Vegan Schmalz Recipe
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In this post, I’ll show you how to make vegan Schmalz, a vegetarian alternative to lard. It tastes wonderful on fresh bread or baguette and comes together quickly with just a few ingredients.
I use refined (neutral-tasting) coconut oil and canola oil as the base. Refined coconut oil alone would be much too firm to spread. Combining it with canola oil gives the right consistency. Nutritional yeast and marjoram provide the flavor. The marjoram is completely optional, but I like it. This Schmalz is entirely vegan too.
Want to try more spreads? My website has a liverwurst-style spread, vegetarian Mett, beet spread and a delicious eggplant spread. Find all my spread recipes in the recipe collection.
You’ll find the complete vegetarian apple and onion Schmalz recipe below.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Vegan Schmalz – What do you need to make it?
Ingredients per 425 g
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| refined (neutral-tasting) coconut oil | 225 g | |
| neutral canola oil | 75 ml | |
| onions | 75 g | |
| apples | 50 g |
Spices per 425 g
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| Seasonings | |
| salt | 6 g |
| marjoram (optional) | 2 g |
| nutritional yeast | 1.5 g |
| black pepper | 1 g |
The equipment to make vegan Schmalz
Jars
You’ll need jars for storing the Schmalz. Traditional straight-sided preserving jars or WECK jars work well.
For my other recommendations, see my complete sausage-making equipment guide.
Make vegan Schmalz – Step-By-Step Instructions
Prepare the apples and onions
Peel the apples and onions and cut them into small dice. The finer you chop them, the more they break down during frying and spread evenly through the Schmalz.
Heat the refined coconut oil and canola oil
Put the refined coconut oil and canola oil in the pan. The canola oil makes the finished Schmalz spreadable.
Melt the refined coconut oil over low heat
Melt the refined coconut oil and bring it to just under 100 °C (212 °F). Start at a low temperature so the moisture in the onions and apples can evaporate slowly without excessive foaming.
Cook the onions and apples over low heat
Add the onions and apple and let them cook slowly at about 100 °C (212 °F). You’ll see bubbling and a little foam as water evaporates from the onions and apples.
Increase the temperature and fry until golden
Once the foaming subsides, increase the temperature to 160–170 °C (320–338 °F) and fry the onions and apples until golden. Frying at the higher temperature develops a lovely roasted flavor.
Remove the onions and apples
Remove the apple and onions from the fat once they reach the golden color you want. Let them drain briefly on a plate.
Season the warm fat
Add the seasonings to the still-warm fat and stir well. Important: The salt doesn’t always dissolve immediately, so regular stirring in the next steps is especially important.
Return the onions and apples
Add the fried onions and apples back to the seasoned fat and combine evenly.
Fill jars
Pour the Schmalz into clean jars. This quantity fills one medium preserving jar.
Stir regularly while cooling
Let the Schmalz cool. Important: Stir repeatedly as it cools so the onions, apples and seasonings stay evenly distributed. Otherwise, they settle at the bottom and the mixture won’t be uniform.
Ready to enjoy
Your vegetarian apple and onion Schmalz is ready 😄. Take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving for the perfect spreading consistency. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Can I make vegetarian Schmalz without refined coconut oil?
Can I make vegetarian Schmalz without refined coconut oil?
Yes, you can use vegan margarine instead. The consistency will be a little softer and the flavor slightly different. Choose a neutral-tasting margarine so the roasted onion and apple flavors stay in the foreground.
What is the shelf life of vegetarian Schmalz?
What is the shelf life of vegetarian Schmalz?
Your vegetarian Schmalz keeps in the fridge for at least 4 weeks. Always use a clean knife so you don’t introduce germs into the jar. It’s quite firm straight from the fridge. Take it out 10-15 minutes ahead to make it spreadable.
What's the difference between vegetarian and vegan Schmalz?
What's the difference between vegetarian and vegan Schmalz?
In this case, none. This recipe is entirely plant-based, so it’s both vegetarian and vegan. I also call it vegetarian Schmalz because it’s an alternative to pork lard, but it contains no animal ingredients.
Which variations can I try?
Which variations can I try?
The basic apple and onion version is a classic. You can fry finely diced potatoes along with them for crispy pieces reminiscent of crackling lard. Garlic, caraway or savory also work well. Tip: It tastes rather bland without nutritional yeast, so I wouldn’t leave that out.
