Festive Phyllo Bundt with Mushrooms, Sage and Cranberries (Vegan)
Recipe Highlights
I wanted to create a unique centerpiece that was a little different and packed with holiday flavors—something that looked the part without too much technique required. Phyllo (aka filo or fillo) pastry gives you that wow factor without the complexity of pastry-making from scratch.
The bundt shape turns simple rolled layers into an architectural statement. When you slice into it, the golden spiral reveals pockets of fennel-spiced TVP, mushrooms, toasted walnuts, wilted kale, and jewel-like cranberries.
The technique is straightforward. Roll the filled phyllo into a log and coil it into a bundt tin with an extra pair of hands.
The flavors lean into what people expect from holiday meals. Fennel and sage give that Italian sausage note, cranberries add sweetness, and the mushrooms and walnuts bring texture. It works beautifully for mixed tables where not everyone is vegan.
Ingredients
Step by Step
Why TVP Works Here
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) crumbles create the texture of Italian sausage when seasoned with toasted fennel seeds and red pepper flakes.
The key is toasting the fennel seeds first to release their oils, then rehydrating the TVP and mixing it all together. TVP absorbs the seasonings and holds its shape when rolled in the pastry without making the filling runny.
TIP: To speed things up, buy prewashed and chopped mushrooms and kale. It will save you at least 10 minutes!
The Bundt Method
The filling needs to be spreadable but not wet. After sautéing the vegetables, let the excess moisture evaporate before mixing everything together.
The cashew cream binds the filling without making it soggy. Blend raw cashews with salt and water until smooth but thick.
When rolling the phyllo (filo), don’t overfill or roll too tightly. You want the log to coil into the tin without tearing, ideally. Brush every layer with olive oil for golden, crispy edges.
Let it rest 10-15 minutes after baking before flipping onto a serving plate. This helps it release cleanly and keeps the structure intact.
Serving Ideas
For holiday entertaining:
- Serve with herbed white wine pan sauce and caramelized onion mashed potatoes
- Pair with green beans and vegan parmesan crumb
- Add a simple arugula and pear salad on the side
For leftovers:
- Reheat slices in the oven to restore crispness
- Serve alongside roasted vegetables
- Pack cold slices for next-day lunches
Decorate the plate with fresh sage leaves or arrange roasted vegetables or fresh greens around the base for extra color.
Festive Phyllo Bundt with Mushrooms, Sage and Cranberries (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Bake Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 serves
Description
This showstopping golden phyllo (filo) bundt is filled with fennel-spiced TVP, mushrooms, walnuts, sage, and cranberries. An impressive centerpiece that’s simpler than it looks. Perfect for holiday entertaining.
Ingredients
For the tin:
- ⅓ cup / 68ml olive oil, for brushing the tin
- Black and white sesame seeds
For the filling:
- 1½ cups / 150g TVP crumbles (textured vegetable protein)
- 1 cup / 100g walnuts, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.11 ounces / 400g button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cups / 115g kale, chopped (about 8 stems)
- 1 cup / 135g raw cashews
- ⅓ cup / 50g dried cranberries, chopped
- ¼ cup / 16g nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For assembly:
- 1 pack / 375g / 13.23 ounces phyllo pastry sheets (aka filo or fillo)
Instructions
Note: Before you begin this recipe, I would suggest that you take a look at the step-by-step images earlier in this post so you know what visual cues to look out for.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C. Brush a bundt cake tin generously with olive oil and sprinkle black and white sesame seeds at the bottom and slightly up the edges. Set aside.
- Soak the TVP: Soak the TVP crumbles (1½ cups) in boiling water (enough to cover plus an extra inch), with a plate on top of the bowl. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to rehydrate.
- Toast the walnuts and spices: While the TVP soaks, chop the walnuts (1 cup). In a large pan over medium heat, lightly toast the walnuts along with the fennel seeds (2 teaspoons) and red pepper flakes (½ teaspoon) until fragrant and the walnuts start to release their natural oils, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl and set aside. You’ll be adding all the filling components to this bowl as you go.
- Sauté the onions and garlic: In the same pan, add the olive oil (2 tablespoons) and warm over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion with salt (½ teaspoon) until soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the garlic (3 cloves) and sauté for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Cook the mushrooms and kale: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until all the water from the mushrooms has cooked out and they start to brown a little. Add in the chopped kale, sautéing until it wilts and any extra water evaporates.
- Drain the TVP: Drain the TVP crumbles and let them drain any excess water by placing the strainer over the bowl you used to soak them in.
- Make the cashew cream: In a small blender, add the cashews (1 cup), salt (½ teaspoon), and water (½ cup / 110ml). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Combine the filling: Add the drained TVP, sautéed vegetables, cashew cream, cranberries (⅓ cup), nutritional yeast (¼ cup), sage (2 tablespoons), thyme (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (½ teaspoon) to the large bowl with the toasted walnuts and spices. Mix really well until everything is evenly combined. Your filling is now ready.
- Layer the phyllo sheets: On a large clean surface, slightly overlap 6 sheets of phyllo in two rows (2 sheets by 3 sheets), and lightly brush them with olive oil. Add another layer of 6 sheets on top, and brush with olive oil again. Reserve the 4 sheets for the base and top of the bundt that are leftover.
- Spread and roll the filling: Transfer the filling mixture, spreading it out evenly over the pastry sheets, leaving a slight gap on the edges. Roll the pastry evenly, trying to avoid it from tearing. You might find it helpful to have two people doing this part rolling and guiding the pastry.
- Brush the roll: Brush the roll with olive oil, tucking in the edges so the filling doesn’t fall out.
- Prepare the bundt base: Push two reserved phyllo sheets down in the middle of the prepared bundt tin (you’ll have to tear it to push through the center hole). Layer the sheets in a cross pattern, and brush with olive oil to create a good base for the bundt.
- Spiral the roll into the tin: This part is very helpful to have two sets of hands. Start by placing the filled pastry roll on the outer walls of the tin, working the spiral in as you go. It doesn’t matter if it tears a little as you have the phyllo in the tin to help fix that.
- Seal and finish: Comfortably press it down into the tin, making sure that it is level. Fold over the sheets that are hanging over the edge. Using the last couple of phyllo sheets, fold them and place them on top to create a good base for the bundt when you turn it out. Brush one last time with olive oil.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the pastry is nice and golden. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to set before turning it out onto your serving plate. Don’t leave it in the bundt tin for too long as the pastry will go soggy and soft. It pairs beautifully with our herbed white wine sauce and these caramelized onion mashed potatoes.
Notes
Storage: Serve this the day you make it for the crispiest pastry. The phyllo softens when refrigerated, but you can reheat slices in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 10-15 minutes to restore some crispness, and warm it through slightly. A microwave will not achieve this effect. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Hi, thanks so much for this fabulous recipe, it was a real hit on Christmas Day – both taste-wise and visually. I intend making it again mid-January for a luncheon event and wondered what you think about changing the roll-up method to your spinach pie method instead. Not having access to a second pair of hands to hold the long roll, it was tricky to manage and did split open in one section, resulting in a quick patch up job! Using your spinach pie method, with the filling and phyllo placed directly into the tin in alternate layers, the problem of manipulating the long roll would be eliminated altogether. Do you think this could work just as well? Or should I enlist a neighbour to help with the managing the rolled-up log? Thanks 🙂
Hi Annie, so happy to hear you all enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing 🙂 I would just roll them up in a round dish like a snail instead. Doing it like the spinach pie wouldn’t work too well as it’s a drier mix. Rolling in into a snail or even just put it on a baking sheet in rows would also work. Just make sure that the tops are brushed with oil, and that your baking dish is also oiled. A good example of this would be my potato pie. Simply swap the potato and onion filling for this one. Skip the water as your filling is already cooked. Let me know how you go!
Thanks Masa for the excellent suggestion. I’ll do that and let you know how I go. 🙂