Vegan Tourtiere | Quebec’s Vegan Meat Pie

How’s it going my friends ? I’ve been busy as heck and it has finally all come to an end. I submitted my final research papers and now I can finally relax. And what better to relax with than a Vegan Tourtiere. A Vegan Meat Pie if you will.

What is a Tourtiere ?

Great question! A Tourtiere is essentially a meat pie, made in Quebec, Canada. There are many variation of a Tourtieres and they are quite different from your typical meat pie.

Tourtieres are usually made with minced pork, beef, veal and potatoes. For Quebec families, a Tourtiere is a must make during the holidays. Whether you make it in new year’s eve, or on Christmas is up to you. But if you are a Québecois, you just know that you will be having a delicious meat pie some time around late December.

There is no correct way to fill a Tourtiere. While the filling I just described is the typical one, it is just that, typical. The filling depends on the region where this delicacy is made and it is not uncommon to use fish in coastal towns.

Which is why I decided to give this Canadian classic a twist. A vegan one.

Vegan Tourtiere

Why use meat at all ? There are a lot of vegan proteins out there that will do the job just fine. One thing I am always receiving around the holidays is requests for vegan holiday friendly meals. Seeing how this is one of the most flexible holiday dishes in Canada, I decided to give it a go.

Ingredient list

One thing you will notice about this recipe is that I did not use any vegan processed fake meats. I am honestly not a fan of those. For me, plant based eating is centered around using a minimal amount of processed foods and sticking to mostly whole foods.

Not to worry though, this is a great pie, with a hearty and satisfying filling. here is what I used

• Red lentils: My favorite ground beef replacement. Red lentils tend to crumble once cooked and they have a very earthy taste. Not to mention that they are full of fiber and protein.
• Quinoa: for a vegan protein to be complete, you need to combine a legume, in our case red lentils, with a grain, hence the quinoa. Quinoa is very high in protein, fiber and minerals. Combined with red lentils, it makes a very satisfying and dense pie filling. Which is exactly what you want in a Vegan Tourtiere.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms are also a great meat substitute. You probably know this already. You can use any kind of mushroom you prefer. On that day I had white button mushrooms so that is what I used.
• Onions: for flavor.
• Spice blend: Cayenne for heat, paprika for sweetness and color, garam masala and turmeric.
• Ketchup: just trust me on this. It adds a lot of flavor to the filling.
• Vegan puff pastry: You can use a homemade pie crust if you can’t get your hands on this ingredient. It doesn’t have to be puff pastry either. You favorite crust is the best choice.

How to make Vegan Meat Pie

1. Start by warming up your oven at 375F. Next, heat up a large non-stick pan to medium heat and add your olive oil. Add in minced onion and mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until onions become translucent.
2. Add lentils, quinoa and all of your spices. Cover with water (about 4 cups). Bring to a simmer then cover with a lid.
3. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the your mixture thickens. You need to allow the quinoa and lentils to absorb all the excess moisture. Turn off the heat, and add in your ketchup. Stir until well combined. Let your filling cool down for 15 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of your puff pastry dough. Prep a 9×9 pie dish by oiling it and dusting with flour. Place rolled dough into pie dish. Scoop up your filling and place it evenly in your pie dish. Spread the filling carefully to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
5. Roll out the other half of your pastry dough. Using a sharp knife, score your dough like the picture above shows. Place dough on top of your pie dish and gently seal the edges by pressing a fork all around the sides of your pie dish. Mix 1 tbsp of maple syrup with 3 tbsp of non-dairy milk and brush the top of your pie with the mixture.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 375F, or until your pie gets golden brown. Remove from oven and let your pie cool down for about 20 minutes before cutting in.