3 show-stopping Squeaky Bean recipes to make Christmas easy

Make the festive season sparkle with these Squeaky Bean recipes for a Smoked Salmon & Pastrami Wreath, Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheeze Mini Terrines, and Squash, Bacon & Sage Canapés

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Planning a festive vegan spread that everyone enjoys can be challenging, but Squeaky Bean makes it easy with delicious, plant-based recipes that even meat-eaters will love.

This holiday season, Squeaky Bean’s creative dishes bring satisfying flavours, textures, and a touch of flair to your table, ensuring a standout feast with zero compromise on taste.

These three show-stopping recipes feature Squeaky Bean’s award-winning Beechwood Smoked Salmon and Pastrami Style Slices along with the new Crispy Bacon Style Strips, offering crowd-pleasing combinations with all the festive indulgence you could ask for.

From a vibrant vegan charcuterie wreath to infinitely moreish vegan ‘bacon’ canapes, these dishes make a perfect centrepiece for any winter gathering.

Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon and Pastrami Style Wreath

Serves 4-6 | Prep/cook time: 30 mins

More than a third (34%*) of people who follow a plant-based diet would like to see more vegan charcuterie.

If you’re one of them, you’ll love this show-stopping wreath recipe, featuring Squeaky Bean’s Great Taste Award-winning products. It’s sure to impress your guests.

Ingredients

Pink produce:

• 1/2 pack/4 slices Squeaky Bean Pastrami Style Sandwich Slices
• 4 Tbsp Vadasz Pickled Red Onion, drained
• 6 radishes, very thinly sliced
• 1 red grapefruit, cut into segments
• 1/2 pomegranate, seeds only
• 12 raspberries

Orange produce:

• 1 pack/6 slices Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices
• 4 Tbsp Vadasz Kimchi
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 4 mini orange peppers, lightly charred, julienned or fine diced
• 1/4 cantaloupe melon, cut into wedges
• 50g dried mango

Garnish: (optional):

• 1/2 lemon zest, julienned or shaved with a peeler or zester
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• Edible, pesticide-free flowers
• 1 Tbsp flavoured salt or chilli mix (such as Tajin)

Dip:

• 1 x 120g dairy-free cream cheese (we used Palace Culture Chive & Shallot Cream Cheeze)

Method

1. Cut citrus fruit into pith-free segments – Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the fruit, then cut off all the pith and peel from the sides. Hold fruit in one hand over a bowl to catch any juice and carefully slice out the segments. Squeeze any juice out of the remaining membrane, then discard the membrane. Store the citrus segments in the reserved juice.
2. Julienne or finely dice carrots, raw peppers – Peel and thinly slice the fruit or vegetable lengthways about 3mm thick. Lay a few slices on top of each other and cut lengthways into 3mm strips. Optionally cut the strips into smaller lengths. To finely dice, lay the julienne strips next to each other and cut widthways into fine, 3mm dice.
3. Make waves, curls, flowers with salmon and pastrami – use smoked salmon/pastrami or peel and thinly slice a fruit or vegetable lengthways about 1mm thick. Arrange thin-side down on a plate in a wave or roll up to make curls and flowers.
4. Char the peppers – cut the pepper in half and deseed, removing all the pale membrane. Cut each half into 3-4 sections. Heat a griddle pan or grill to high heat, then sear or grill the sections, skin side up, until blackened in places. Optionally peel away the skin. Marinate in juice of 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
5. To make a wreath – arrange your chosen prepared ingredients on a large plate (around 40cm wide) in the shape of a wreath. Vary the shapes to add interest, arranging some items as flowers and waves, some in little piles, some as segments and some julienned or finely diced.
6. Garnish and serve with Palace Culture Chive & Shallot Cream Cheeze.

Recipe notes

STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They are not suitable for freezing.

The wreath can be assembled up to 2 hours ahead and stored in the fridge, loosely covered.

Use all these fresh produce suggestions or mix and match your favourites/what’s available.

Allow 1-2 items per person, depending on appetite/meal type. Reduce stated amounts if you want to add more variety.

Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices and Squeaky Bean Pastrami Style Slices are available in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose

Palace Culture Chive & Shallot Cream Cheeze is available in Waitrose

Squeaky Bean Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheeze Style Mini Terrines

Serves 4 (as a starter) | Prep/cook time: 1 hour, plus optional chill time

Guests clamouring for the classic smoked salmon starter? Make it vegan with Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices.

This award-winning vegan fish is just as sophisticated as smoked salmon; with the same silky-smooth texture and smokiness of flavour, yet made with 100% plant-based ingredients.

Ingredients

For the terrines:

• 1 pack (80g) Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices
• 120g dairy-free cream cheese (we used Palace Culture Chive & Shallot Cream Cheeze)
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened vegan yoghurt
• 1/2 lemon, zest only
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
• Black pepper, to taste

For the crunchy bagel pieces:

• 1 vegan bagel
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 1 spring onion
• 150g prepared edamame beans (if using frozen, see recipe notes)
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/2 cucumber, strips and/or dice
• Salt, to taste

To serve:

• 1/4 nori seaweed sheet (optional – enhances the fish flavours)

Method

For the terrines:

1. Finely chop 2 Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices. In a medium bowl stir together the chopped salmon, cream cheeze, yoghurt, lemon zest and chives. Season with pepper, to taste.
2. Cut 4 pieces 10cm x 10cm greaseproof paper. Lay one slice of salmon along the bottom of one piece of paper, leaving a 1-2cm gap. Lay another slice on the paper, overlapping the first salmon 1cm. Repeat with other pieces of paper.
3. Divide the filling between the salmon squares, laying evenly along the overlapping seams. Use a knife to shape into an even log right up to the left and right edges of the salmon squares.
4. Use the paper to fold the bottom edge of the salmon over the filling, pressing gently to make sure there are no big air bubbles, then continue to roll to completely wrap the filling and seal the other side of the salmon (another 1cm overlap). Use the knife to smooth the filling flat at the ends of the tubes. Either serve immediately or chill for at least 2 hours to firm up. If chilling, rewrap the tubes in their paper square, lay on a flat plate, cover and set aside in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

For the crunchy bagel pieces:

1. Preheat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan. Slice the bagel vertically into 0.5cm rounds and brush lightly with the oil. Arrange in an even layer on a baking tray and bake for about 15-20 mins, until evenly browned; remove any that are fully browned earlier to avoid them burning. Season with pepper and set aside to cool.

For the salad:

1. Finely chop the white parts of the spring onion and set aside. Cut the nicest green tops lengthways into very thin, 1-2mm strips and place in a small bowl of ice water to make spring onion curls; set aside for 10 mins to curl.
2. Toss the beans in the lemon juice and zest, stir through the reserved white spring onion, then season to taste with salt.
3. Dice the cucumber 0.5cm and/or use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to make long, 1 mm strips, avoiding the seeded core.

To serve:

1. Unwrap the mini terrines and divide them between 4 plates. Arrange around the cucumber strips/dice and marinated edamame beans. Drizzle over any remaining marinade and decorate with the reserved spring onion curls.
2. If using the seaweed, either cut it into thin strips and use it as a garnish or wrap each terrine in a small piece of seaweed.

Recipe notes

STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They are not suitable for freezing.

If using frozen edamame beans, increase the weight to 200g. Blanch in a small pan of boiling water for 6-7 mins, until just tender. Remove the skin for better texture and to showcase the vibrant green beans.

The terrines and all the salad components except the cucumber can be made ahead, up to 12 hours in advance and stored in airtight containers in the fridge.

The bagel chips can be made ahead and when fully cooled, stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices are available in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose

Palace Culture Chive & Shallot Cream Cheeze is available in Waitrose

Squash, Bacon and Sage Style Canapés

Serves 4 as canapés (5 each) | Prep/cook time: 20 mins

Struggling to find good party nibbles? You’re not alone; nearly half (49%*) of those following a plant-based diet would like to see more plant-based canapes.

Fill the gap with these elegant canapes, combining grilled butternut squash and goat-style vegan cheese topped with crispy bacon-style pieces and fragrant sage leaves.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 20 medium sage leaves, stems trimmed to 2-3cm
• 1/3 butternut squash (from the seedless top section)
• 1 x 50g pack Squeaky Bean Crispy Bacon Style Strips
• 100g Palace Culture Mouldy Goaty
• 2-3 tsp whole-grain mustard
• Crushed black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the sage leaves and fry, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 mins until crispy and starting to darken (they will crisp up more as they cool). Set the leaves aside on paper towel to drain, reserving the sage oil.
2. Peel the squash and cut in half lengthways. Slice each half widthways about 0.5cm thick, into about 10 pieces per half, 20 pieces total. Brush the slices with the reserved sage oil. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
3. Griddle the squash in a single layer for 3-4 mins on each side, until tender and lightly charred (you may need to work in batches; pressing the squash pieces down with a heavy, heatproof weight will help them char). Arrange on a serving platter.
4. Meanwhile, tear the bacon into 20 pieces, around 5cm long. Divide the Mouldy Goaty between the squash pieces and lay a piece of bacon on top.
5. Dollop on 1/8 tsp mustard per canapé and garnish with 1 crispy sage leaf. Season with black pepper.

Recipe notes

STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They are not suitable for freezing.

This canape can be assembled up to 2 hours in advance and stored loosely covered at room temperature.

Reheat in the oven at 160℃/140℃ fan for 5 mins before serving or air fryer for 2 mins at 180 until piping hot all the way through.

Squeaky Bean Crispy Bacon Style Strips (50g), RRP: £2.75 are available in selected Sainsbury’s

Need something sweet for your festive spread? Try one of these vegan Christmas dessert recipes

Recipe photos © Squeaky Bean

* Reported by TCFG/Vypr Sept 24