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–+ servings

Vegan Knafeh (Kunafa)

Carissa Erzen
This vegan knafeh makes for a tasty Ramadan dessert. It's crunchy, buttery & sweet on the outside, with melty-cheesy-goodness on the inside.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 12 people
Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 1 pound shredded phyllo dough
  • 1 cup vegan butter, melted

Filling

  • 12 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened at room temperature

Syrup

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rose water

Topping

  • chopped pistachios

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 11-inch or 12-inch round baking dish, or a 9-inch x 13-inch rectangle baking dish.
  • Use your hands to gently pull apart the strands of shredded phyllo dough, since they'll likely all be stuck together.
  • Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. In a large mixing bowl, mix the shredded phyllo dough and melted butter until all the phyllo dough strands are well-coated.
  • In the greased baking dish, spread out half the buttered phyllo dough strands. Pat it down in an even layer on the bottom and part way up the sides of the baking dish.
  • Dollop the softened vegan cream cheese into the baking dish, then use a spatula or butter knife to spread it out in an even layer.
  • Spread out the remaining half of the buttered phyllo dough strands and gently press it down with your hands.
  • Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until it is a warm golden color. Let cool for 10 minutes in the baking dish.
  • While the knafeh is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small sauce pan on medium-high heat, simmer the water and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes.
    Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water. Set aside.
  • Flip the knafeh upside down onto a large serving plate (see blog post above for tips). Then top with the syrup. It may seem like a lot of syrup, but the phyllo dough will absorb it. You may need to spoon syrup on top, then wait a minute for it to soak in before spooning more on.
  • Top with chopped pistachios and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 3gSodium: 410mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
Keyword kunafa, vegan knafeh
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