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    Home » Back-to-School » Mini Tomato Pastry Bites for Lunch Boxes

    Mini Tomato Pastry Bites for Lunch Boxes

    Published: Sep 15, 2020 · Modified: Feb 18, 2023 by Jacqueline Meldrum · 15 Comments

     A succulent wee pastry bite that's simple and fun to make and a real treat in lunch boxes.

    Tomato pastry bites on a slate board
     
    MINI TOMATO PASTRY BITES FOR LUNCH BOXES

    Don't they look good?

    They are just as tasty as they look.

    These little savoury bites are super simple to make and they burst with flavour in your mouth. 

    They are just the right size to pick up and eat at lunchtime without the need for any cutlery. 

    Perfect for lunch boxes for (back-to-school) kids and (at home or at work) adults. Nobody is going to turn these little beauties down. 

    HOW MANY WILL YOU EAT?

    These bites are super small, so a batch of pastry can make 50 teeny bites.

    Each pastry is just a little bit bigger than a cherry tomato, so you'll want to add a few to your lunch box.

    Serve them with some salad for a more balanced lunch. Although remember tomatoes are more healthy when they are cooked, so they are fairly healthy.

    I wonder just how many of them you will eat before they actually reach a lunch box?

    They are very moreish!

    Serve with Vegan Lemon & Chive Dip for dunking

    Mini tomato pastry bites in a line on a slate board

    CHERRY TOMATOES

    These little bites start with the tomatoes.

    I used cherry tomatoes but any mini tomato variety would be good for these bites.

    Of course, you could just add a plain tomato to the flavoured pastry, but I do something a bit more special with them.

    You will find out as you read on.

    They are divine!

     

    Homemade pesto in a white bowl next to a head of garlic

    PESTO

     

    These savoury little tasty bites are flavoured with pesto.

    Pesto is the perfect partner to tomatoes. The Italians know what they are doing when they pair tomatoes and basil and the same goes for pesto.

    You can use shop-bought pesto or make your own.

    There is a pesto recipe as part of the recipe below or you could try my simple cashew pesto.

    also try Vegan Cheese & Red Pepper Filo Hand Pies

    Cherry tomatoes on the vine

    CHERRY TOMATOES

    I use cherry tomatoes for these mini pastries, but you could use any small tomatoes.

    The tomatoes can be added as they are but I do something marvellous with them that gives them an amazing flavour.

    Intrigued?

    BALSAMIC CHERRY TOMATOES

    The extra flavour in these little succulent bites comes from balsamic vinegar.

    I fry the tomatoes in a dry pan until the skin splits then I add balsamic vinegar which soaks into the cracks and gives a wonderful flavour. 

    Any extra balsamic vinegar at the edges goes almost caramelised like toffee. Oh, it's a wonderful thing.

    A sheet of rolled out puff pastry with wooden rolling pin and shot glass to cut out small circles

    VEGAN PUFF PASTRY

    I used a block of puff pastry and rolled it out before cutting circles for the pastry bites, but you could save even more time by using ready-rolled pastry.

    Most puff pastry you can buy in supermarkets is suitable for vegans, both supermarket brands and big well-known brands.

    The one thing to look out for is pastry named 'all butter' as it is just that and not suitable for vegans.

    PUFF PASTRY TIPS

     

    READY-ROLLED PUFF PASTRY

    To get the best from your ready-rolled pastry, take it out the fridge 20-30 minutes before you are going to use it to allow it to come to room temperature.

    If it's hot (the weather), it will need less time.

    If you try to unfold it before it is at room temperature it will be difficult and might crack.

    BLOCK PASTRY

    If you're using a block of pastry, you can use it sooner, but do lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin so it doesn't stick.

    CUTTING MINI CIRCLES

    I used a shot glass to cut the little bite-sized pastry circles for these mini pastries, but you could use a small cookie cutter.

    If you don't have either of those, have a look around your kitchen. You may find a lid from a bottle, jar or even a vitamin jar might be the right size to cut the pastry. Just wash them well first.

    You need the pastry to be a little bigger than one of the tomatoes.

    also try Vegan Pesto Cheese Swirls

    HOW LONG WILL THESE BITES LAST?

    Not very long as they are so tasty!

    But seriously, these little morsels of deliciousness can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

     

    Close up of mini tomato pastry bite

    MORE VEGAN LUNCH BOX IDEAS

    • Easy Balsamic Beet Slaw
    • Homemade Cashew Pesto
    • Mini Falafel Onion Pies
    • Red Pepper & Kale Lunch Wrap
    • Spicy Chickpea Sausage Rolls
    • Vegan Cheese Savoury Sandwich Filling

    also check out Kid- Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids

     
     
    pin it for later
    Mini Tomato Pastry Bites for Lunchboxes. Great for kids and adults.
    Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
     
    Then join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting.
     

    📖 Recipe

    Mini Tomato Pastry Bites

    Mini Tomato Pastry Bites

    Jacqueline Meldrum
    A succulent wee pastry bite that's simple and fun to make and a real treat in lunch boxes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Easy Vegan Snacks
    Cuisine British
    Servings 50
    Calories 69.6 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Pastry

    • 250 g chilled puff pastry
    • Flour for dusting if rolling out a block of pastry

    Tomatoes

    • 50 cherry tomatoes
    • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

    Pesto

    • 125 ml olive oil
    • 25 g fresh basil
    • 100 g salted cashew nuts
    • 1 clove garlic
    • a good grinding of black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Take the pastry out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
    • Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/400f/gas mark 6. Line one large or two standard baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
    • Heat a wok or frying pan and add the cherry tomatoes. Don't add any oil, you want to fry them dry. When the skin of the tomatoes start to crack, add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the pan. This will seep into the cracks and caramelise slightly at the edges. Remove the tomatoes from the pan and set them aside.
    • Time to make the pesto (unless you are using shop-bought pesto). Whizz the pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor. It doesn't have to be too smooth.
    • Lightly flour your worktop and roll out half the pastry and cut little circles using a shot glass, small cookie cutter or jar lid. Something just a little bigger than the cherry tomatoes.
    • Place your pastry circles on one of your lined baking trays and top each with a little dollop of pesto and a cherry tomato.
    • Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden. Remove and leave to cool.
    • While the first batch is baking prepare the second batch.
    • You can prepare both trays and put them in at once, The tray below may need a little longer.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    • You can prepare a small batch at a time. Just cut a smaller piece of pastry and make up as many as you like.
    • You may make the pesto listed in the recipe or use a jar of shop-bought pesto.
    • You may skip the balsamic vinegar if you think your child would prefer them plain. Just add a tomato to the pesto-topped pastry without frying them in a pan.
    • These pastries can be kept in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 69.6kcalCarbohydrates: 5.88gProtein: 1.27gFat: 5.5gSaturated Fat: 0.84gSodium: 3mgSugar: 0.73g
    Keyword vegan bites, vegan pastry, vegan puff pastry, vegan snacks, vegan tarts
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica Formicola

      September 15, 2020 at 7:43 pm

      I'm always looking for new things to pack for lunches, and this is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Coco and Ash

      September 15, 2020 at 7:44 pm

      These are so cute and delicious!!

      Reply
    3. FoodtasticMom

      September 15, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      What a great idea for lunch. I'm always looking for new things to pack for my kids!

      Reply
    4. Adrianas Best Recipes

      September 15, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      I am in love with this idea I bet is a burst of flavor too. I would make this for appetizers too.

      Reply
    5. Jacque

      September 15, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      These would be perfect for an afternoon snack. I love how simple they are and they fit perfectly within my lunch menu this week. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    6. Jacqueline Meldrum

      September 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Haha yes same here, always needing to think up new ideas.

      Reply
    7. Jacqueline Meldrum

      September 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Oh yes they just burst with flavour and the cherry tomatoes are so juicy in contrast to the crisp, flaky pastry.

      Reply
    8. Jacqueline Meldrum

      September 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Oh yes definitely. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

      Reply
    9. Jacqueline Meldrum

      September 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      These are always popular with adults and kids. Such a lot of flavour in such little bites.

      Reply
    10. Jacqueline Meldrum

      September 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Thanks and yes they are tasty.

      Reply
    11. Nkechi Ajaeroh

      October 13, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      These are perfect appetizers! YUM. I see myself eating several of these minis.😋

      Reply
      • Ness

        January 14, 2022 at 9:06 am

        5 stars
        These are little mouthfuls of delight. So simple to make and so hard not to eat a whole plateful.

        Reply
        • Jacqueline Meldrum

          January 19, 2022 at 11:10 pm

          Awww, I'm so glad you love them Ness. That makes me happy.

          Reply
    12. Jacqueline Meldrum

      October 13, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      Haha yes there is that slight problem. They are sooooo good!

      Reply
    13. Noelle

      October 16, 2020 at 9:05 am

      These were the perfect lunch! Great sizes and flavors!

      Reply

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    JACQUELINE MELDRUM

    Welcome to The Vegan Lunchbox.

    If you need tasty lunch inspiration, you've come to the right place. Easy recipes and ideas from my Scottish kitchen. Jac x

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