This recipe was inspired by the viral rice paper bourekas – a genius idea where rice paper replaces traditional puff pastry.
Now, let’s be honest… I still think nothing quite beats buttery puff pastry (or even phyllo dough, for that matter 😉), but I loved the concept of using rice paper as a light, gluten-free alternative to classic dough-based recipes.
🔸 One thing led to another… and these Moroccan cigars were born!
While working on my Moroccan recipe series – featuring dishes like vegan meatballs in lemon & olive sauce, vegan pistachio kebabs, and of course, my go-to Ras el Hanout spice blend – I realized something was missing…
How could I complete the series without a vegan version of Moroccan cigars?
And since rice paper can replace bourekas dough, why not use it instead of traditional cigar wrappers? They have a similar texture and thickness, so it made perfect sense!
💡 Here’s how it happened:
I rolled up my sleeves and made a juicy vegan "meat" filling with mushrooms, added some delicious extras like pine nuts and pistachios, and seasoned it generously with Ras el Hanout – because what's a Moroccan dish without that signature spice blend? 😉
🔸 Next step – baking instead of frying!
Instead of deep-frying like the traditional version, I brushed the cigars with a vegan egg wash (it looks and behaves just like real egg wash!), sprinkled them with sesame seeds and nigella seeds, and let the oven work its magic.
⏳ A few minutes later – perfectly crispy, golden cigars that disappeared in no time!
✨ Perfect for:
✅ An impressive appetizer
✅ A delicious party snack
✅ A crispy treat to dip in tahini or serve with fresh salads
💡 Pro tip: Double the batch – they’ll be gone before you know it! 😍
Enjoy every bite! 😋❣️
RECIPE
Vegan Meat Moroccan Cigars Gluten Free8-10 cigars
- 8-10 Rice paper sheets 22 cm (8.6 inches) in diameter
Meat Filling
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 25 grams Minced plant-based protein (TVP), soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes, drained, and squeezed.
- small onion, chopped
- 100 grams chopped mushrooms Champignon or Portobello
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- 1-2 tablespoon pine nuts or pistachios or mixture of both
- salt by taste
- ¼ teaspoon Ras El Hannut
- ¼ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- hot paprika by taste
Egg" coating"
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon liquid sunflower lecithin Optional but recommended - gives the mixture an egg yolk texture
- ¼ teaspoon Agave syrup
- Salt, black ground pepper, hot paprika by taste
Garnish
- Sesame seeds, black cumin seeds optional
Meat Filling
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok.
- Fry onion until softened and slightly golden; Add minced garlic and fry for a few more seconds.
- Add pine nuts and pistachios, fry for a few more seconds; Add TVP and fry for a few minutes until slightly golden; Add mushrooms and fry for a few more minutes.
- Add spices, fry for a minute; Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Egg" Coating"
- In a small bowl, mix oil, lecithin, agave, salt, sugar, black pepper, and hot paprika; Set aside.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Hold a rice paper sheet under running water for a second or two (no more!) And place it on the counter.
- Place two tablespoons of filling at the bottom of the rice paper sheet, leaving 1-2 cm blank at the edges.
- Roll into a cigar.
- Press the edges; if they are longer than 1-2 cm, you can cut out the spare parts.
- Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Brush with the "egg" mixture, and sprinkle with sesame or black cumin (optional).
- Place in the oven, bake for 15 minutes, increase to 200 degrees Celsius, and bake until golden. (5-10 minutes) )
- Serve with salads, tahini, or any dip you desire.
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