This is the dish that launched the blog – my entry into the Linda McCartney competition in 2011 to find ‘the Nation’s Tastiest Meat-Free Dish’. I won, and this vegan mushroom pie became part of their ready-meal range! It was a surreal but brilliant experience, watching my pie recipe go into production in their factory in Norfolk.
The pie is always a crowd-pleaser – beer and puff pastry is surely a winning combination in anyone’s book. This is just as good with chips and mushy peas as it is with roast potatoes and all the trimmings. I often make little individual pies, instead of one big one – the recipe below makes 4 individual pies or one big one as pictured.
If you’re in a hurry, you can speed this recipe up by using tinned green lentils instead, though I tend to find them a bit mushy so prefer to use dried puy lentils whenever I have time.
If you’re cooking for kids or someone who doesn’t like beer, just swap it for more vegetable stock. Or for a bit of variation you can use red wine instead, to turn this into a bourguignon-style pie. Lovely!
Here’s a little video of me cooking my vegan mushroom pie for the Linda McCartney competition – this went out as an advert on national television… eek!
Fun!
Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later, or to share with friends → → → → →
Do send me pictures of your very own vegan mushroom pie on:
to show me how you got on!
Vegan Mushroom pie: Equipment & Shopping List
You will need:
- Large lidded casserole or frying pan
- Ovenproof pie dish (one large or 4 individual)
Shopping List:
- Shallots
- Chestnut Mushrooms
- Baby spinach
- Dairy-free milk (I use oat or soya)
- Dairy-free margarine
- Ready-rolled puff pastry (check it is vegan)
- Olive oil
- Garlic purée / ready-chopped garlic
- Tomato purée
- Puy lentils
- Dried porcini mushrooms
- Cornflour
- Vegetable stock (check it is vegan)
- Brown ale (check it is vegan)
Hearty Mushroom, Ale & Lentil Pie
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 10 small shallots, halved
- 1 tsp garlic purée / ready-chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 75 g puy lentils, washed and drained
- 300 g chestnut or flat mushrooms, sliced thickly
- 20 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 275 ml brown ale (check it is vegan)
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 50 g baby spinach
- Cornflower and dariy-free margarine made to a paste (to thicken)
- Ready-made puff pastry (check it is vegan)
- Soya milk to glaze
Instructions
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan, add shallots and cook gently until brown. Reduce heat, add the garlic and cook for two more minutes.
- Stir in tomato purée, lentils, and mushrooms. Turn up heat and cook for five minutes.
- Stir in the brown ale and 100ml of the stock. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, soak the porcini mushrooms in 200ml warm water for 20 minutes, drain (reserving the soaking liquor) and chop roughly. Add both the porcini and the soaking liquor to the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
- Simmer for a further 10 minutes, using the remaining stock or the cornflour and margarine paste to adjust the consistency until a thick gravy-like pie filling is achieved.
- Stir through the baby spinach, and spoon the mixture into the pie dish. Brush the edges with a little soya milk and cover with rolled puff pastry.
- Brush the pie top with soya milk and bake for 20 minutes or until pastry top is golden and well risen. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
You might also enjoy my:
- Mushroom & Merlot ‘Posh Pasties’
- Colcannon-topped Vegan Shepherds’ Pie
- Kale Lovers’ Christmas Pie
- Veggie Shepherds’ Pie Jacket Potatoes
There are plenty of similarly quick and easy recipes in my new book, ‘Vegan in 15‘*. Hop over to Amazon for a look. Thanks for your support!
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chutneyandspice says
These look delicious, I’m always looking for new ways to get vegetables into my children and these could be just the ticket. Are the pies stocked in most supermarkets? I am going to have a bash at making them too.
thevegspace says
Thanks chutneyandspice, I think the pies would go down very well with little ‘uns! If you try both homemade and supermarket versions let me know what you think… (o:
Emily says
These are the nicest pies I have ever eaten. Gorgeous!
thevegspace says
That’s so lovely to hear, thanks Emily – you’ve made my day!!
N Lewis says
Have just made this and it was absolutely delicious! Don’t normally remake much, but this will be something I can see is making again and again! I assume if ambled it would freeze well to the pop in the oven on a weeknight?
Victoria Rae says
My partner and I have recently gone vegetarian & eventually vegan, once we are confident that we understand all the nutritional needs that we require. I made this pie and oh my gosh it tastes absolutely delicious! My partner had 2 portions he liked it that much, you wouldn’t think it was meat free.
Fay Attridge says
Yes it’s a hit from us too!
Danielle says
This was so tasty!
Had run out of veg stock so after a last minute panic used gravy – worked just as well. Also added a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard for extra flavour.
This recipe went down a treat in our house, will be making this again!