Vegetable toad in the hole, roasted carrots, swede, parsnip & onions in a Yorkshire pudding batter, complete with a vegetarian onion gravy.
This meat-free toad in the hole recipe is the perfect size for two, uses my easy foolproof Yorkshire pudding recipe and cooks in around 45 minutes.
Veggie Toad in the Hole.
There are two foods that I view as quintessentially British: Yorkshire Pudding and Toad in the Hole.
This roasted vegetable toad in the hole is a vegetarian variant of a classic British frugal meal.
Although I’m pretty sure my Grandad, who was a butcher, will be turning in his grave at the thought of veggie Toad in the Hole!
This recipe is not a sacrifice in any way, shape or form; it is simply stunning. And that is before you add the swoon-worthy vegetarian onion gravy!
A gravy that gets its flavour from dried porcini mushrooms, and then a bit of marmite and black treacle.
It is simply the best veggie gravy I have ever tried!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes, in fact, I would urge you not to get too wrapped up in the ingredients I use to stuff my toad in the hole. Experiment and play with what is good in your local market.
Some of my favourites are fennel and leek, roasted pumpkin and onion, cauliflower and broccoli.
Do I have to use Marmite in the onion gravy?
No, but I would urge you to give it a try. I get it, I really do not like Marmite, it's horrible on toast, but in this gravy, it is THE magic ingredient!
Can I use other dried mushrooms?
Yes, and they will be cheaper; however, they will not have the same punch of flavour as porcini mushrooms.
What's the secret to perfect Yorkshire pudding batter?
I talk in detail about the perfect Yorkshire pudding batter in my Foolproof Yorkie recipe.
But for me, there are two things that you must do!
- Rest your batter before cooking; overnight is best, but aim for nothing less than 4 hours.
- Measure by volume, I'm not a fan of cup measures, but for this dish, volumetric measures work perfectly. I use three identical bowls and line them up, crack the eggs into one, then fill up the other two bowls with milk and flour
Can I make this in advance?
Reheating Yorkshire pudding is a long-held tradition, typically for breakfast the following day. So yes, this will be fine in the fridge for a day or 2.
However, it is not for me, they rarely give me the same kinda joy, and I do not enjoy them reheated!
Serving Suggestions
Aside from the rather foxy vegetarian onion gravy, I like to serve this roast vegetable toad in the hole with extra veggies.
Here I have served it with some roasted tender stem broccoli. But it is equally good with some garlic asparagus or this buttered cabbage.
Another option that is a little more work, but equally delicious, is petit pois a la Francaise. Just omit the bacon if you are sticking to a vegetarian diet.
In a similar vein, it would be equally good with braised cavolo nero kale.
You will have plenty of swede left over when you make this recipe. But fear not, I have a great recipe for swede and carrot mash that will use it up!
Due to many requests, I have created a new recipe for a vegan onion gravy, too!
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
For the toad in the hole:
- Oven.
- Mixing bowl.
- Whisk.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and or spoons.
- Prep bowls, I prefer to use 3 identically sized bowls to estimate the volumetric measurement for the batter.
- 20cm or 8" round baking tin.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
For the vegetarian onion gravy:
- Hob/stovetop.
- 15-16cm or 6" saucepan, not nonstick if possible
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and or spoons.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Blender.
Vegetable Toad in the Hole Recipe with Vegetarian Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 large Eggs
- 75 g Flour Roughly. Use the same volume as the eggs
- 110 ml Milk Roughly. Use the same volume as the eggs
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 100 g Baby Carrots ⅔ Cup
- 100 g Parsnip ⅔ Cup
- 100 g Swede ⅔ Cup (AKA Rutabaga)
- ½ Medium Red Onion 75g
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil Use something neutral
For the Vegetarian Onion Gravy
- 2 Medium Onions 300g
- 30 g Butter 2 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 400 ml Vegetable Stock 1⅔ Cups
- 15 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms ⅓-½ Cups
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- ½ teaspoon Black Treacle or Molasses
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the beaten egg and milk, and mix to form a batter.
- Mix in the thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and set aside for at least 4 hours in the fridge; overnight is best.
- Cut the onions for the gravy in half lengthways, then peel and slice into 3-5mm (¼-⅛") thick half-moon shapes.
- Add the butter for the gravy to a small (15-16cm or 6") saucepan (not non-stick) and melt it over a medium-low heat.Add the onions and cook over a low-medium heat for 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. If the onions start to darken too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Heat the vegetable stock until it is boiling and add the dried mushrooms, then turn off the heat and allow them to soak for 10 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C or 430°F. Whilst the oven is heating up, place a 20cm (8") shallow baking tin in there with the cooking oil.
- Peel the swede and cut it into 1.5-2cm (½¾") cubes.
- Peel the parsnip and cut it into 1.5-2cm (½¾") cubes.
- Add the diced parsnip, swede and carrots to the baking tin, toss to coat in oil and then return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Peel the halved red onion and then cut it into quarters, taking care not to trim off too much of the root. You want the onion to hold together.
- When the vegetables have been roasting for 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pile the vegetables up away from the edges of the pan, then add the red onion wedges.
- Pour over the Yorkshire pudding batter and place the pan in the oven, and cook for 30-35 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN UNTIL THE TOAD IN THE HOLE IS COOKED!
- 10 minutes before the toad is cooked, blend the stock and dried mushrooms, and it will form a nice gravy-like texture.
- Add the tomato puree to the onions and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the mushroom gravy over the onions and turn the heat up to medium.
- Stir in the marmite and treacle, feel free to adjust the amounts of these to your liking and then add salt if required; it should not be.
- Simmer the gravy until the toad in the hole is ready to serve.
Betty
Friday 17th of July 2020
Love this idea! Toad in the hole is one of my faves, I didn’t think I could do without the sausage but this is perfect! Ketchup and peas are my go too aswell haha!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 21st of July 2020
It was as the result of an experiment for some vegetarian friends and it was a resounding hit, so much better than those awful veggie sausages! And if you ain't vegetarian and cook it in lard or duck fat it is spectacularly good :o
Pretty
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
This looks amazing! I love comfort British food, on my list to try!
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
I've never even thought about doing toad in the hole with anything other than sausages before. Great idea for when I'm craving a crispy filled Yorkshire pudding but don't have any sausages on hand!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
Toad in the hole is such a great and underestimated meal. Try explaining what it is to anyone that isn't British is perhaps a little tricky. Making it with roasted vegetables is a fab idea, and a suitable alternative for the non-meat eaters. Have to say it looks really delicious.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
I saw this on Instagram and was blown away. GENIUS IDEA!!!
I tagged a veggie friend and I am going to try this once our weather cools down!