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    Home » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Finger Food » Vegan Blini Toppings (with a vegan blini recipe)

    Vegan Blini Toppings (with a vegan blini recipe)

    Published: Jan 10, 2012 · Modified: Mar 25, 2022 by Kate Ford · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Vegan Blini Toppings
    JUMP TO RECIPE JUMP TO VIDEO PRINT RECIPE BOOKMARK SAVED!
    pinterest pin for vegan blinis

    This selection of quick and easy vegan blini toppings are simple to make and will impress your guests! Includes a recipe for easy vegan blinis.

    🍴Why you will love this recipe

    Blinis are perfect party food - little buckwheat pancakes topped with an array of pretty and delicious toppings.

    Whilst traditional blinis (and shop-bought blinis) contain milk and eggs, it is very easy indeed to make a vegan version, and to top them with all sorts of delicious things.

    Below you will find a recipe and step-by-step instructions for making traditional buckwheat blinis with yeast. Whilst it is possible to replicate a blini-type pancake using plain flour and baking powder, once you've tried a yeasted buckwheat blini you will agree there is no comparison.

    Whilst faffing around with yeast might sound like something to avoid when you have guests coming over, in fact these pretty little blinis couldn't be easier to make - just a minute or two of hands-on time mixing the batter, then 45 minutes in a warm place, then dollop the mixture into the pan. So easy, and so impressive!

    Jump to:
    • 🍴Why you will love this recipe
    • 📝 What you need to make vegan blinis
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 How to make your vegan blinis
    • 🥂 5 Easy Vegan Blini Toppings
    • 🔪 Top Tips & FAQs
    • 🍽 If you liked that...
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews
    ingredients for vegan blinis

    📝 What you need to make vegan blinis

    Strong White Flour is important to get the right gluten content to give a good rise for the lightest, fluffiest blinis - don't substitute this for anything else. It is sometimes called bread flour.

    Buckwheat Flour is traditional for blinis and has a deliciously nutty flavour. It is more expensive than most flours, but you can substitute in rye flour or wholewheat flour instead.

    Yeast Use a 'fast acting' or 'instant' yeast here - you can buy it in a tub or sachets in most supermarkets.

    Vegan Yoghurt adds a slightly sour flavour and replaces the eggs in this recipe - use an unsweetened soya yoghurt for best results.

    Plant Milk Use an unsweetened plant milk - soya gives best results (as it has the highest protein content) but any oat or nut milk will be fine.

    👩🏽‍🍳 How to make your vegan blinis

    For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page 👇🏼.

    sift flours and mix wet ingredients

    Sieve the flours into a large bowl and add the yeast and salt. In a small bowl mix the vegan yoghurt and dairy-free milk, and warm in the microwave for 1 minute.

    mix batter and leave to rise

    Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until smooth, then cover and leave in a warm place for around 45 minutes until the batter has risen and small bubbles have formed on the surface.

    fry until golden

    Heat a little of the vegan butter in a large frying pan and drop in small dollops of batter in. Cook for a minute then flip over. When they are golden brown and cooked through, remove and wrap in a clean tea towel to keep them soft.

    🥂 5 Easy Vegan Blini Toppings

    These five vegan blini toppings are simple to make and totally delicious. You don't need to make all five, just choose those you like the look of to make a mixed platter.

    For the full instructions on how to make these blini toppings, scroll to the bottom of the page 👇🏼.

    carrot vegan smoked salmon

    Carrot 'Smoked Salmon' and Vegan Cream Cheese

    Whilst this isn't claiming to be a perfect vegan replica of smoked salmon, it is an easy way to get a really tasty canapé that looks fantastic! Lemon and nori (seaweed) give a subtle fishy flavour.

    lentil vegan caviar

    Lentil 'Caviar' with lemony oat crème fraiche

    Similarly, this vegan 'caviar' is actually a quick puy lentil salad in a tasty balsamic dressing, a touch of nori, and served with a lemony oat crème fraiche.

    shiitake cucumber

    Glazed Shiitake and Cucumber

    These meaty shiitake mushrooms are cooked in a splash of soy sauce. Perfectly paired with cucumber spears and a vegan cream cheese.

    vegan pastrami pickle

    Vegan Pastrami and Gherkin

    A good-quality vegan pastrami that is widely available in supermarkets makes a perfect pair with mini cocktail gherkins and vegan cream cheese.

    beetroot walnut caper

    Beetroot, Walnut and Caper

    Totally delicious, a slice of cooked beetroot is topped with a mixture of walnuts, capers and vegan cream cheese.

    No-Cook Vegan Blini Toppings

    Or if you prefer some very simple blini ideas that need no cooking at all, how about:

    • Hummus and sun-dried tomato A dollop of good-quality shop-bought hummus with thin slices of sun-dried tomato curled on top.
    • Avocado and baby tomatoes Mash an avocado and season well with salt and black pepper. Top each blini with a slice of avocado and half a baby tomato.
    • Roasted Peppers and vegan cream cheese Use slices of roasted pepper from a jar, and arrange on top of a dollop of vegan cream cheese.

    Cheat's Blinis

    If you're in a real rush and don't have time to make blinis, you could simply use Ritz Biscuits (which are vegan - the plain, not the cheese version), and top with any of these toppings, to make very quick and easy vegan party nibbles!

    🔪 Top Tips & FAQs

    Try to serve them fairly soon after cooking, and once the toppings are on, serve immediately. To prevent sogginess, if your party is likely to be a long, grazing-type affair, how about leaving the blinis plain with toppings around them, on a 'make your own blini' station?

    You can wrap your blinis in a clean tea towel when they come out of the pan, to keep them soft and warm until serving.

    Vegan Blini Toppings
    Can I make the blini batter ahead of time?

    Yes - as it is a yeasted batter, you can speed up or slow down the fermentation time by changing the temperature. So, if you want to make the batter 8 hours in advance, just keep it in the fridge until cooking time, where it will do a long, slow prove which actually enhances the flavour and texture of your blinis.

    Can I freeze my vegan blinis?

    Yes - whilst they will always be at their best straight out of the pan, you can freeze blinis successfully. Lay them in a single layer on a baking tray covered in baking parchment/greaseproof paper. As soon as they are frozen through, transfer them to an airtight container or bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, just pop them in the oven straight from frozen, and cook for 7-8 minutes.

    Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.

    🍽 If you liked that...

    .... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:

    Vegan Sushi
    Easy Vegan Sushi Platter
    Vegan Slider Recipe
    Vegan Sliders - mini bean burgers
    Vegan Sausage Rolls
    Vegan Sausage Rolls with sage and red onion
    The best recipes for vegan canapés and party food - from elaborate, showstopping canapés to easy throw-it-all-together vegan party snacks. All you need now is the prosecco! #Vegan #TheVegSpace
    63 Vegan Canapés and party food

    📖 Recipe

    vegan blini toppings

    Vegan Blini Toppings (and easy vegan blinis)

    Kate Ford | The Veg Space
    This selection of quick and easy vegan blini toppings are simple to make and will impress your guests! Includes a recipe for easy vegan blinis.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Canapé
    Cuisine British
    Servings 20 blinis
    Calories 83 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the blinis:

    • 110 g strong white flour sometimes called bread flour
    • 55 g buckwheat flour or rye or wholemeal flour
    • 5 g fast acting / instant yeast 1 tsp
    • 180 g dairy-free yoghurt (unsweetened) soya works best
    • 160 ml dairy-free milk (unsweetened) soya works best
    • 1 tablespoon vegan butter / block margarine

    Topping 1: Carrot 'Smoked Salmon' and Vegan Cream Cheese

    • 1 carrot
    • ½ lemon
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke optional
    • ½ small sheet nori (seaweed) optional
    • 1 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
    • vegan cream cheese I like nut-based cream cheeses like Nush

    Topping 2: Lentil 'Caviar' with lemony oat crème fraiche

    • 3 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • ½ small sheet nori (seaweed)
    • 70 g cooked puy lentils or puy/lentil quinoa mix - from a pouch
    • oat crème fraiche I like Oatly Creamy Oat Fraiche
    • ½ lemon

    Topping 3: Glazed Shiitake and Cucumber

    • 1 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
    • 4 shiitake mushrooms
    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
    • cucumber
    • vegan cream cheese I like nut-based cream cheeses like Nush

    Topping 4: Vegan Pastrami and Gherkin

    • vegan cream cheese I like nut-based cream cheeses like Nush
    • vegan pastrami slices I like Squeaky Bean Pastrami, available in most supermarkets
    • cocktail gherkins

    Topping 5: Beetroot, Walnut and Caper

    • 1 cooked beetroot
    • 15 g walnuts
    • 2 teaspoon capers
    • 2 tablespoon vegan cream cheese I like nut-based cream cheeses like Nush

    Instructions
     

    To make the blinis:

    • Sift the strong white flour and buckwheat flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast and salt and mix.
    • In a small bowl or jug, mix the vegan yoghurt and vegan milk. Warm in the microwave for 1 minute.
    • Mix the warm yoghurt and milk into the dry ingredients until smooth, then cover and leave in a fairly warm place for 45-60 minutes, until well risen with small bubbles on the surface. (Or to make ahead of time, place in the fridge for 8 hours).
    • Heat a small amount of vegan butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, and drop in blobs of batter (about 1 tablespoon each). Cook for a minute until small bubbles appear on the surface, then flip over and cook the other side until golden brown and cooked through. Continue until all the batter has been used up.

    Topping 1: Carrot 'Smoked Salmon' and Vegan Cream Cheese

    • Peel and trim the carrot, then use the peeler to cut it into long, thin strips.
    • In a mini-chopper or small blender, blitz the lemon juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, (and liquid smoke and nori if using) - or crush the nori and whisk by hand. Tip into an airtight tub or container then toss through the carrot strips until fully coated. Season well with salt and black pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer.
    • Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the carrot strips and all the marinade. Cook gently for 4-5 minutes until the carrot is fairly soft.
    • Spread the blinis with vegan cream cheese, then arrange the carrot smoked salmon on top.

    Topping 2: Lentil 'Caviar' with lemony oat crème fraiche

    • In a mini-chopper or blender, blitz the oil, balsamic and nori (if using) until smooth, (or crush the nori and whisk by hand).
    • Stir the dressing through the cooked puy lentils, and season well with salt and black pepper.
    • Mix the oat crème fraiche and lemon juice together.
    • Top each blini with a teaspoon of lentil 'caviar' and a teaspoon of lemony crème fraiche.

    Topping 3: Glazed Shiitake and Cucumber

    • Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
    • Clean and halve the shiitake mushrooms and fry gently for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the soy sauce and let it bubble until the mushrooms are fully coated in a sticky glaze. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    • Cut a length of cucumber, quarter and remove the fleshy seeds in the centre, then slice into very fine matchsticks.
    • Spread each blini with vegan cream cheese, then top with two shiitake mushroom halves and two cucumber matchsticks.

    Topping 4: Vegan Pastrami and Gherkin

    • Spread each blini with vegan cream cheese.
    • Tear the vegan pastrami into long strips, and arrange on the blini, alongside a cocktail gherkin.

    Topping 5: Beetroot, Walnut and Caper

    • Slice the cooked beetroot into round slices, and lay on a sheet of kitchen paper to drain any excess juice.
    • Roughly chop the walnuts and capers.
    • In a small bowl mix the walnuts, capers and vegan cream cheese.
    • Top each blini with a beetroot slice and a teaspoon of the walnut and caper mixture.

    ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

    Video

    Notes

    Try to serve them fairly soon after cooking, and once the toppings are on, serve immediately. To prevent sogginess, if your party is likely to be a long, grazing-type affair, how about leaving the blinis plain with toppings around them, on a 'make your own blini' station?
    You can wrap your blinis in a clean tea towel when they come out of the pan, to keep them soft and warm until serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bliniCalories: 83kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 101mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 536IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or #thevegspace
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    About Kate Ford

    Hi! I'm Kate, vegan home cook and blogger behind The Veg Space and author of Vegan in 15. I'm passionate about creating easy vegan recipes that even a first-time cook can follow.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heather Smith Thomassen says

      March 28, 2022 at 8:19 pm

      I'm OK with gluten, but NOT with wheat. Is there no substitute for Strong white bread flour, please?

      Reply
    2. Tania says

      March 25, 2022 at 6:10 pm

      These are perfect for all the festive occasions and summer parties!

      Reply
    3. Keri Bevan says

      March 25, 2022 at 5:31 pm

      These are gorgeous. We made them for a party, and even non vegans loved them. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Suja md says

      March 25, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      We really like this recipe. Never knew it was this easy to make. Will be trying without further delay!

      Reply
    5. Nathan says

      March 25, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      These vegan blinis are so cute! I'll definitely have to try that carrot "smoked salmon" variety, but they all look delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    6. Colleen says

      March 25, 2022 at 5:07 pm

      We made the shitake & cucumber version for our party last weekend and they were a hit! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    7. Emily says

      March 25, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      What a beautiful and simple appetizer to share with guests! Thank you for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
    8. kirschplunder says

      October 07, 2012 at 10:37 am

      These look incredible... so elegant and probably very delicious!

      Reply
    9. Sophie says

      January 10, 2012 at 8:45 pm

      They look great! I'm in a beetroot phase at the moment, having it every day!! Especially like the presentation platter too by the way!!

      Reply
      • TheVegSpace says

        January 10, 2012 at 9:34 pm

        Yes the slate is v. cool indeed - already had lots of use!

        Reply
    10. Clare Rudd says

      January 10, 2012 at 9:53 am

      Lovely, bet they tasted delicious and they look fab.

      Reply
      • TheVegSpace says

        January 10, 2012 at 9:33 pm

        Thanks Clare!

        Reply

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