If you're looking for a savoury vegan pie recipe, you've come to the right place! Tourtiere is a traditional French Canadian meat pie, and I made it all sorts of untraditional by making it vegan. Woohoo! This vegan tourtiere has a drool-worthy chewy juicy meaty filling wrapped in a flaky pie crust.
I've seen several vegan tourtiere recipes using lentils as the base, but since I've already used lentils in my Shepherd's pie, and puff pastry wrapped lentil loaf recipes I wanted to try something different... and I'm SO glad I did - wow, this is delicious!
It was really important to me that I figure out how to get both the chewy texture and the juicy texture for the filling in this pie.
So for the chewy part, I made my tofu crumbles. If you've been hanging out on my blog for a while you will know I'm obsessed with making tofu crumbles. I've used them in my chili, bolognese, chorizo, lasagna soup, and tacos. Basically anywhere that I wanted a chewy ground beef texture. This simple technique makes the best chewy meaty texture ever!
For the juicy part, I used mushrooms. Instead of slicing them I chopped them for more of a ground meat texture. Then I sauté them so they become juicy and tender. The combo of the tofu crumbles with the mushrooms in this vegan tourtiere is total perfection.
This vegan savoury pie is the perfect centrepiece for a holiday feast such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, but it can also be enjoyed year-round! This vegan tourtiere can be made ahead of time and baked fresh. I've also included options in the recipe notes to make this recipe gluten-free or oil-free.
To make vegan tourtiere:
First, make the tofu crumbles.
Mix nutritional yeast, melted vegan butter, and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Open and drain the tofu (no need to press it), then use your fingers to break and crumble the tofu into the bowl. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in the seasoning mix.
Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nice and browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's ok because it will provide a variety of texture.
Make-ahead tip: you can prepare, bake, and allow the tofu crumbles to cool, then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 - 3 days until ready to use.
In the meantime, you can make the rest of the filling. Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms reduce in size, darken in colour, and begin to get juicy. Turn off the heat, another 5 - 10 minutes.
Whisk ¾ cup of the cold vegetable broth and cornstarch together in a cup or bowl. Pour the vegetable broth mixture over the mushrooms and stir in the baked tofu crumbles, breadcrumbs, and all of the spices. If the mixture looks a bit dry add ¼ cup more vegetable broth as needed.
Now you can assemble the pie. Divide the pie dough into two and roll out both halves on a floured surface. You can see more tips on how to do this in this post. Line a 9" pie plate with one half of the rolled dough. Spoon the mushroom tofu filling into the pie crust and then pack it down firmly.
Top the pie with the remaining half of the dough. Pinch the edges together to seal the pie closed, then cut slits on top to allow steam to release.
You can optionally use leftover pie dough to cut leaves or other shapes and decorate the pie. Brush the top of the pie with aquafaba or plant-based milk.
Browning tip: aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas or white beans and I find that brushing this on your pie crust gets the best golden colour, but if you don't have that on hand you can sub plant-based milk.
Bake for about 40 minutes until the crust is golden, keeping an eye on it near the end so that it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
It's traditional to serve vegan tourtiere with HP sauce or ketchup. I also like adding a side salad.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
Vegan Tourtiere (vegan meat pie)
Ingredients
For the tofu crumbles:
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter or oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 12 ounces extra-firm tofu
For the rest of the filling:
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz mushroom, chopped
- ¾ - 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional, see notes)
For the pie crust:
- 2 times the recipe for Easy Vegan Pie Crust (or store-bought vegan pie crust)
- aquafaba or plant-based milk, for brushing the pastry
Instructions
To prepare the tofu:
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan.
- Mix nutritional yeast, melted vegan butter, and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Open and drain the tofu (no need to press it), then use your fingers to break and crumble the tofu into the bowl. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in the seasoning mix.
- Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nice and browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's ok because it will provide a variety of texture.
To prepare the rest of the filling:
- In the meantime, melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add the onion and garlic, about 5 minutes. Sauté until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms reduce in size, darken in colour, and begin to get juicy, another 5 - 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Whisk ¾ cup of the cold vegetable broth and cornstarch together in a cup or bowl. Pour the vegetable broth mixture over the mushrooms and stir in the baked tofu crumbles, breadcrumbs, and all of the spices. If the mixture looks a bit dry add ¼ cup more vegetable broth as needed.
To assemble the pie:
- Turn your oven up to 400F (200C).
- Divide the pie dough into two, then roll out half of the pie dough on a floured surface. You can see more tips on how to do this in this post. Line a 9" pie plate with the rolled dough. Spoon the mushroom tofu filling into the pie crust and then pack it down firmly. Roll the remaining half of the dough and place ontop of the pie. Pinch the edges together to seal the pie then cut slits on top to allow steam to release. You can optionally use leftover pie dough to cut leaves or other shapes and decorate the pie. Brush the top of the pie with aquafaba or non-dairy milk.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until the crust is golden, keeping an eye on it near the end so that it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Is there anything I can use as a mushroom substitute? I have an allergic family member and there are so many mushrooms in this.
STILL the BEST!
This year I used the spices my mom uses in her meat version, and put the filling into premade tart shells (easy freezing and reheating for the whole season). Wow, it tastes just like my mom's, but secretly better because the fattiness of the meat version always gave me a tummy ache. So glad to have the vegan version in my repertoire!
I have never commented on a recipe before but OMG! So good! I added a bit of liquid smoke to the tofu but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Well done! I will make this again for sure.
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Cindy 🙂
I cooked this last night for my partner and his parents and they were all incredibly impressed. It tasted delicious and the method worked exactly as described. There is no way someone that says "I don't like tofu" could say that if they had tasted this. My only criticism would be that the pie could be saucier, however that could be because I'm used to Australian meat pies which tend to be much saucier/contain lots of gravy compared to Canadian tourtieres. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe! I'll certainly be making it again.
So happy you loved it Brianna!
Just made this and I was sooooo good. I added celery and yam to the mixture and it tasted just like Christmas dinner
So happy you loved it!!
You've done it again Sam! Made this last night and it was fantastic! Thanks for another wonderful recipe to add to my rotation!
Bookmarked this recipe!!
Was a huge hit for our holiday meal
Meat eaters and veggies alike loved it.
Thanks so much so easy, and since I make the tofu crumbles often
have them on hand .
Yay!! Thrilled it was such a hit 🙂
This recipe will be a tradition for our vegan family from now on. We made it Christmas Eve, are making it again for New Year and will try to save it for other holidays so that it remains special - if we can be patient enough to wait to eat it again!
We did not find the nutritional yeast to have a strong presence in the flavour profile - for any who are concerned due to not liking it.
Also, to make it low FODMAP, we subbed zucchini for onion (and used garlic and shallot infused olive oil to make up the flavour) and we used a combination of oyster and canned mushrooms).
We are very grateful for this recipe - thank you!!
Hi Sam. This looks really good for a French-Canadian vegan ! I am not a fan nutritional yeast though but I usually replace it with miso. Do you have any idea of the proportion ? Thanks again !
Just want to say thank you for creating this recipe! I made it for Christmas dinner and my family (all but one of whom are omni) loved it!! I was even asked to make it again for future gatherings 😀
Oh that's so awesome! So happy everyone loved it. 🙂
For those of you familiar with Cornish pasties, I think a mixture of this with some potatoes would make for an excellent vegan pasty.
That sounds really good! Maybe add a parsnip also. I want it now!lol!
Made this for Christmas dinner. Everyone (even the turkey eating ones) raved about this dish. Definitely a keeper. Used shitake mushrooms and store bought crust. Thank you!
Wonderful! Thrilled it was a hit 🙂
Made this for my non-vegan in laws and was a huge success! They asked me to leave all the leftovers that they would freeze to keep eating it! Thank you!!!
Haha! That's so awesome. Thrilled it was a hit 🙂
My sister made this for Christmas day it was delicious. I was so excited when I saw this recipe. I was like oh yeah I'm making this mushroom pie.
Yay! Thrilled you loved it 🙂
Made this tonight for Christmas dinner as an alternative to turkey I also made. I really enjoyed the pie. It was easy to put together, using a vegan pie crust from the store. Made the filling in the morning and baked the pie before serving
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed!
So delicious! I made it today and it was just what I hoped. Used your (and your grandmother’s ) crust recipe too, and it’s so flaky and wonderful. I now feel confident I can make pies of all kinds 🙂 Thank you for this, and all of your recipes!
You're most welcome, so glad it was a hit!
The tourtiere was a hit for our Christmas dinner with my non-vegan family! Thank you so much!! and Merry Christmas to you xo
Merry Christmas to you too!
I bought premade shells because I didn't want to risk messing up the pastry but will make the crust next time. This is really good. My mom use to make a meat pie which was a big part of our Christmas tradition, this is a compassionate, cruelty free replacement. I am not much of a cook, don't really enjoy cooking, but when I make one of your recipes there is a pretty good chance it will be worth the effort. Thanks Sam, you are the best
Aww I love that! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
Sam, are your tofu crumbles like cooking with TVP? I have that on hand and would like to use them if I could.
Hi Lisa, I don't often use TVP but if I remember correctly TVP comes in a dried crumble? If so then this would be very different prep. I haven't tested with TVP so I wouldn't know what to recommend as to how to prepare it. I would stick with tofu if possible 🙂
Amazing! No need to bake the bottom crust beforehand 🙂 can’t wait to take this for lunch tomorrow! Thank you!
Yay! So happy you loved it, Aubrey 🙂
I want to make this for my Christmas dinner with my family who are omnis! Do you think the filling would be yummy wrapped in vegan puffed pastry? I’m trying to figure out how to make it a little large to serve more people, the pie would only do eight? Or I could make 2 lol.
I would recommend making two pies for the best results. Enjoy!
Hello,
Do you have any suggestions for an alternative to nutritional yeast? I cannot stand the taste of it. I love all kinds of veggies but more and more vegan shows I watch use tons of this stuff.. Yuck. 🙂
I would just skip it in this recipe. Enjoy!
Silly question, but what is HP sauce?
HP sauce is a brown sauce widely available in UK supermarkets and I assume Canadian ones too. 'HP' refers to the Houses of Parliament (a picture of which appears on the sauce bottle label). It's a really tasty alternative to ketchup and is often eaten with pies and sausages etc.
Made this as written, except I opted for a pre-made pie crust. My husband is not usually a fan of mushrooms, but he went back for seconds, then had another piece for breakfast - and we are having it for dinner tonight, this time with onion gravy. HUGE hit, I'll make this for Christmas dinner, for certain!!! FWIW, it is dry enough at the start that the bottom crust stayed nice and firm without pre-baking.
Haha!! That's amazing Michelle!!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂
My granny used to make meat pies all the time and it was such a beloved recipe that when I went veg I thought I had lost it forever. The first time I made my new version I cried with happiness. It was kind of a big deal. My veganized version is less homemade as I make it with Gardein needless crumbles. Fork ready diced potato and the seasonings per Granny were poultry seasoning, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and you gotta have the cloves. ❤️
Autocorrect. Not needless. Beefless!
Glad you're able to enjoy it again!
You need a pie funnel ...
Hi! Have you ever tried freezing your pie? I'm going to be cooking for my whole family this Christmas and I was hoping to make my job easier by making the pies now, keep them frozen until Christmas, and just bake them when everyone's here! Any thoughts?
I haven't but as both mushrooms and tofu tend to change texture when frozen, I wouldn't recommend it. If you give it a try tho, let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi, I put some left over filling the freezer as I made individual pies. When I thawed it out it was fine. I made up some more pastry for another individual pie. Delicious!
Great to learned it thawed well 🙂
I made this! It's super delicious and I can't stop nibbling on it. It will be a keeper for me as it is truly fuss free and impressive at the same time. My Spanish husband wasn't a fan of the sage taste in it (Spanish people are not into herbs and spices with the exception of parsley) so next time when I make it I'll omit the sage and put a bunch of parsley in it instead to please the Spanish part of the family. Anyway I think it's an amazing invention that kills any meaty cravings whatsoever. Thank you! :-*
Thrilled it was a hit, Terez 🙂
Love your recipes! We can’t do tofu, so thoughts on making a non tofu version of this? We’ve made meat before from chopped cauliflower, walnuts and mushrooms and then dried as you did here. Great in chili’s and tacos. Might work here?
I love how you say you can make the tofu crumbles ahead of time. They never last for more than 30 minutes (if that long!) when I make them...and that's with a triple batch! Hahahaha! Everyone loves them (even the carnivores!)
Hi Ed, you could use my Sheperd's pie filling instead which is lentil-based. ENjoy!
I note with interest that there is 1g cholesterol. How come? It's plant based and plants don't have cholesterol. Is there a typo?
Confused!!
Looking forward to making it though. Looks delicious. Mmm
Hi Jo! Good point, I ran my nutrition program again and it seemed to work this time. I'm not sure what went wrong, perhaps it mistook the vegan butter for non-vegan butter. Not sure. Anyways all good now 🙂
Hi Josh, the bottom doesn't get soggy in this recipe, there is no need to pre-bake the pie crust, and I believe doing so would risk it burning.
Hmm. My first attempt *did* yield soggy crust on the bottom. Maybe I somehow ended up with too much liquid? My second attempt (and 3rd as well) added 5-7 minutes of blind baking and that totally solved the problem. (No burned crust, fortunately. But if I did not carefully monitor the baking process, I could totally see that happening.)
This sounds absolutely divine!!!! Gonna make it!!!
Yay! I hope you love it!!
This looks amazing! Can this be frozen afterwards?
Generally both mushrooms and tofu change in texture after frozen, so I wouldn't recommend it for this recipe.
Par-baking/blind-baking is definitely a good idea for any pie, be it this or pumpkin or even a quiche. The best way, I've found, is to line it with parchment paper (over AND under) and add pie weights of some kind - they sell them, but it's cheaper and more convenient to just use dried beans that will have no other purpose (save them for later use as just this) to keep the crust from lifting from your baking dish or pie tin. The other option would be to cut slits in the bottom crust, but this has the potential of your filling leaking out and creating a mess.
I can see using this as a base, together with potatoes, carrots, onions, and even sweet English peas, and made into pasties (essentially meat turnovers for those who've never had them) and served up with a rich, savory gravy - something I've been craving now for the past three or four years and have just never gotten around to making.
Time to assemble the ingredients and get to baking!
Sounds great!
What a great main dish for Holidays and to share at potlucks with non vegan friends!! Forwarding to my sister immediately! Thanks Sam!
You're most welcome, Lili!! SO happy you enjoyed!!
As I was scrolling through this blog, right at the part where you were saying you wanted to try something other than lentils...an ad for canned cat food popped up. Ohhh, Sam. I momentarily doubted both your sanity and mine...not realizing it was an ad. A really, really unfortunately placed ad. Now I know I have to try this recipe just to erase that moment of disbelief. LOL!
LMAO!!! Oh, I can most definitely imagine the horror this would have created in your subconscious mind!!! (And now I can't get it out of mine!!)
Have a wonderful (and paté-free) holiday, Anne!
Oh no! In the future please email me a screenshot of the ad or the link the ad takes you to so I can have it blocked. I have animal-product ads blocked on my site but they annoyingly sometimes sneak through anyways. Ugh!
OMG!! Thank you so much for this recipe. My husbands family is French and he’s always loved their tradition of having tourtiere on Boxing Day. We have been whole food plant based for 4 years now so he has not had any in awhile! I’m going to surprise him with this on Boxing Day! Thank you once again! Love your recipes ❤️
Aww what a lovely surprise!!! Enjoy!!
This looks tasty!! But I have someone I cook for that doesn’t like tofu. Do you think lentils would work as a sub, or do you have any recipes like this with lentils? Thx!
AMY D I've used lentils in the past to make this and it turned out fine.
Amy - have you tried Sam’s tofu crumbles? Honestly, I have cooked for tons of people who don’t like tofu and when they taste the crumbles they are blown away. If you haven’t tried the crumbles, make a batch and throw 1/2 into a half batch of spaghetti sauce. If your husband doesn’t like a sample, let him eat the plain sauce and you can just gobble up the remaining crumbles. I love those darn things right off the pan.
Lentils would be ok, but as others recommended I highly suggest giving tofu crumbles a try before omitting them. It really makes it taste like meat!