- Total recipe cost | R 84.47
- Servings | 6
- Portion cost | R 14.08
Did you know most commercial puff pastries are actually vegan? Not all of them, mind you, but there are a lot out there. Which means there’s no reason to miss out on rich, filling pies… like this one.
Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pie
The creaminess of this pie comes from the mashed potatoes – and it’s ever so delicious. And, although it takes a little time, this vegan pie is super easy to make and totally worth it.
Yields: 6 servings
- 2 potatoes, chopped | R 3.50
- 3 cups water | R 0.00
- ½ cup soy milk | R 3.31
- 1 tablespoon salt | R 0.18
- 3 tablespoons olive oil | R 7.50
- 1 onion, diced | R 1.75
- 2 cloves garlic, minced | R 1.20
- 500 grams mushrooms, roughly chopped | R 30.00
- 1 cup beef stock | R 0.95
- 1 teaspoon granulated beef stock | R 0.95
- 1 teaspoon cornflour | R 0.14
- ½ teaspoon miso paste | R 4.80
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce | R 0.73
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves | R 1.50
- 2 sheets puff pastry | R 27.98
Preparation | Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large pie tin or small roasting pan with baking paper.
Make mashed potatoes | Heat the water in a small pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and mash together with the soy milk and salt. (I usually chuck everything into the food processor to make it easier and smoother.) Set aside.
Cook the vegetables | Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the oil in a deep frying pan (or a pot) over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining oil along with the mushrooms to the frying pan. Stir to combine. Add the stock and the additional granulated stock powder.
Make it creamy | Mix the cornflour with just enough water to form a paste, then add to the pot along with the miso, soy sauce and thyme leaves. Add the mashed potatoes when ready and cook until the mixture becomes very thick. Be sure to stir often to prevent burning. Remove from the heat.
Bake the pie | Press the bottom layer of the puff pastry into the lined tin or roasting tray. Scoop the mushroom mixture on top. Add the top layer and pinch the edges together. Cut a few steam holes in the top. Spread a little water over the top (as one would with an egg wash). Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until golden.
- Preparation time: 10
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour
Recipe tips
Watch the pot | No really, there are a few points where you might find stuff burning to the bottom. So, keep your eye on it.
Take out the miso | Feel free to drop the miso if you don’t have any. I think it adds a lot, but don’t worry if you don’t have any.
Make a few substitutions | Go ahead and use vegetable oil instead of olive oil, use almond milk (or any other plant-based milk) if you prefer or substitute dried thyme for fresh sprigs. It’s not the end of the world – and definitely not the end of this recipe if you do.
How to make this vegan recipe even cheaper
- If you swap olive oil for vegetable oil, the cost comes down to R 78.19 – or just R 13.03 per serving.
- Do that and take out the miso (though I think it adds something special) for a portion cost of R 12.23, or a total of R 73.40.
- And, of course, you can make it even cheap if you want to make your own pastry. If you’ve got the tie, by all means, but I rarely have the inclination.
