Vegan Blackberry Galette with Basil

Beautiful undertones of fresh basil combined with sweet and tart blackberries make this rustic vegan blackberry galette a perfect summer indulgence. Fresh basil chiffonade is not only a lovely garnish, but also adds a punch of spicy flavour to this rustic French dessert.

I love making galettes because they are simple and very forgiving; any imperfections only add to the effortless beauty of this dessert. Like my vegan apple cinnamon galette, this rustic vegan pastry crust is made from a combination of all-purpose flour and spelt flour. You can omit the spelt if you prefer; just replace it with more all-purpose flour in equal measure.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
• Step by Step Guide
• Helpful Tips
• Make Ahead & Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Recipes
• Vegan Blackberry Galette with Basil

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

For this recipe you will need the following basic ingredients. For precise measurements, please see the recipe card further down the post.

All purpose flour: creates the base for most all traditional pastry dough.

Spelt flour: This pie crust recipe contains a portion of light spelt flour for added flavour. However, you can simply replace this 1:1 with more all-purpose flour if you wish.

Granulated sugar: this is used in and on the pastry to balance the flavours and add a pretty presentation to the crust.

Sea salt: a common ingredient in pastry dough, it serves to balance out the oil in dough and helps in browning

Coconut oil: Coconut oil adds richness and a flaky texture just as butter or shortening would. Use refined coconut oil to ensure there is no coconut flavour. This can be replaced 1:1 with vegan butter or shortening if you prefer, however because most butter alternatives contain salt, reduce the amount of salt in the recipe by at least half or eliminate it entirely.

Unsweetened almond milk: this creates binding and moisture in the dough. I mostly use unsweetened almond milk, but most non-dairy milks, like oat, soy or coconut will also work here. This is also used to baste the dough before baking so the sugar has something to adhere to. it also aids in browning the crust nicely.

Fresh blackberries: I prefer to use blackberries when they are in season; they are sweeter, juicer, easier to find and less expensive. You could use frozen blackberries in this recipe, however there may be more juice released during baking as a result.

Fresh basil leaves: sweet basil varieties work best for this recipe; it can be sourced at most grocery stores in the produce aisle year round.

Lemon: contain natural citric acid which balances the sweetness and compliment the basil and blackberries in this recipe.

Step by Step Guide

For the full detailed instructions on how to make my vegan blackberry galette, please see the recipe card below. The following is a synopsis of the steps involved in making this recipe:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2: Sift the flour, sugar and sea salt together then blend in the coconut oil and cold almond milk until pea sized crumbs are formed and the mixture starts to come together.

STEP 3: Onto a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk shape. Roll out the dough to 12" in diameter (about ⅛" thick).

STEP 4: Add the blackberries, lemon juice, basil, sugar and lemon juice to a large bowl. Gently stir until combined. Let stand for 5 minutes.

STEP 5: Spoon the blackberry mixture and their juices in the center of the pastry dough. Fold up one side of the dough and pleat. Repeat this process, pleating all the way around.

STEP 6: Baste the outside of the pastry with a small amount of almond milk and sprinkle sugar over the top of the pastry. Bake then let cool 15 minutes before serving.

STEP 7: Top with fresh chopped basil chiffonade and serve with your favourite non-dairy ice cream.

Helpful Tips

• Wash and Pick Over the Blackberries: make sure you prep the blackberries well. Wash them and then pick them over to remove any that are less than ideal, or have mold on them (this is a very common occurrence with store bought berries).

• Taste Test the Blackberries: if you purchase blackberries out of season, chances are they may be slightly unripe, really tart or even sour. If that's the case, add 1-2 tablespoons more of sugar to the bowl when they are marinating with the basil and lemon juice.

• Scrape out all the juices: it's important to get all those lovely juices from the marinating bowl into the galette. Use a rubber spatula to scrape it all out.

• The coconut oil needs to be soft, but not liquid: It should scoop easily and hold its shape. If your coconut oil is rock hard, simply heat it in a microwave safe dish for a few seconds until it softens. Coconut oil that is too hard can't be worked evenly into the pastry—make sure to soften it.

• Don't over mix the pastry: This can result in a dense and lifeless pastry. Mix the coconut oil and flour mixture just until pea sized crumbs form and then add in the milk and combine just until all the flour is moistened.

• Roll the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper: You can then gently transfer the parchment and rolled dough onto the baking tray and finish filling and folding the pastry directly on the tray. This helps prevent breaking of the crust.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: prep the blackberries and mix them with the lemon juice, sugar and basil. Cover and place in the fridge for up to 2 hours before using in the recipe. The pastry can also be prepared, shaped into a disc as per step 2, but instead of rolling it out right away, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap for storage in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Allow the pastry to sit at room temperature to soften before attempting to roll it out.

Storage: the baked galette should be consumed on the same day. However, any leftovers can be placed covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: the pastry dough can be prepared as per direction 2, however don't roll it out. Instead, tightly wrap the disc in heavy duty aluminum foil or freezer safe plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag; it should last up to 3 months in the freezer. Allow it to defrost in the fridge and then soften at room temperature before rolling it out. I do not recommend freezing the baked galette; it will not withstand defrosting and will become soggy.

For additional information on safe food handling and storage, please visit: the Government of Canada Food Safety website, USDA Food Safety Inspection Agency website or your country's official food safety website.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes

Vegan Apple Galette

Vegan Blackberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

Vegan Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcakes

If you made my Vegan Blackberry Galette with Basil please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.