Savory Leek & Cream Cheese Roll
A savory Swiss roll—why not? Vegan sponge rolls are notoriously tricky, and we've never tried a savory version before. Admittedly, this recipe took us a few attempts, but it was more than worth it. We seem to live in an „upside-down world“ at the office, where we turn sweet desserts into savory must-eats. Alongside the savory cheesecake, savory „Germknödel“, and pizza donuts, a savory Swiss roll had to appear!
What does a perfect Swiss roll need? Elasticity, stability, and, of course, a great taste. You might have noticed two special helpers on our ingredient list: xanthan gum and psyllium husk powder. If you're wondering what they do, xanthan gum is a natural fiber that acts as a thickener and gelling agent – and it was the game-changer that prevented our vegan Swiss roll from tearing. You can find it in organic, health food, pharmacies, drugstores, and large supermarkets. Psyllium husk powder has multiple benefits: it acts as a binder, retains moisture, makes the dough smoother, and adds extra fiber. Did you know you can easily create a vegan egg by mixing one teaspoon of psyllium husk powder with three tablespoons of water?
Now, back to our Swiss roll: Since we can't get enough of the wild garlic season in the office, we decided to add it to the dough and the cream. This gives the roll a beautiful green color and adds that spicy, garlicky note perfect for spring. Did you know that wild garlic, a wild relative of garlic, tastes intense and is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants?
And now for the filling: After we couldn't escape the „braised leek“ trend in recent weeks, braised leek naturally had to make its way into the recipe. What could be better with it than Formo's Frischhain? Formo's vegan cream cheese is a must-have for us – super creamy, spreadable, and turns any Swiss roll, whether sweet or savory, into a real highlight. We enhanced the vegan cream cheese for our recipe with fresh wild garlic, chives, parsley, and a splash of lemon juice.
But enough theory – now it's your turn! Head to the kitchen and try it out. And if you make your version of the vegan Swiss roll, let us know in the comments!
Savory Leek & Cream Cheese Roll
Ingredients
For the Swiss roll:
- 160 g (1.33 cups) wheat flour (type 405)
- 50 g (0.25 cup) cornstarch
- 180 ml (0.75 cup) plant-based milk
- 50 ml (0.25 cup) sparkling water
- 50 g (0.25 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp psyllium husk powder
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 20 g (0.75 oz) wild garlic
- 0.25 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (ground)
For the braised leek:
- 1.5 leeks (medium to large)
- 200 ml (0.75 cup) vegetable broth
- 100 ml (0.5 cup) water
- 1 tbsp light miso paste
- 1 lemon (zest)
- salt
- pepper
For the filling:
- 250 g (1 cup) vegan cream cheese (e.g., Formo)
- 15 g (0.5 oz) fresh wild garlic
- 15 g (0.5 oz) fresh parsley
- 15 g (0.5 oz) fresh chives
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt
- pepper
For the decoration:
- 75 g vegan cream cheese (e.g., Formo) (0.33 cup)
- lemon zest (optional)
- pepper (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 355 °F (convection heat) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, xanthan gum, psyllium husk powder, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and baking soda in a bowl.
Blend the plant milk and wild garlic. Mix the plant-based wild garlic milk, sparkling water, apple cider vinegar, and oil in a separate bowl.
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth, airy, and spreadable but not too runny. Spread the dough evenly on the baking tray and bake for 18 minutes at 180 °C / 355 °F (convection heat), until lightly golden.
While the dough is baking, prepare the leek: Remove the roots and green parts and wash the white stalks thoroughly. Slice the leek into 2–3 cm (1 inch) thick pieces. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leek and sauté for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Pour the vegetable broth, cover the pan, and simmer for 5–7 minutes until most liquid evaporates. Mix miso paste, salt, pepper, and water in a small bowl, then add to the pan. Stir and cook for 3–5 minutes until the liquid becomes shiny and thick. Season the leek with lemon zest, salt, and pepper and let it cool slightly.
Once the dough is out of the oven, wrap it in two damp towels. Lay one towel on the countertop, place the baked dough on top, and cover with the second towel. Carefully roll up the dough with the towels. Let it cool for about 20 minutes until it's cool enough to roll up without breaking.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Finely chop the wild garlic, parsley, and chives and mix them with the cream cheese—season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Once the Swiss roll has cooled completely, carefully unroll it, remove the towels, and spread the herb-cream cheese mixture evenly on the cake base. Leave a wide strip at one short end, as the cream will squeeze out when rolling. Arrange the braised leek pieces in a line on top of the cream, parallel to the edge where you'll roll the dough. Carefully roll up the cake base from the short side, ensuring the cream and leek are fully spread to the edge.
Fill a piping bag with the cream cheese and pipe it over the Swiss roll for the decoration. Season with lemon zest and pepper. Chill the Swiss roll in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Tipp: The Swiss roll is kept in the fridge for several days.
