Vegan piadina fillings

What vegan fillings can you put in your piadina? Actually, there are loads of delicious vegan ingredients that you can put in a piadina! Traditionally, piadinas are filled with things like ham and mozzarella, and even piadinerias (restaurants where they make piadinas) rarely offer vegan options – at best, vegetarian. Things are starting to change now as the vegan movement gains momentum, but we vegans are still a long way from getting a decent choice in most food joints in Italy.

This post is dedicated to a roundup of amazing vegan piadina fillings to suit all tastes and dietary requirements! All these piadina fillings are far more imaginative and interesting than boring old ham, and no animals have been harmed to make them! You’ll find everything from succulent grilled vegetables to vegan tuna mayonnaise. Choose from crunchy, raw whole foods or delicious combos with grilled or sautéed vegetables, hummus and avocado. Some with and some without vegan cheese. There’s something for everyone! Swap ingredients around to make your own delicious creations!

What is a piadina?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the word piadina, it’s Italy’s answer to flatbread. It’s similar to a flour tortilla and can be rolled up like a wrap or folded in half like the locals do. La piadina Romagnola, originates from Emilia Romagna in central Italy. This iconic unleavened Italian flatbread is made with simple ingredients (flour, water, and salt), but it often contains suet. Today, most piadina manufacturers make a version with olive oil instead of suet. If you can find ready-made piadinas where you live, make sure you check the label.

Make your own piadinas

The best thing to do is make your own piadinas at home. 5 simple ingredients, 5 minutes to knead the dough, and 20 minutes standing time. Then, roll them out and cook them for 45 seconds on each side – job done! They’ll keep in a ziplock bag in the fridge for up to two weeks. That way, you’ll always have some delicious Italian flatbread on hand whenever you want a quick, easy meal. In my post, how to make piadinas, you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos, so you can’t go wrong!

What you’ll find in this roundup of vegan piadina fillings

So that you can find what you’re looking for quickly and easily, I’ve listed this roundup under 3 main headings:

• Raw vegetable vegan piadina fillings
• Grilled or sautéed vegetable piadina fillings
• Plant-based vegan piadina fillings (with ingredients such as vegan meat and tuna)

Tips

• Prepare your fillings while the piadina dough is resting. If using shop-bought piadinas, heat them up just before filling them. That way, they will be nice and pliable, ready to roll or fold in half without cracking or breaking.
• Keep the balls of dough covered under a damp kitchen cloth while they rest. If they dry out on the surface, they will tend to crack and be more challenging to roll out. Roll the piadinas out one at a time. While one is cooking, you can roll out the next.
• If there are any leftovers, a piadina makes a great lunch to take to work.
• Refrigerate or freeze any leftover piadina wraps (without the filling!) in a ziplock bag.

Raw vegetable vegan piadina fillings

1. Avocado, tomato, vegan stracchino, rocket, and black olives

Ingredients

• avocado – cut into slices
• tomato – cut into slices
• vegan stracchino – I used Stra veg, which I buy in Italy. If you can’t find vegan stracchino, you and substitute it with any vegan cream cheese.

• rocket (aka arugula)
• black olives – pitted
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt – I use unrefined sea salt
• pepper – freshly ground black pepper is best

Grilled vegetable vegan piadina fillings

1. Grilled courgettes, cherry tomatoes, vegan stracchino, basil pesto

Ingredients

• grilled courgettes (see separate recipe for grilled courgettes)
• cherry tomatoes
• vegan stracchino – I used Stra veg, which I buy at supermarkets in Italy. If you can’t find vegan stracchino, you and substitute it with any vegan cream cheese.
• basil pesto (see separate recipe for vegan basil pesto genovese)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt – I use unrefined sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper (optional)

2. Grilled aubergines, tomato, mixed leaf salad, mustard mayonnaise

Ingredients

• grilled aubergines (see separate recipe for grilled aubergines)
• tomato – cut into slices
• mixed leaf salad or lettuce
• salt – I use unrefined sea salt
• vegan mayonnaise
• vegan mustard – mix the mustard with the mayonnaise in the proportion of 2 parts mayonnaise to 1 part mustard

3. Caramelised red peppers and red onions with chickpea hummus and black olives

Ingredients

• red pepper strips and sliced red onions (sautéed on low heat in olive oil until golden brown and caramelised)
• chickpea hummus
• black olives (pitted)
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt – I use unrefined sea salt

4. Cashew cream cheese with horseradish, Grilled vegetables, cherry tomatoes, mixed leaf salad, and black olives

Ingredients

• vegan cashew cream cheese with horseradish
• grilled aubergines (see separate recipe for grilled aubergines)
• grilled courgettes (see separate recipe for grilled courgettes)
• sautéed red peppers
• cherry tomatoes
• mixed leaf salad
• black olives (pitted)

Plant-based piadina fillings

1. Vegan tuna, mayonnaise, sweetcorn, lettuce, avocado, red onion

Ingredients

• vegan tuna – I use Garden Gourmet Vuna
• vegan mayonnaise – I use Thomy Veggynaise
• sweetcorn – the tinned variety is fine
• avocado – cut into slices
• lettuce – I used red oak leaf lettuce
• red onion – thinly sliced on a mandoline
• salt – I use unrefined sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper (optional)

How to serve piadinas

You can serve piadinas either wrapped into a roll or folded in half. If you didn’t overcook your piadina, and it’s still warm and pliable, you can easily wrap the piadina and its contents into a roll and enjoy it that way. If your piadina is crispier, you’ll find it easier to fold it in half.

Have a piadina night with friends or family! Prepare all the fillings and put them on the table where everyone can help themselves to what they fancy. Stack the piadinas on a plate. Cover them with a clean kitchen cloth to keep them warm and put them on the table with the filling ingredients. We always calculate two piadinas per person.

Serve little triangles of piadina as finger food to accompany a glass of wine in true Italian aperitivo style!

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of vegan piadina fillings and have found lots of new favourites! Now, you can get creative and create your own combinations based on your favourite ingredients! If you try and like any of these fillings, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below, or take a quick pic and share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @vegan_hot_stuff – I love seeing your re-creations!

If you haven’t already, remember to check out how to make piadinas at home quickly and easily with five simple ingredients!

Learn how to grill vegetables the Italian way with these recipes for grilled aubergines and grilled courgettes!

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular vegan fillings for piadinas and wraps?

The most popular vegan piadina and wrap fillings include grilled vegetables like courgettes (zucchini) and aubergines (eggplant), fresh greens such as leafy green salad, rocket (arugula) or baby spinach, slices of fresh tomato, pitted olives, and spreads like hummus, avocado, and vegan tuna paté. Other popular additions include roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, plant-based cheeses​ and cold “meats”, vegan mayonnaise, vegan pestos, tahini sauce and whipped vegan feta.

Can piadina be made gluten-free?

Yes, you can make gluten-free piadinas using gluten-free flour blends. However, the texture might vary slightly from traditional piadina.​

How can I incorporate more protein into vegan piadinas?

If you want to increase the protein content of your piadina, you could add tofu, seitan, chickpeas, beans, or tempeh. Some ideas are tofu “egg” mayonnaise, sautéed seitan chunks, chickpea “tuna” mayonnaise, bean hummus, and tempeh “bacon”.

Should you heat piadinas up before filling them?

Yes, unless you’ve just made them, it’s best to heat your piadinas up in a dry frying pan before filling them. It’s always a good idea to prepare all your fillings first and then cook or reheat the piadinas. Be careful not to dry them out, especially if you want to roll them up like a wrap – they must be warm and pliable to roll. If it does happen, just fold the piadina in half and pretend it’s a true piadina romagnola.

Can you make piadinas ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 8 hours. For the best results, leave the dough to stand for the stated 30 minutes, roll it out, and cook the piadinas immediately. They will keep in a ziplock bag in the fridge for a week.

Before you go…

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