Vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut free, peanut free
If you are looking for a traditional cucumber sandwich recipe this is it, but with a twist:
It’s now VEGAN!
We think you’ll love the flavor combinations of these Vegan Cucumber Tea Sandwiches! Add some sprouts or microgreens and a touch of lemon for additional flavor and texture.
Light and delicious!
Not only are these sandwiches great for tea parties, but they can also be served for Mother’s Day, baby showers, bridal showers or even your child’s birthday parties.
But why save them just for a special occasion? These vegan cucumber tea sandwiches would be great for your child’s lunch at school. No more boring nut-free butter and jelly!
In fact, we made these all the time for school lunch. Just make the cream cheese mixture the night before for easy assembly the next morning. This will make your vegan, vegetarian or allergic child feel special at school!
Why do these vegan tea sandwiches taste so great?
It’s the freshness of the cream cheese mixture with the crispness of the cucumber. Each bite is refreshing and light!
INGREDIENTS:
Bread – Look for high quality white bread (without dairy) which is nice and soft. If you don’t like white bread, substitute a good wheat version.
Cucumber – English cucumbers works best because they have less seeds and hold together better. They need to be sliced thin and layered.
Vegan Cream Cheese – There are a couple vegan cream cheese brands out there. We use Violife Vegan Cream Cheese or Tofutti Whipped Cream Cheese. There are other vegan brands that would work here but contain nuts, so we avoid these.
Vegan Mayonnaise – Vegan mayo will give a creamy texture and will make it easier to spread.
Herbs – Use fresh dill and chives for added flavor. You won’t get the same taste as dried versions.
Lemon Juice – Lemon juice adds to the tangy flavor and balances out the cream cheese. Again, use fresh.
Seasoning – Fresh cracked black pepper is all you need. You can add some garlic powder if you’d like just to make sure it doesn’t overpower the dill flavor.
Microgreen or sprouts – We like to add some other greens to our sandwiches, but regular greens would be too heavy for this sandwich. We like the extra crunch with microgreens.
Other additions – Chop up small pieces of red pepper and mix it with the cream cheese. Again, you don’t want to overpower this light sandwich so just add a sprinkling to the mixture. A sprinkle of garlic powder or some paprika would also be nice.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CUCUMBER SANDWICHES
These cucumber sandwiches look so elegant but are so easy to make! Just follow along.
Soften the Vegan Cream Cheese – Take the vegan cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until softened, about 30 minutes. Longer if using Tofutti Regular Cream Cheese.
Slice the cucumbers – Slice them thin, about 1/8” thick with a mandolin or a very sharp knife. You can either peel the skins or leave them on. We prefer a crunch in our sandwich, so we leave them in. To remove the excess water, sprinkle with a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and toss. Let the cucumber rest and drain for about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Make the spread – Place the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and add the fresh chopped dill and chives. Add the 3 tablespoons of the mayonnaise, the remaining ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ black pepper. Fold until smooth and creamy.
Cut the Bread – You can either cut the crusts off before assembling and after. We prefer to cut the crusts after assembly. If choosing this method, make sure you leave a ¼ inch border so you don’t waste your cream cheese mixture and it will be easier to cut.
Spread the Cream Cheese – On one slice of the bread, place 1 ½ tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on the bread and spread evenly. If cutting crusts later, leave a ¼ inch border. Layer the cucumber slices on top of the spread, approximately 12-15 slices per slice. Add the microgreens or sprouts and place the second slice of bread to finish off the sandwich.
Cut the Crusts – Cut all crusts off if you have not already done so.
Cut the Sandwiches – You can either cut the sandwiches in halves or triangles. Quarter the slices to make smaller, finger sandwiches.
Tip: Use a sharp knife to cut sandwiches and wipe clean in between slicing.
Make Ahead: You can choose to make ahead just the cream cheese mixture or the sandwiches. This can be done the night before, just wrap it tightly and place it in the refrigerator. If choosing to assemble the next day, be sure to leave out at least a half hour to soften the cream cheese mixture.
Looking for other ideas to serve at your next brunch?
Vegan Blood Orange and Cardamon Scones
Vegan Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 12 oz. vegan cream cheese
- 1 English cucumber
- 1½ tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 1½ tbsp fresh chives, minced
- ¼ c vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 12 slices white sandwich bread, sliced
- 1 c microgreens or sprouts, optional
Instructions
- Place 12 oz. of your vegan cream cheese in a medium bowl and let sit at room temperature until softened, approximately 1 hour.
- Cut cucumber slices using a mandolin or a very sharp knife into ⅛ inch thick slices. Place cucumber slices in a fine-mech strainer and sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and toss. Let cucumber rest and drain, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Pat dry if still wet.
- Meanwhile, dice the dill and the chives and add to the cream cheese and stir until combined. Add in the ¼ C vegan mayo, remaining salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Fold until completely combined.
- Using a spatula or knife, spread the cream cheese mixture on one side of the white bread, leaving ½ inch border for allowing the crust to be cut. Layer approximately 12-15 cucumbers on top of the cream cheese mixture. Cover with a second slice of bread. Continue to do this with the remaining slices of bread. You should end up with 6 full sandwiches.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the crusts off each sandwich and slice in half either lengthwise or on a diagonal. Wipe knife clean after each slice. Cut half slices in half to form smaller sandwiches. Place on a serving platter.
Leave a Reply