Stuffed Pretzels with Cabbage, Creamy Herb Dip and Crisp Radish Salad
Today we want to put in a good word for the humble frozen pretzel. Yes, sure, nothing beats a great bakery pretzel that tingles on your tongue thanks to the lye, has crispy pretzel arms, but absolutely not too thick a pretzel belly (yes, we obviously keep up with Aurel Merz's pretzel tests. But still, we have to say: the frozen pretzel is underrated, incredibly practical, and — if you give it a chance — surprisingly versatile. Let it thaw for a bit and suddenly you can make all kinds of plant-based pretzel dreams come true that no bakery can offer. Topped pretzels! Stuffed pretzels! Pretzels with poppy seeds! Today we've got a very special pretzel creation, and for this one we're taking a culinary trip to southern Germany — right into pretzel territory.
Into the Black Forest Feeling!
We're not landing in Swabia, though — we're heading straight to the Black Forest. The reason? The Black Forest Tofu Filets by Taifun Tofu, which are making their way into our pretzel filling today. With their enormous tofu range, Taifun has become a fridge staple we couldn't do without. Their smoked tofu was the clear winner in our smoked tofu test — and judging by your comments, it's your favorite too. What we love just as much is their Black Forest Tofu, and now there's a pan-fry filet version of it too — bold and hearty in flavor thanks to caraway and onions.
The filet is ready in just a few minutes and you can simply fry it in a pan, or throw it on the grill — and yes, grilling season is just around the corner! Like all Taifun products, the filets are made from high-quality organic ingredients. You'll find them in selected supermarkets and health food stores.
And What Goes with It?
Both the filling and the sides are inspired by Black Forest cuisine. We've got pointed cabbage (yes, really — did you know there's a traditional variety called Filderkraut from the region south of Stuttgart?), onion, caraway seeds, a herb quark dip, and a radish and lamb's lettuce salad.
To make sure the filling actually stays in the pretzels, we add cornstarch — which means you can enjoy these not just fresh out of the oven, but also take them to your next picnic or pack them as a snack on the go.
Stuffed Pretzels with Cabbage, Creamy Herb Dip and Crisp Radish Salad
Ingredients
For the stuffed pretzels:
- 6 plant-based frozen pretzels
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pointed cabbage
- 1 large onion
- 2 tofu pan-fry filets (e.g. the Black Forest Filets by Taifun-Tofu)
- 200 g (7 oz) plant-based crème fraîche
- 100 g (3.5 oz) plant-based shredded cheese
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- salt
- pepper
- plant-based oil for frying
For the plant-based herb quark:
- 20 g (0.75 oz) fresh herbs of your choice
- 200 g (7 oz) plant-based quark
- 1 lemon (zest)
- salt
- pepper
- flaxseed oil
For the radish salad:
- 1 bunch of radishes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp mustard
- 10 g (0.3 oz) chives
- 1 lemon (zest, optional)
- salt
- pepper
To serve:
- chives
- lamb's lettuce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 390 °F (fan). Place the frozen pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them thaw slightly.
Finely shred the pointed cabbage, then chop it a little smaller. Peel the onion and cut into small cubes. Cut the tofu filets into cubes. Heat a little plant-based oil in a pan and fry the tofu cubes for approximately 4–5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pan and let drain briefly on paper towels.
For the filling, combine plant-based crème fraîche, plant-based shredded cheese, shredded pointed cabbage, onion, cornstarch, and the fried tofu cubes in a large bowl. Season with caraway seeds, salt, and pepper to taste.
Spoon the filling into the holes of the frozen pretzels. Bake the pretzels at 200 °C / 390 °F (fan) for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
While the pretzels are baking, finely chop the fresh herbs for the herb quark. Mix with plant-based quark and season with lemon zest, salt, and pepper to taste. Drizzle with flaxseed oil.
For the radish salad, slice the radishes and place in a bowl. Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, finely chopped chives, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and toss the vinaigrette with the radishes.
Let the pretzels cool for approximately 3–4 minutes after baking, then sprinkle with finely chopped chives and serve with the herb quark dip, radish salad, and lamb's lettuce.
