Jamaican Lentil Patties (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Jamaican lentil patties (gluten-free, vegan) would be considered Jamaican fast food. I used lentils instead of ground meat and placed them in a gluten-free and vegan crust. The taste is right on and very flavorful. I added curry powder to the crust for that signature golden color.
Note updated Nov. 15, 2017: I have worked hard on this recipe. Initially, I wanted to use only ingredients that can be found worldwide, but this is the best version so far with a gluten-free crust that comes together; just last night, I had a close friend who is also Jamaican try it, and she was blown away by the results and wanted the recipe. I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread, which gave the dough a buttery flavor.
By all means, use your favorite crust with this recipe, the filling is the best vegan filling you will ever find!!! I have also seen amazing photos and reviews of this recipe using regular all-purpose flour in Facebook Groups and on Pinterest.
Don’t expect this gluten-free crust to be super flaky like traditional all-purpose flour crust, gluten-free dough lacks gluten, the elasticity that makes dough stretchy. So scientifically speaking, it is impossible to be as flaky.
Check out more about the history of Jamaican patties here
How To Make Jamaican Patties With Lentils
I have been meaning to do a step-by-step recipe on how I make my vegan and gluten-free version of my Jamaican Lentil Patties. Working with gluten-free dough is pretty tricky because you are working with a dough that has less elasticity than regular wheat flour dough.
Making gluten-free dough is not the same as using regular flour, but it can be pretty close! I don’t add xanthan gum to my dough but you can add 1 teaspoon to the recipe.
I rolled the dough in a circle in between parchment papers, then I added the seasoned lentils Fold the dough in half over the lentil filling with the parchment paper.
It is so much easier to work with the dough when it is placed between sheets of parchment paper and rolled using a rolling pin. Remove the top sheet, add the filling and fold the bottom sheet over, as shown above, Seal edges and crimp with a fork, as shown below.
I love to use ground flaxseeds as an egg substitute and oat flour as gluten-free flour. You can substitute with brown rice flour, sorghum flour, or millet flour. I also added tapioca starch and potato starch as binder. Obviously, these patties are not the same as traditional beef patties but they are the best and most flavorful you will find that are gluten-free and vegan.
Note
I know I’m repeating myself, if you aren’t on a gluten-free diet, just substitute the crust with your favorite crust, puff pastry or even pie crust. If you don’t have potato starch, you can blend the liquid in the recipe with potato. The filling is so flavorful it is truly worth it.
If you are on a gluten-free and vegan diet, I know you can relate to me because there are so many of your favorite recipes that you have to give up due to agonizing reactions to gluten. So I’m excited to experiment with recipes that you can still enjoy. For people who have reactions to even gluten-free oats, use a combination of brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch as a substitute.
Updated: February 2019: I have since experimented and found this crust in my Jamaican Callaloo Patties to be flakier and more like traditional Jamaican patty crust, however, it has a higher fat content, so it is not for anyone who is on any dietary restrictions.
I have lots of fun “vegan-izing” traditional Jamaican dishes, you can check out some of my favorites:
- Jamaican Stewed Peas With Dumplings
- Jamaican Spicy Potato Curry
- Jamaican Lentil Patties
- Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (Pureed)
- Jamaican Banana Fritters
- Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
- Jamaican Gungo Peas Soup
- Jamaican Vegan Rundown Recipe
- Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge Bowl
- Vegan Ackee
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag #healthiersteps — we love to see your recipes on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!
Join Our  Facebook Juice Support Group
Love seasonal recipes? Don’t miss out on my special offer for a limited time! Grab all three of my cookbooks for just $19.99! They’re filled with delicious, healthy dishes that are perfect for every season. Hurry and get your set before the offer ends!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Healthier Steps.
Jamaican Lentil Patties (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling Pin
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 spring onion
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
- Pinch allspice
- 1/2 cup brown lentils
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos Tamari sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional
- Salt to taste
For The Crust
- 2 cups oat flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup Vegan Butter (I used Earth Balance)
Instructions
To Prepare The Filling
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, spring onion, and garlic and saute stirring constantly until onion is soft. About 3 minutes.
- Add thyme, turmeric, paprika, cumin, allspice, lentil and stir to coat.
- Add water or broth and bring to boil. Cover saucepan and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and lentils are tender.
- Stir in liquid aminos, cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool while preparing the crust.
- Preheat oven 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To Prepare The Crust
- Preheat oven 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oat flour. flax seed meal, tapioca starch, potato starch, baking powder, sea salt, and curry powder
- Stir in vegan butter until the dough resembles crumbs. Stir in almond milk and use hand to form a dough ball.
- Further divide ball into 8 smaller balls. Roll out each ball in between 2 parchment paper sheets using a rolling pin, about a 4-inch circle.
- Remove top layer sheet, add 1 tablespoon of lentil filling on one half of circle, making sure to leave edges clear. Fold over the other half, by folding parchment paper and seal crimping edges with a fork.
- Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
These were very delicious, thank you for sharing.
These are amazing!! I made these last night and even my parents liked who are not Vegan. I will make these again!!
Thank you Rachael, so happy that you and your parents enjoyed them. Thank you for your feedback
Hello! Could I use Bob redmills GF AP flour in place of the it flour, potato starch and tapioca flour? Thanks in advance!
I have used 1 1/2 cups GF AP flour plus 1/2 cup almond flour as a substitute with great results but I haven’t tried the Bob’s Red Mills GF AP Flour alone. If you do, please let me know if it turns out fine.
Thanks for the quick response!! I have almond flour, so I will use that in addition! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try them!
Thanks for the quick response!! I have almond flour, so I will use that in addition! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try them!
Any side recommendations?? Some kind of potato hash perhaps?
Abbie, you are welcome. Traditionally we eat patties as a street food or snack. The only accompaniment would be a kind of bread we call coco bread so you can eat it with a side of your liking.
So I can use a half a cup of almond flour to replace the tapioca flour and potato starch?
Yes Jen, that should work fine.
Hi Michelle; I’m anxious to try these. Can you tell me which pastry do you like best the one with the oats or your alternative with great success mention here, with GF AP flour and almond flour. Thx :)
Hello Veronique, both of them worked for me and I couldn’t tell much of a difference. Hope you enjoy them.
Thank you Michelle, I’m definitely going to try this. Looks so good :)
Hi Michelle.. hoping to make your pattie recipe this weekend. Just looking at your ingredients list, where you have: 1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos/Tamari/coconut aminos. Does this mean a tablespoon of each of those or a tablespoon of one of those? Thanks so much
Hello Tracy, I hope you enjoy it. You can use 1 tablespoon of whichever one you have available. Not of each.
Hi, tried these today and they are AMAZING!! I’m impressed with how good the pastry is and really how easy it is to work with when you use the parchment paper. The filling was also phenomenal and so simple to make. Excited to check out some of your other recipes! Cheers:)
Thank you Rita for your awesome feedback, I too am blown away by this gluten-free crust, simply amazing and the taste is wonderful.
Hello Michelle ! There So Many Questions i Have Lol ! Is There A Way i Can Use Chickpea / Spelt Flour Instead Of Oat Flour ? i Saw You Respond To Someone Saying Arrowroot Powder Is Fine But In Replacment Of What ? Can I X Out Using The Liquid Aminos And Vegan Butter ? What Would Good Substitutes For Those Be ? Can I use Chia Seeds Instead Of Flax ? How About Baking Powder ? i’m Sorry For All The Questions , i’m Dying To Make This Recipe But i Would Also Like To Use What i Already Have . Thank You For Your Help !!
Hello Naee, yes you can use a combination of chickpea and spelt flour, I wouldn’t do chickpea alone though. Arrowroot can be used in place of tapioca, cornstarch and potato starch in most recipes. Yes you can leave out the liquid aminos, just check the flavor and you might want to add extra herb or garlic and onion powder to boost flavor. Substitute the vegan butter with coconut oil, if oil free then you could try a nut butter.
Thank You So Much ! i Can’t Wait To Try It :-D
Hi Michelle – am making this for a get together tomorrow. If I cook them tonight, will they still be ok if I refrigerate them after cool and then heat up tomorrow? Can’t wait to try them!
Hello Teresa, they will be great! Have a wonderful time.
This recipe looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.
Hope you enjoy it Robert, thank you!
So excited to come across your site. My parents are Jamaican and I grew up eating Jamaican food.Fast forward to today and I have a son with multiple food allergies. I can’t wait to start giving him more of a taste of my childhood. I wanted to know if there would be a good substitute for flax seeds.I see that a lot of your recipes use it but we were told by his allergist to avoid seeds till he’s older. if you could give me an alternative for flax seeds in this recipe as well as those delicious coconut pineapple donuts that would be so appreciated!
Andrea welcome to my website, hope you and your son enjoy my recipes. You can try Ener G Egg replacer for the Coconut Pineapple Donuts and just leave out the flaxseeds in the Lentil Patties.
Thanks so much!! So excited to try both of these recipes out.
I made these and they were fabulous!
Just finished making the lentils and they are UNBELIEVABLE. WOW. Cannot wait to fill the patties. I’m going to make cocktail size for a holiday party tonight :)
That’s wonderful Shelby, so happy you love them. Cocktail size is perfect for a holiday party, hope you had a great time!