Vegan Cordon Bleu

We made this vegan cordon bleu with jackfruit and white beans, then stuffed it with vegan cheddar and carrot ribbons. It's so meaty and flavourful, you won't believe it's 100% plant-based.

Vegan Cordon Bleu with Jackfruit

Info

Nutrition per serving
NutrientAmountRDA
Net Carbs30.1 g11%
of which Sugars4.7 g5.2%
Fibers8.6 g30.6%
Fats11.1 g17%
of which Saturates5.4 g26.8%
of which Omega 30.6 g52.3%
Proteins9.9 g21.6%
Calcium80 mg8%
Vitamin A195 mcg27.8%
Vitamin C1 mg2%
Iron4.1 mg27.7%
Potassium521 mg14.9%
Sodium186 mg8.1%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Kcal260 13%
Macro split
  • net carbs 50%
  • sugars 8%
  • fats 19%
  • saturates 9%
  • proteins 17%
  • fibers 14%
*RDA based on a 2000 kcal diet;
**Nutritional data sources: USDA, food labels.
KCAL
260 per serving
TIME
1h
HEALTH

With its crunchy coating, meaty texture, and cheesy filling, cordon bleu is such an irresistible dish. So, we thought, why not make a healthier, plant-based, and dairy-free option? After much experimenting, here is our mouthwatering vegan cordon bleu, sure to surprise you and become your next dinner favourite.

Classic Swiss cordon bleu consists of pound meat like veal, chicken, or pork, wrapped around cheese and ham, then breaded and pan-fried. In our recipe, we made a meat-free base using jackfruit and white beans. Then, we swapped ham and cheese with carrot ribbons and vegan cheddar slices. Finally, we oven-baked the roll instead of frying it to keep the fats low.

After the success of our jackfruit nuggets and burger, we decided to use this versatile tropical fruit once again as a meat substitute. It has a fleshy texture and a neutral flavour, exactly what we need in a plant-based alternative to beef and chicken. We paired jackfruit with white beans to balance the cordon bleu with a source of proteins and add creaminess.

We blended jackfruit and beans with nutritional yeast, wholemeal flour, onion, garlic powder, and olive oil. These ingredients help to give structure, flavour, and richness to the vegan cordon bleu. As for the filling, we found that carrot ribbons make a colourful substitute for ham. Just shave carrots with a potato peeler, and you're done - so easy! You can also use zucchini or mushrooms as a tasty alternative.

Finally, we coated the cordon bleu roll with crunchy breadcrumbs and oven-baked it until golden. The result is a delicious meat-free cordon bleu, full of flavour and texture. It's so meaty and oozing with cheese you won't believe it's 100% vegan.

Enjoy this vegan cordon bleu while it's still warm, cut into slices, and serve it with a side salad. Compared to the classic recipe, ours has half the fats and double the fibres, all in just 265 calories. Awesome!

Ingredients

Adjustments
Serves
Measuring System
Coating
Breadcrumbs40 g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 tsp
Dough
Canned Jackfruit in Water240 g
Canned Cannellini Beans240 g
Wholemeal Flour100 g
Nutritional Yeast4 tbsp
Rapeseed Oil2 tbsp
Onion Powder2 tsp
Garlic Powder2 tsp
Filling
Large Carrot2
Vegan Cheddar Cheese Slices6

Step 1

Peel the carrots and trim off the ends.

Then, use a potato peel to shave the carrots into thin, flat ribbons and set them aside.

how to ribbon carrots with a vegetable peeler

Step 2

Rinse and drain the canned jackfruit and cannellini beans.

Then, add them to a food processor, followed by wholemeal flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and oil (1).

Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and blitz all into a compact dough (2).

Don't worry if the mixture looks chunky at first; just keep blending, scraping down the edges between pulses, and it will turn smooth and uniform.

Then, let the dough set in the fridge for 10 minutes.

vegan cordon bleu ingredients
1
vegan cordon bleu dough
2

Step 3

Spread half of the breadcrumbs onto a large sheet of baking paper.

Then flatten out the dough into a rectangle, 2 cm (1 inch) thick (1).

Now, arrange the carrot ribbons flat onto the dough, slightly overlapping them and covering the whole surface.

Then, top them with the vegan cheese slices (2).

vegan cordon bleu dough rolled out with breadcrumbs
1
vegan cordon bleu with cheese and carrot fillings
2

Step 4

With the short end facing toward you, roll the dough over the filling into a tight log (1).

Then, tuck in the edges and place it seam-side down onto the baking paper.

Now, spread the remaining breadcrumbs over the parchment paper and brush the cordon bleu with oil. Then, roll it over the breadcrumbs until it's well coated (2).

how to roll cordon bleu roll
1
breaded vegan cordon bleu roll
2

Step 5

Finally, bake the cordon bleu for 35 minutes at 200°C (390°F) in static mode or at 180°C (355°F) in fan mode.

Serve it sliced with a side green salad and enjoy.

baked vegan cordon bleu roll

Tips

  • For a gluten-free option, you can swap wholemeal flour with oat flour and breadcrumbs with ground nuts and seeds.

  • Instead of carrots, you could also use sweet potatoes or courgettes.