Make these creamy pecan stuffed dates as simple vegan finger food! The sweet and savory mixture will make everyone come back for more — plus, they are so easy to make.
If you’re no stranger to our website, you’ll know that we love creating recipes that feature dates!
From peanut butter to cream cheese-stuffed and chocolate-dipped, these varieties can be endless.
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Yes, you can enjoy dates as savory finger food! Thanks to their shape, they are wonderful little appetizers just longing to be stuffed with all kinds of plant-based goodness.
You can even make them with kids in about 10-15 minutes — only a handful of ingredients and pretty much no kitchen tools needed!
If you like the mixture of sweet and savory, our quinoa-stuffed aubergines feature a cozily spiced filling that contains raisins!
Let’s take a look at the recipe together.
Contents show
Ingredients needed
- Medjool dates — we highly recommend this variety over other dates due to their size and taste!
- Vegan cream cheese — you’ll want a nice and creamy filling for your dates.
- Pecans — the crunchy star of our stuffed dates! We love them lightly toasted.
- Flavorings — our recipe uses sundried tomato and fresh basil leaves but we’ll share some swaps with you below.
As we said, this is a really easy-to-make recipe with few ingredients needed! Here’s how you make these savory pecan stuffed dates.
pin it
pin itHow to make savory stuffed dates
Pit the dates
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice each date lengthwise without cutting all the way through them.
Pry the sides open with your thumbs, push the back of the date with your index fingers to expose the pit. Pull it out and put it aside to compost later.
Place the pitted dates on a large plate next to each other.
Make the filling
Put your vegan cream cheese, sundried tomatoes and chopped basil in a small bowl and mix with a spoon until well-combined.
Adjust to your liking with a sprinkle of salt or other flavorings.
Stuff the dates
Using a small spoon, distribute the cream cheese filling evenly between all dates. Once all of them are stuffed, put half a pecan nut on top of each date!
Sprinkle with more fresh herbs or some salt if wanted or drizzle with maple syrup.
pin itStoring & serving suggestions
The stuffed dates should be refrigerated for an hour before serving so they become firmer.
The assembled dates can be kept at room temperature for several hours if you serve them at a party!
You can place them on a vegan appetizer platter alongside a herbed almond cheese ball, some green goddess hummus, mango chutney, and oven-baked tortilla chips.
They can also be used as a kid-friendly snack or taken with you as part of your cold vegan lunch!
pin itTips & adjustments for this vegan appetizer
Meal prep stuffed dates
You can pit and stuff your dates with the cream cheese mixture ahead of time (about half a day before serving them) and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Within an hour of serving them on a platter, remove the stuffed dates from the fridge and decorate them with pecan nuts.
Recipe variations
- Vegan cream cheese can be replaced with almond ricotta or soft vegan cheese.
- Sundried tomatoes can be omitted and instead of basil, you can use thyme, rosemary, or any other herb of your choice.
- If you don’t have any pecans, simply use almonds, walnuts, or cashews.
Other topping ideas include lemon zest or orange zest, maple syrup, sesame seeds, balsamic reduction, pistachios, and cracked pepper.
pin itMore vegan finger food
- Potato Vegetable Croquettes
- Vegan Cauliflower Chicken Wings
- Carrot Cake Bites
- Pistachio Bliss Balls
- Vegan Pizza Rolls
Did you make our vegan pecan stuffed dates and like them? Be sure to let us know in the comments below, give the recipe a rating and Pin it here.
Easy Pecan Stuffed Dates (Vegan)
Yield: 10 dates
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Make these creamy pecan stuffed dates as simple vegan finger food! The sweet and savory mixture will make everyone come back for more — plus, they are so easy to make. This healthy appetizer is perfect for any gathering!
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates
- 2-3 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- 10 pecan nuts, toasted
- 1 sundried tomato, finely diced
- 2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Cut the Medjool dates open lengthwise and remove the pits. Arrange them in a single layer on a large plate.
- In a small bowl, mix vegan cream cheese with sundried tomatoes and chopped basil until well-combined.
- Using a small spoon, fill all dates with the savory cream cheese mixture. Stuff a pecan nut into the creamy filling for a pretty finish!
- Refrigerate the stuffed dates for an hour before serving.
Notes
- You could also use unsweetened vegan yogurt or vegan ricotta instead of cream cheese.
- Feel free to use any herbs of your choice instead of basil!
- The dates can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days in a sealed container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10Serving Size: 1 date
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 104Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed. Just focus on whole plant-based foods and eat until satiety!
