A selection of tasty and easy-to-prepare finger sandwiches for the perfect vegan afternoon tea! Featuring Quorn’s deli slices for a “meatier” option, without the meat.
Recipe commissioned by Quorn.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is coming up and Brits will be celebrating from 2nd to 5th June 2022 with street parties, events, British feasts and afternoon teas.
Whether you’re having a picnic, catering for a party or preparing a proper afternoon tea, this selection of sandwiches make the perfect finger food for vegan and vegetarian options.
Jump to:
☕ Quorn Afternoon Tea
For this recipe I’ve teamed up with Quorn to showcase their deli and snacking range which I’m using to create the perfect vegan sandwich selection, fit for a classic British afternoon tea.
So if you miss classic ham sandwiches or something more “meaty” then these recipes have got you covered. The slices are tasty, quick and easy to layer up in a sandwich or wrap and have a familiar texture too.
I found Quorn’s Vegan Smoky Ham-Free Slices and Vegan Chicken-Free Slices in my local Sainsburys and Tesco stores, but they are of course also available in the larger supermarkets, including Waitrose, Asda or Morrisons and also Ocado online.
Things I love about these sandwiches…
- They’re very easy to make. Follow the step-by-step photo guide below on how to create neat and uniform sandwiches.
- They are full of flavour. Particularly the Vegan Chicken, Pesto & Red Pepper Sandwiches which are incredibly satiating but moreish too.
- They make a more exciting meat-free option than the usual vegan-friendly sandwiches.
🥪Vegan Chicken, Pesto & Red Pepper Sandwiches
Easy and very flavourful tea sandwiches made Quorn’s Vegan Chicken-free Slices, roasted red pepper and a homemade dairy-free pesto.
If you want to make it even easier, you can find dairy-free pesto in most supermarkets and health food shops.
Ingredients
- Quorn Vegan Chicken-Free Slices – Available in most supermarkets in the chilled meat-free alternatives or ready-made food aisles.
- Pesto – See recipe for a quick & easy homemade dairy-free pesto below. You can also find jars of vegan pesto in most supermarkets or health food stores.
- Jarred roasted peppers
- Bread – Thin-sliced bread works best. You can use white, brown, 50/50 or a mixture, depending on what you prefer.
I used crustless but don’t worry because the sandwiches are trimmed before slicing anyway, so this isn’t necessary. - Vegan butter – A good tasting vegan butter alternative or margerine. Easy to find in all food shops.
Full ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
📋 Step by step
Start by making the pesto! You can skip this step if you choose to use shop-bought dairy-free pesto.
You will need:
- Fresh basil leaves
- Pine nuts
- Nutritional yeast (a cheesy-flavoured deactivated yeast – found in most supermarkets and health food stores)
- Garlic cloves
- Salt
- Lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
Full ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Add all the ingredients to a food processor, except for the olive oil. Blend for a minute to combine, until you have a thick paste.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until you have a thick sauce, add more olive oil for a more pourable consistency if you wish.
Prepare two slices of the bed, spreading one with the dairy-free butter and the other with the pesto.
Top one half with one layer of roasted peppers.
Top the other half with two slices of Quorn’s Vegan Chicken-Free Slices.
Carefully sandwich the two pieces together and using a large sharp knife, neatly trim the edges so the fillings look uniform.
Cut into three neat strips to create the classic tea sandwiches or alternatively – triangles or squares.
🧀Vegan Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
This filling is very simple! It’s just sliced vegan cheese, sandwiched with Quorn’s Vegan Smoky Ham-free Slices.
Butter both sides of the bread with dairy-free butter.
Top one side with two slices of Quorn’s Vegan Smoky Ham-Free Slices and the other with a slice of vegan cheese (choose a good-tasting one!)
Trim the edges as before.
Cut into triangles by slicing diagonally twice, or into three strips or four squares.
🥒The Best Cucumber Sandwiches
Another very simple filling idea is a twist on the classic Cucumber Sandwich.
First, use a mandolin to thinly slice the cucumber. Alternatively use a sharp knife to very carefully cut the slices.
Add the slices to a colander and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, until the cucumber releases a lot of liquid.
Rinse well and pat dry with kitchen towel.
Butter two slices of bread with dairy-free butter.
In a small bowl, combine:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
Full ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Arrange a layer of the cucumber onto one half of the bread. Brush with the marinade and sandwich with the other slice.
Slice as desired and serve!
❓ FAQ & Tips
These are best prepared before serving but you can prepare in advance if needed. Keep on a large tray, spray or sprinkle with a small amount of water – to keep them drying out – and cover with cling film. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Yes, for a nut-free pesto, simply swap the pine nuts for sunflower seeds! The flavour will be quite different but still delicious nonetheless.
Aside from a delicious pot of tea, I recommend some mini vegan quiches, scones, dairy-free clotted cream and jam pots, vol-au-vents, mini desserts, macarons or shortbread. A slice of cake is always welcome too!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Quorn Tea Sandwiches
Easy and tasty finger sandwiches for an afternoon tea, featuring Quorn's Vegan Smoky Ham-Free and Chicken-free Slices.
Ingredients
(Optional) Vegan Pesto
- 2 bunches of fresh basil leaves (approx 50 g)
- 50 g / 1.7 oz (⅓ cup) pine nuts
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- A generous pinch of sea salt
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
Vegan Chicken, Pesto & Roasted Pepper Sandwiches
- 4 thin slices of bread (white, brown or a mixture)
- 2 tsp dairy-free butter
- 2 tbsp vegan pesto (shop-bought or homemade - see recipe)
- 4 slices of Quorn Vegan Chicken-Free Slices
- 1 roasted red pepper from a jar, patted dry and cut into strips
Vegan Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
- 4 thin slices of bread (white, brown or a mixture)
- 4 tsp dairy-free butter
- 4 slices of Quorn Vegan Smoky Ham-Free Slices
- 2 large slices of good-tasting vegan cheddar-alterantive
The Best Cucumber Sandwiches
- ¼ medium cucumber
- ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra pinch for seasoning
- 4 thin slices of bread (white, brown or a mixture)
- 4 tsp dairy-free butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ¼ tsp ground peppercorns
Instructions
(Optional) Make the pesto
Toast the pine nuts over a low heat on a dry pan for a couple of minutes, until golden.
Add the basil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic and salt to a food processor. Squeeze the lemon juice on top and process until a paste forms.
Slowly add the olive oil in, a tsp at a time until you have a thick sauce, adding more olive oil for a more pourable consistency if desired. Add to a jar or container with a little extra olive oil.
Prepare the fillings
Butter the bread slices with the dairy-free butter.
For the Vegan Chicken, Pesto & Roasted Pepper filling, spread the pesto on 2 slices and top each with 2 slices of the Quorn Vegan Chicken-Free Slices.
Add strips of roasted pepper to the other two slices and carefully sandwich together with the pesto slices.
For the Vegan Ham & Cheese filling, simply add 2 slices of Quorn Vegan Ham-Free slices to 2 slices of the buttered bread.
Add the cheese slices to the remaining 2 slices and sandwich together with the Quorn ones.
For the cucumber sandwiches, use a mandolin or sharp knife to carefully cut thin slices. Add them to a colander, sprinkle with the salt and leave for 10-15 minutes to release excess water. Rinse and then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic granules and extra salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Arrange the cucumber on 2 slices of the buttered bread and use a pastry brush to apply a thin coat of the marinade to the cucumber. Sandwich with the remaining slices.
Cut the sandwiches
Use a large sharp knife to trim the edges of each sandwich. Make sure the edges are neat, removing the crust completely and that you retain a symmetrical square.
For classic finger sandwiches, simply slice into three uniform strips. For triangles, cut diagonally in both directions. For squares, simply quarter.
Serve immediately, or arrange on a large tray, sprinkle with a little water and cover with cling film for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Leave a Reply