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This quick and easy Cheesy Vegetarian Pie is perfect to feed a the whole family in a hurry. This is hearty food at its best. Tasty vegetables cooked in a rich, cheesy sauce, topped with crunchy pastry. What more could you ask for in a quick vegetarian family meal?!
This pie is a super easy, vegetarian, comfort food recipe. Perfect as a midweek dinner, a change from your usual Sunday roast or even as a show-stopping vegetarian main course for a party.
It’s one of those dishes that just feels good when you eat it. You know the ones that are nourishing and filling and warm the cockles?
Give it a go and see just how simple pie-making can be.
Why you’ll love this Vegetarian Pie recipe
⭐️ An easy vegetarian dish for the whole family
⭐️ Packed with flavour
⭐️ A vegetarian show-stopper
How we came up with this recipe
We’re using ready-made pastry here because life is short and the addition of cheese sauce puts this veggie pie on a whole other level.
Tinned lentils add protein (you could use a different type of cooked, canned beans if you prefer).
‘Homity Pie’, a traditional British vegetarian pie (with a pastry base, not a lid), is said to have been created by the Land Girls out of rations during WWII.
At the time, a vegetarian pie was considered a lowly cousin to the meat pie. I hope this one changes your mind!
Notes on Vegetarian Pie ingredients
- Olive oil – Not extra virgin
- Leeks – Fresh or frozen is fine
- Mushrooms – I used chestnut but for extra flavour you could use a pack of wild mushrooms or use a mix of different varieties
- Sweetcorn – Tinned kind, drained (or you could use frozen, defrosted)
- Brown or green lentils – Tinned kind
- Milk – Any kind. Choose plant-based if you prefer
- Plain flour – You can use gluten-free flour instead
- Grated cheddar cheese – This needs to be mature for flavour. Alternatively use vegan cheese
- Ready-rolled puff pastry – Use a gluten-free pastry if preferred
- Egg – Use milk if you prefer
How to make Vegetarian Pie
1. Heat the oil and add the leeks, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano and salt and pepper and cook (according to the timings below).
2. Add your lentils, sweetcorn and flour. Stir until everything is coated the flour and evenly distributed.
3. Stir in the milk continually over a medium heat until the sauce has become thick. Stir in the cream and grated cheese.
4. Tip the sauce and vegetables into the pie dish. Lay the pastry on top. Trim the pastry, brush with egg and bake.
Substitutions
- Vegetables – For extra flavour you could use a pack of wild mushrooms or use a mix of different varieties.
- Vegan alternatives – This pie can be made into a vegan dish by replacing the cheese with a vegan variety, use a plant-based cream, nut milk and olive oil spread, and make sure the puff pastry you buy has been made with olive oil, using the nut milk as an egg wash.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or covered in the oven before serving. (Reheating in the microwave will make the pastry a little soggy, beware.)
In the freezer This is OK to freeze UNBAKED. Then defrost and bake it when you’re ready to eat it. You can freeze the already cooked leftovers at a push, but once the pastry is baked and defrosted it can be a bit soggy.
Top tips
Using ready rolled pastry
Bring the pastry from the fridge about 10 minutes before using it. If you take it out too soon it will be very sticky and difficult to handle. Equally, if you use it straight from the fridge it can crack!
Mushroom cooking time
Your cooking time here will depend on the type of mushrooms you use, and how much liquid they give out. I used chestnut mushrooms, which don’t give off a lot of liquid so the 5 minutes is sufficient. If there’s a lot of water as you cook your mushrooms and leeks, you may need to cook for an extra 5-10 minutes until it evaporates.
Serving suggestion
You could serve slices of this pie with some steamed greens and new potatoes. Or how about Oven Chips or Parmentier Potatoes?
Topping decoration
I cut pastry stars out for the topping from my cutter set (here are the cutters I use). I then used the beaten egg to stick them back on. I like to cut one out of the middle too so you can see the filling peeking through!
Cheesiness
A vegetable pie is a great way to use up any cheese you have leftover that’s not getting eaten. You can use something with strong flavours like blue cheese too. Just substitute the cheese in the recipe for the same weight.
FAQs
I think this works best as it is, but if you do want a few meat pie recipes, try my easy Steak Pie or my Chicken Pie instead.
Yes, substitute the flour and pastry for gluten free versions.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Cheesy Vegetarian Pie {with Puff Pastry}
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 350 g Leeks, Sliced (approx 3 large leeks)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 600 g Mushrooms, Sliced
- 198 g Tin of sweetcorn, Drained
- 400 g Tin of brown or green lentils, Drained
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
For the sauce:
- 35 g Plain flour
- 300 ml Milk, Any sort
- 150 ml Single cream
- 150 g Grated cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, To taste
For the topping:
- 1 Sheet of ready-to-roll puff pastry
- 1 Egg, Beaten
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and grease a medium pie dish (about 20cm).
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the leeks, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano and salt and pepper. Stir over a medium heat for 5 minutes until just starting to soften.
- Add your lentils, sweetcorn and flour. Stir until everything is coated the flour and evenly distributed (approx 3-5 minutes until no specks of flour are visible).
- Stir in the milk continually over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes until the sauce has become thick. Stir in the cream and grated cheese.
- Tip the sauce and vegetables into the pie dish. Brush the beaten egg around the edges of the dish and then lay the puff pastry over the top of the dish to seal. Trim to fit and then using a fork and crimp around the outside. Poke a couple of holes through the middle to allow the steam to escape.
- Brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed up.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
