This delicious Masala Baked Beans puff pastry is a game-changer! It’s simple to make and perfect for an Appetizer or snack, or brunch. We’ll use puff pastry, cheese, and baked beans flavored with Indian spices. The flaky pastry, combined with the flavorful beans and gooey cheese, creates an amazing taste experience. It’s an ideal appetizer to impress your guests at a Diwali party or any gathering.
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I can’t help but love recipes that are cheesy, rich, and bursting with flavor, especially when they are easy to prepare yet look fancy enough for any gathering. If you’ve never tried making an upside-down tart before, now is the perfect time to start! A TikTok video I saw a few years ago has inspired me, and I’ve been eager to create my own version since then.
This trendy dish, called Upside Down Puff Pastry Squares, definitely lives up to its popularity on social media! It’s fun to make, versatile, and can be filled with a variety of flavors, all wrapped in a flaky pastry crust. This is a must-try appetizer!
I’m excited to share my twist on a TikTok viral upside-down pastry: Masala Baked Beans Puff Pastry! This recipe combines Indian spices with a classic British favorite, baked beans, making it both delicious and easy to make. It’s perfect for gatherings, parties, play dates, or after-school snacks.
What makes this dish special is its flexibility; you can prepare the stuffing ahead of time. This means you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the company of your friends and family. Picture flaky, buttery puff pastry filled with cheese and a tasty mix of spiced baked beans. The combination of textures and flavors is truly delightful!
With spices like cumin, kasuri methi, and garam masala, along with a touch of heat, this savory pastry offers warmth and comfort. Plus, the crispy pastry adds an appealing crunch. Whether you serve it as a starter or for brunch, Masala Baked Beans Puff Pastry is sure to impress your guests and satisfy your taste buds.
Why choose to make these puff pastry appetizers upside down?
To be honest with you, I had the same thought when I first saw this method. It appeared to be somewhat clickbait and unnecessarily complicated. But it’s brilliant. The genius lies in achieving a perfectly golden, yet crispy, pastry along with a soft, gooey, and well-cooked filling.
If you bake them in the traditional way, there’s a chance the filling could burn before the pastry gets crispy. By flipping them, the filling is fully shielded from the intense oven heat, allowing the pastry to really excel. Additionally, this method eliminates the possibility of having a soggy pastry bottom.
Let’s jump into this simple recipe that will bring joy and flavor to any gathering.
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: This is the main ingredient for our recipe, acting as a delicious, flaky crust that holds everything together. You can usually find it in the frozen food section of grocery stores, typically near frozen pies.
- Baked Beans: These are the star of the dish! You can easily get canned Vegetarian Baked Beans at any grocery store or order them online from Amazon.
- Aromatics: We’ll be using some flavorful ingredients like onion, ginger, and garlic to add depth to our dish.
- Bell pepper: You can use any color bell pepper.
- Spices: You’ll need some common Indian spices, including chili powder, turmeric, salt, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), and garam masala, which will give our dish its unique flavor.
- Cashews: These are added to give the stuffing a nice, creamy texture.
- Oil: Any cooking oil you have at home will work just fine.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice will help balance out the sweetness from the baked beans, making the flavors come together nicely.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them pop. Next, add chopped ginger, garlic, and onion, and cook until the onions turn a light brown color.
Step 2: Add baked beans, salt, turmeric, chili powder, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), and garam masala. Mix everything gently without mashing the beans. Stir in a cashew paste and lemon juice. Cook for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
Step 3: Sprinkle some flour on your countertop. Take one pastry sheet on the floured surface, roll out the puff pastry slightly, and cut it into nine equal squares. Do the same process with the remaining one puff pastry sheet. Set these squares aside. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Take two big baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.
Step 4: In nine spots on one sheet, layer some bell peppers, onions, and cheese. Spoon the masala baked bean mixture on top of each pile. Take the pastry squares and put one over each filling. Gently press down around the edges to seal them closed. Then, use a fork to pinch the edges together; this not only makes them look nice but also keeps all the filling from escaping. Lightly brush some milk over the tops of each puff pastry tart.
Step 5: Then, put your baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown and have puffed up nicely.
Once baked, remove the tarts from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Carefully flip each one over using a spatula. Garnish with some onions, bell pepper, and sprinkle some Italian seasoning. Enjoy them warm, I love them with some green chutney!
Storage
Upside-down puff pastries taste best when they’re fresh because the pastry is light and crunchy. If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To warm them up again, simply pop them in the oven or an air fryer for a few minutes.
Top tip
- Thaw the puff pastry according to the instructions on the package. If it’s still frozen, it might tear or break, so handle it carefully!
- When sealing the pastry sheets, be gentle because they are very delicate. Use your fingers to tuck in the filling and then press the edges together with a fork to secure it.
- Make sure to use parchment paper on your baking tray. This helps prevent the pastries from sticking, so you don’t lose any of those tasty toppings!
- These appetizers are filled with gooey, melty cheese, which means they might spill out a little while baking. It’s important to give them some space on the tray.
- Don’t forget to brush the tops of the pastry with milk! This little step will help create a beautiful golden crust.
- After you take the pastries out of the oven, let them cool for about 5 minutes before flipping them over. This resting time helps everything set and hold together better.
- In my oven, these took about 20-25 minutes to bake. However, cooking times can vary depending on your oven. I’ve heard some people say they only needed 10-15 minutes, so it’s a good idea to check on yours around that time.
- Pair the puff pastry with various chutneys or sauces for added flavor and variety. I like it with cilantro mint chutney.
FAQ
Yes! You can make the filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to bake, just follow the recipe instructions.
Absolutely! While Pepper Jack cheese gives a nice flavor, feel free to try other cheeses like sharp cheddar, Indian Amul cheese, or any cheese of your choice.
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Masala Baked Beans Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 16 oz. canned vegetarian baked beans
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic grated
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 cup onion chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 10-12 pieces of raw cashew
- 1 ½ cup grated cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1 18 oz. Package of Puff pastry 2 sheets
- 3 tablespoon milk for brushing the pastry
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Method
- Take the puff pastry sheets out of the freezer and let them thaw following the instructions on the package.
- Take cashews in a bender jar with ¼ cup water and make a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them pop. Next, add chopped ginger, garlic, and onion, and cook until the onions turn a light brown color.
- Add baked beans, salt, turmeric, chili powder, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), and garam masala. Mix everything gently without mashing the beans.
- Stir in a cashew paste and lemon juice. Cook for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
- Sprinkle some flour on your countertop. Take one pastry sheet on the floured surface, roll out the puff pastry slightly, and cut it into nine equal squares. Do the same process with the remaining one puff pastry sheet. Set these 18 squares aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (about 200°C).
- Take two big baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.
- In nine spots on one sheet, layer some bell peppers, onions, and cheese. Spoon the masala baked bean mixture on top of each pile. Do the same process in another baking sheet.
- Take the pastry squares and put one over each filling. Gently press down around the edges to seal them closed. Then, use a fork to pinch the edges together; this not only makes them look nice but also keeps all the filling from escaping.
- Lightly brush some milk over the tops of each puff pastry tart. Then, put your baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown and have puffed up nicely. If your oven is small and can’t fit both baking sheets at the same time, simply bake them one at a time. Just keep the other baking sheet in the refrigerator while you bake the first one.
- Once baked, remove the tarts from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Carefully flip each one over using a spatula. Garnish with some onions, bell pepper, and sprinkle some Italian seasoning. Enjoy them warm, I love them with some green chutney!
Nutrition
Notes
- Thaw the puff pastry according to the instructions on the package. If it’s still frozen, it might tear or break, so handle it carefully!
- When sealing the pastry sheets, be gentle because they are very delicate. Use your fingers to tuck in the filling and then press the edges together with a fork to secure it.
- Make sure to use parchment paper on your baking tray. This helps prevent the pastries from sticking, so you don’t lose any of those tasty toppings!
- These appetizers are filled with gooey, melty cheese, which means they might spill out a little while baking. It’s important to give them some space on the tray.
- Don’t forget to brush the tops of the pastry with milk! This little step will help create a beautiful golden crust.
- After you take the pastries out of the oven, let them cool for about 5 minutes before flipping them over. This resting time helps everything set and hold together better.
- In my oven, these took about 20-25 minutes to bake. However, cooking times can vary depending on your oven. I’ve heard some people say they only needed 10-15 minutes, so it’s a good idea to check on yours around that time.
- Pair the puff pastry with various chutneys or sauces for added flavor and variety. I like it with cilantro mint chutney.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know We would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave your comments, ratings, and any ideas or changes you think could help us make our recipes even better. Thank you for your feedback!Warm Regards,
Dhwani.
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