These Vegan Caramelized Onion & Spinach Pizza Rolls are a delicious and savory snack or appetizer featuring a soft, homemade dough filled with sweet caramelized onions, fresh spinach, garlic, and seasoned with oregano and red pepper flakes. Baked to golden perfection and optionally topped with nutritional yeast, these rolls offer a flavorful plant-based twist on traditional pizza rolls.
Total Time:1 hour 50 minutes
Yield:12 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cups fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup marinara sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for topping)
Instructions
Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, mix the active dry yeast, warm water, and sugar together. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead the ingredients together for 10 minutes until you form a smooth, elastic dough. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
Caramelize Onions: While the dough is rising, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and caramelized.
Prepare Filling: Add the minced garlic, fresh spinach, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan with onions. Cook for an additional 3 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and grease a baking dish to prepare for baking the rolls.
Assemble Rolls: On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the dough, then distribute the cooled spinach and onion filling on top. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log shape.
Slice and Arrange: Cut the rolled dough log into 12 even rolls. Place the rolls upright in the greased baking dish, making sure they have some space to expand while baking.
Add Topping: If using, sprinkle the rolls with nutritional yeast to add a cheesy vegan flavor.
Bake Rolls: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the rolls are puffed up and golden brown on top.
Cool and Serve: Remove the pizza rolls from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving to allow flavors to set and prevent burns.
Notes
For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix suitable for yeast breads.
Red pepper flakes are optional and can be adjusted based on your heat preference.
Letting the dough rise fully is essential for soft and fluffy rolls.
Use fresh marinara sauce or homemade for the best flavor.
Nutritional yeast is optional but adds a savory cheesy flavor perfect for vegan diets.
These rolls can be reheated in the oven to regain crispiness before serving leftovers.
