Before starting the experiment with this vegan Gibanica, I couldn’t even imagine that it will turn out so good! I tried to transform tofu into cheese many times before, but it was never so impressive.
It takes only few simple ingredients and a little bit of classic vegan cheese seasoning to make this gorgeous pie. Layers of delicate filo pastry, filled with the most delicious vegan soft cheese, make this vegan Gibanica absolutely irresistible.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
Process soaked cashews, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, salt, vinegar and still water in a blender until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl combine tofu and cashew mixture. Mash the tofu with a fork or potato masher. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Now add caraway seeds and sparkling water. Stir to combine.
Unfold the filo dough and cover it with damp kitchen towel. Keep some water on a side to sprinkle over filo sheets. It is very important not to let your filo dough dry out and get crumbly.
There are several ways to put together vegan Gibanica. I’m gonna show you a fun and easy way.
Depending on a size of your baking dish, place 1 or 2 filo sheets on a bottom of it. Sprinkle with water and brush with a little bit of olive oil.
Then take one filo sheet and crumple it as a piece of paper. Dip it into the tofu mixture, making sure that it soaked up the liquid and the stuffing got stuck inside. Place the ball inside the baking dish and repeat the process. Put the filo balls tightly next to each other until there’s no more space. I used 8 crumpled sheets.
If you got some tofu mixture left, spread it around, filling up any holes. Cover with another filo sheet and tuck the sides in. Brush it generously with oil and sprinkle some caraway seeds and water on top.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
PrintVegan Gibanica (Serbian Cheese Pie)
Vegan Gibanica – Serbian cheese pie made with filo pastry and delicious tofu filling.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Breakfast
- Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 package of filo dough (defrosted)
- 1/2 C raw cashews (soaked for 4–6 hours or overnight)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1–1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 C water
- 450g firm or medium tofu (1lb, drained)
- 1 C sparkling water
- 1 tsp caraway seeds + more for sprinkling
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
- Process soaked cashews, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, salt, vinegar and still water in a blender until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl combine tofu and cashew mixture. Mash the tofu with a fork or potato masher. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
- Now add caraway seeds and sparkling water. Stir to combine.
- Unfold the filo dough and cover it with damp kitchen towel. Keep some water on a side to sprinkle over filo sheets. It is very important not to let your filo dough dry out and get crumbly.
- Depending on a size of your baking dish, place 1 or 2 filo sheets on a bottom of it. Sprinkle with water and brush with a little bit of olive oil.
- Then take one filo sheet and crumple it as a piece of paper. Dip it into the tofu mixture, making sure that it soaked up the liquid and the stuffing got stuck inside. Place the ball inside the baking dish and repeat the process. Put the filo balls tightly next to each other until there’s no more space. I used 8 crumpled sheets.
- If you got some tofu mixture left, spread it around, filling up any holes. Cover with another filo sheet and tuck the sides in. Brush it generously with oil and sprinkle some caraway seeds and water on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Nutrition
- Calories: 302
- Sugar: 0.8g
- Sodium: 579mg
- Fat: 12.7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 38.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 10.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
I will have to try this!! I’ve made a bunch of different versions over the years but never with caraway seeds. And I like your method for putting it together too, I’ve done something like that with baklava but never with pita.
This method is the most effortless imo. Let me know how it went!
I love your burger recipe and have checked back periodically for gibanica because when people ask me what I miss being vegan, it is not bacon, but this delicious comfort food from my childhood with my Serbian side. This is outstanding, incredibly simple to make and just as I remember. Now I just need some more red pepper spread!
I’m so glad you liked it! I had no idea how the original gibanica tastes like. Now I know that I succeeded. Thank you!
I’m gonna make Ajvar this summer 😉
Also, let me know what else you want me to veganize next.
Wow! I did everything as told in the recipe and it was soooo good. Thanks for sharing. 👍😀
Yeah it turned out great from the first try. I was surprised as well 🙂