Chickpea Tikka Masala Puffs (savory pastries with Tikka masala sauce)

Chickpea tikka masala puffs!! Chickpeas and veggies in a super delicious 1-bowl, No cook tikka masala sauce, stuffed into crisp puff pastry pockets. These are perfect for holiday parties!

These are another quick appetizer that will be a hit at your next dinner party or Diwali party! They use this one-bowl, no-cook tikka masala sauce that you mix with chickpeas and vegetables then stuff into a puff pastry sheet. Bake, and you’ve got these crisp, savory, super delicious tikka masala puff pastries that are party perfect!

For extra creaminess, you can even add some vegan cheese or cream cheese to the pastries before folding and baking.

Tikka masala puffs are super simple, super delicious and also really versatile. The sauce has a ton of flavor, so it will work with any protein you like. If you don’t like chickpeas, you can use some white beans, torn up tofu, or chickpea tofu. You can also use soaked and drained soy curls or vegan chicken instead, as well. 

If you make these into small hand pies, they’re easy to serve and you won’t have to dirty any extra dishes, because your party guests won’t even need a plate to enjoy these amazing appetizer. It’s a win-win in every which way!

You can also make these ahead. Simply roll out your puff pastry, add the filling, shape them, and then freeze until the day of serving. When you bake, you may just need to add a few minutes to the end of baking time to cook them through from frozen.

Why You’ll Love Tikka Masala Puffs

• easy, 1-bowl, no cook tikka masala sauce that’s full of flavor with any plant-based protein you like!
• simple and fun to make
• perfect for Diwali or any other holiday party
• naturally soy-free and nut-free with gluten-free option

Ingredients and Substitutions

• canned tomato puree – The base for the tikka masala sauce. You can also use unseasoned tomato sauce /Passats instead
• non-dairy yogurt – Gives the sauce that signature creaminess and tang.
• lime juice – For even more tang!
• salt and spices – We are seasoning the sauce with salt, garam masala, coriander, cardamom, onion powder, Kashmiri chili power, cayenne, and dried fenugreek leaves.
• sugar – Or use maple syrup to give the sauce a hint of sweetness.
• veggies – Onion, bell pepper, and serrano pepper are your veggie fillings.
• chickpeas – Or use 1 1/2 cups of your favorite plant-based protein, like other beans or lentils, tofu, soaked and drained soy curls, vegan chicken, etc.
• puff pastry sheets – For gluten-free, use gluten-free pie crust rolled out and cut into 12 squares instead. Or use my gluten-free pizza dough.
• pastry wash – A mixture of non-dairy milk and maple syrup helps the puff pastry stick closed and helps the seeds stick to the top.
• vegan cream cheese and/or cheese – You can add these to the inside for extra creamy cheesy filling, if you like.
• seeds – For topping, use any combination of sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and nigella seeds.

How to Make Chickpea Tikka Masala Puffs

Set out your puff pastry sheets to thaw for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl, and mix really well. Taste and Add more salt, if needed.

Then, chop the onion and peppers, if you haven’t already, and add the onion, peppers, cilantro, and chickpeas to the bowl and mix well.

Preheat your oven to 400° F (205° C).

Once the puff pastry sheets are starting to soften, use a little bit of flour, and roll them out to about an 1” to 2” larger than what they were. Then, slice each one up into six equal squares. Mix the nondairy milk and maple syrup, and brush some of this mixture onto the edges of the puff pastry squares. You can spread some vegan cream cheese onto each of the squares at this point, if you want a creamier puff.

Place a good helping of the chickpea tikka masala in each of the squares, and top with some vegan cheese, if using.
pictured first batch with cream cheese and second batch with shredded mozzarella

Seal the edges diagonally, so that they make little pouches, then brush these pouches again with the milk-maple syrup mixture, and top with seeds of choice.

Transfer the puffs to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re starting are getting nicely golden. At the 25-minute mark, turn the baking sheet around, so they will brown evenly, then continue to bake until they’re golden all over with browned edges.

Remove the pastries from the oven, and serve.

What to Serve with Tikka Masala Puffs

These are a great appetizer for a dinner party or holiday party! These don’t necessarily need a dip, but if you’d like one, you can make my quick butter chicken sauce and serve that on the side for dipping.

If you want to serve these as part of a dinner menu, try them with my rara chicken with rice or naan or my butter chicken enchiladas as the main dish. For dessert, rasmalai tres leches cake or my Burfi are delicious options.

As part of a finger food spread, these go really well with onion bhaji, spiced smashed potatoes, mung dal fritters, and samosa pinwheels.