2(250g or 3 cups) medium leeks(white and light green parts only), sliced
½(300g or 4 cups) cauliflower head, cut into small florets
1½tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
½tspsea salt, plus more for roasted garlic
½tsponion powder
½tspdried oregano
½tspdried basil
⅛tspwhite pepper
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1whole garlic bulbwith top trimmed off
Pasta and Assembly
375g linguini(use gluten-free if desired)
2cupsreserved pasta water
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tbsplemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½tspwhite miso
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cheesy Almond Topping
½cupslivered almonds
1tbspnutritional yeast
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
1tbspmaple syrup
Generous pinch of sea salt
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Roasted Veg
2(250g or 3 cups) medium leeks(white and light green parts only), sliced
½(300g or 4 cups) cauliflower head, cut into small florets
1½tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
½tspsea salt, plus more for roasted garlic
½tsponion powder
½tspdried oregano
½tspdried basil
⅛tspwhite pepper
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1whole garlic bulbwith top trimmed off
Pasta and Assembly
375g linguini(use gluten-free if desired)
2cupsreserved pasta water
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tbsplemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½tspwhite miso
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cheesy Almond Topping
½cupslivered almonds
1tbspnutritional yeast
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
1tbspmaple syrup
Generous pinch of sea salt
Prepare the Roasted Veg
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Arrange the leek slices and cauliflower florets on the baking tray, keeping them separate from one another.
Step 3
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle on the spices. Toss to coat with your hands.
Step 4
Place a garlic bulb into foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and place it on the baking sheet with the leek and cauliflower.
Step 5
Bake the leeks for 25 minutes until tender then remove from the baking sheet and transfer into a bowl. Bake the cauliflower for an additional 10 minutes (total of 35 minutes) until fork tender then remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Roast the garlic for an extra 5 minutes (total of 40 minutes) until soft.
Step 6
Cook the linguini in salted water until al dente. Drain, making sure to save 2 cups of pasta water. Return to the pot and coat with a little bit of oil to prevent from sticking while you whip up the Cheesy Almond Topping and the creamy sauce.
Prepare the Cheesy Almond Topping
Step 1
Heat a small pan on medium-low. Add the almonds and toast until golden-brown, tossing frequently to prevent from burning.
Step 2
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, and salt.
Step 3
Pour over the toasted almonds in the hot pan. Toss to coat and transfer to a parchment-lined plate to cool off completely.
Assemble the Pasta
Step 1
Transfer half of the roasted leeks and half of the roasted cauliflower along with the roasted garlic (peel off the skin) to a high speed blender.
Step 2
To the blender, add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, miso, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Step 3
Pour the sauce over the prepared linguini and heat on low heat. I like to rinse off my blender by adding an additional ½ cup of reserved pasta water to it and running it until the walls are clean. Add to the pot of pasta alongside the rest of the roasted leeks and roasted cauliflower florets.
Step 4
Taste the pasta and add more salt and/or pepper to your liking. For extra brightness, add more lemon juice. If you find that the pasta sauce is still a little to thick to your liking, you can thin it out with a bit more pasta water, making sure to incorporate it well with every addition.
Step 5
Serve topped with the Cheesy Almond Topping and a generous crack of pepper.
Recipe created in the context of an Instagram partnership with Filippo Berio.
The countdown to Christmas and the holiday season has officially begun in my household!
My Christmas playlist is playing on repeat; I have pulled out my Christmas pjs; I am a few days away from decorating my Christmas tree, and most importantly, I have already started putting together my holiday menu.
Being the mom of a toddler now, Christmas cooking might look a little bit more different this year (aka, I expect some level of chaos!), but I am nevertheless excited to expose my daughter to some of the holiday dishes I grew up eating and to try out new recipes.
One of the recipes that will make it to my holiday menu are these Vegan Caramelized Shallots and Feta Stuffed Pretzels.
When I was brainstorming for a new holiday recipe to create, I knew I wanted something a bit more involving but that would also be a crowd pleaser and a “wow factor” type of recipe. I really wanted to infuse this new addition to my menu with complex flavors.
After a little head scratching and some research, I settled on creating this exact recipe and let me tell you that after I tested, shot, and filmed this recipe, the pretzels did not last 48 hours and it’s just my husband, daughter and I at home…
These are seriously that good.
How to form the pretzels
I love that they are perfectly chewy, like any good pretzel should be, yet have that soft pillowy interior and a satisfying gourmet filling.
They are perfect on their own, but if you would want, you could pair them with a cheesy dipping sauce or simply even just enjoy them with your favorite fizzy drink to create a festive moment in your day to day life.
When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used.
For any modifications, refer to the Common Questions & Swaps section.
All-purpose flour: What’s a classic pretzel without classic flour? AP flour is the base of this delightful snack.
Granulated sugar: Used to flavor the pretzel dough and help the pretzels rise beautifully in this recipe.
Instant yeast: The key leavening agent in this snack. Make sure to use the instant kind for best results here.
Sea salt: The granulated kind is used in the dough to flavor it and the coarse salt is used as the classic garnish on the finished pretzel.
Filippo Berio Classic Taste Olive Oil: Mild and with gentle notes of olive, this olive oil is perfect for these pretzels as it gives them a wonderful richness without overpowering the other flavors.
Shallots: The true stars of these stuffed pretzels. Naturally lightly sweet and mild in flavor, once caramelized, they become wonderfully decadent and pair amazingly with the other stuffing ingredients.
Garlic: Used in this recipe to give the filling a little extra kick.
Balsamic vinegar: Rich, subtly sweet, and tangy, the balsamic vinegar truly elevates the caramelized onions in the stuffing mixture.
Fresh thyme: This herb adds a lovely aroma to the pretzels and gives them a festive flair.
Vegan feta: Rich, salty, and briny, paired with the caramelized shallots, the vegan feta truly elevates this crowd pleaser!
Baking soda: Mixed together with boiling water, the baking soda bath in which the formed pretzels are dipped helps create the iconic deep brown color, chewy texture, and distinct flavor of pretzels we all know and love.
Although this recipe comes together in quite a few steps, I truly encourage you to embrace the entire process of making it. From the slow caramelization of the shallots, to the proofing, rolling, stuffing, forming, bathing, and baking of the pretzels, notice how every step brings you a little closer to a snack or appetizer that you (and your loved ones, if you decide to share!) will be impressed by of and hopefully delight in.
If you make this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you left a review above in the recipe box and shared about it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me (@muriellebanackissa).
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