely time-consuming. A good trick is to cut your baklava into small rectangles and melt a good amount of butter and add it on top of your dessert so the syrup can penetrate each layer.

Follow your filo dough box instructions for baking times and once you take your delicious dessert out of the oven, top with some extra nuts and your homemade syrup. Resist all your emotions and wait for your baklava to reach a safe temperature before eating this delicious dish.

In short: is baklava vegan?

Unfortunately, baklava is not vegan. The traditional recipe contains a variety of animal-derived ingredients, from butter to honey and egg wash. However, vegan baklava is quite easy to make. So just roll up your sleeves and make your own delicious vegan version!

Frequently Asked Questions