Sunneblueme-Hörnli - the Swiss classic vegan

Hörnli with minced meat is one of the favorite dishes in Swiss cuisine: down-to-earth, hearty, and always accompanied by sweet and fruity applesauce. Traditionally, the dish consists of a spicy minced meat sauce with small pasta horns, rounded off with crispy fried onions. But how can you make this classic plant-based yet authentic? We have the perfect recipe for you: Vegan Hörnli with minced meat, naturally made with our sunflowerHACK: SunflowerHörnli

The secret lies in the preparation

For the best results, we recommend preparing the sunflower mince with hot vegetable broth and frying it vigorously. Combined with finely diced onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, it develops an intense flavor, perfectly complemented by tomato paste, soy sauce, a pinch of paprika, thyme, and marjoram. Optionally, a dash of dry red wine rounds off the sauce for a particularly deep, robust flavor.

Crispy fried onions and apple sauce – indispensable companions

What would pasta with minced meat be without its typical accompaniments? Homemade, crispy fried onions add the final crunch, while the sweet applesauce provides a wonderful contrast to the savory sauce.

Simple, delicious and purely plant-based

Our recipe is not only delicious, but also quick and easy to prepare—perfect for everyday use, but also convincing enough to impress guests. Whether vegan, vegetarian, or simply curious: this dish will delight everyone!

Extra tip for connoisseurs

For an extra savory touch, we recommend sprinkling the finished dish with some vegan grated cheese or nutritional yeast before serving. This will give your vegan pasta with minced meat an extra layer of flavor that perfectly rivals the traditional cheese version.

Try it out and experience for yourself how delicious Swiss tradition can taste – without any animal ingredients, but with plenty of flavor!

Get your ingredients now and enjoy vegan food with sunflowerFamily!

Sunneblueme-Hörnli - der Schweizer Klassiker vegan

Zubereitungszeit 30 minutes

Portionen 4

Zutaten

76 g sunflower mince
1 large onion
1 large carrot
1 stalk of celery
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp organic cooking oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp flour
100 ml dry red wine
250 ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
1 tsp thyme, dried
1 tsp marjoram, dried
salt and pepper
350 g Hörnli (horn pasta, durum wheat semolina)
350 g applesauce
Fried onions: 2 large onions, 2 tablespoons flour, cooking oil
Garnish: parsley

Zubereitung

Prepare the sunflower mince: Place the sunflower mince in a bowl and pour over about 200 ml of boiling vegetable stock. Let it swell for about 5 minutes, then drain into a sieve. Gently squeeze out any excess liquid to ensure the vegetable mince is nice and fluffy and moist.

Brown the mince: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan. Brown the well-drained sunflower mince over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, until lightly browned. If necessary, brown in batches to allow the roasted flavors to develop. Remove the browned mince from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the vegetables: In the remaining oil in the pan (add 1 more tablespoon if needed), fry the diced onion, carrot, and celery until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are slightly softened (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add tomato paste and spices: Add the tomato paste and paprika to the vegetables and cook for about 1 minute, stirring to develop a roasted flavor. Then sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and cook briefly to lightly thicken the sauce.

Add the liquid: Deglaze with the red wine (if not using red wine, add a splash of hot stock). Bring the wine to a boil briefly, loosening any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the soy sauce. Now pour in the 250 ml vegetable stock and return the reserved sunflower mince to the pan. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and marjoram. Stir everything well and bring to a boil. Then cover the pan and reduce the heat. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. (Tip: If the liquid reduces too much, simply add more hot water or stock a little at a time.)

Cook the macaroni and prepare the fried onions: While the sauce is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Then drain. At the same time, prepare the fried onions: In a bowl, toss the onion rings with 2 tablespoons of flour until all the rings are lightly coated. Heat plenty of oil in a saucepan or deep frying pan to approximately 170°C. Fry the floured onion rings in batches in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

To serve: Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. If desired, add the drained pasta directly to the sauce in the pan and toss to combine. Or divide the pasta separately between plates and drizzle with the vegan meat sauce. Garnish with the crispy fried onions (and some fresh parsley, if desired). Serve the pasta with the minced meat and applesauce. Serve the applesauce either separately in bowls or with a dollop of it directly on the plate.