Author: 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. My veganized version of this French Canadian classic is a perfect dish to serve on the holidays or as a hearty, warming dinner during the coldest days.
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.
Common Questions:
Can tourtiere be frozen?
If wrapped tightly or stored in an air-tight container, tourtiere can be frozen for up to 4 months.
What do you serve with tourtiere?
It's traditional to serve vegan tourtiere with HP sauce or ketchup. I also like adding a side salad.
Can tourtiere be made ahead?
Yes, the entire pie can be made the day ahead of time and then baked fresh. To do this, allow the filling to cool completely before assembling the pie. Once assembled, cover with foil and chill in fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, follow the baking instructions in the recipe, bake from chilled.
*See my recipe notes below for answers to more commonly asked questions such as gluten-free or oil-free!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Tourtiere (vegan meat pie)
Servings: servings (makes 1 pie)
PRINT
PIN
COMMENT
Ingredients
For the tofu crumbles:
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter or oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 block (12 oz/ 350 g) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press it)
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 ground 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. Break the tofu into a few large chunks and add them to the bowl, then us a potato masher to mash the tofu into crumbles. 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
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Lisa says
Sam, are your tofu crumbles like cooking with TVP? I have that on hand and would like to use them if I could.
Sam Turnbull says
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 🙂
Aubrey says
Amazing! No need to bake the bottom crust beforehand 🙂 can’t wait to take this for lunch tomorrow! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved it, Aubrey 🙂
Lisa says
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.
Sam Turnbull says
I would recommend making two pies for the best results. Enjoy!
Susan P says
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. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I would just skip it in this recipe. Enjoy!
Lindsay says
Silly question, but what is HP sauce?
Karen says
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.
Michelle says
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.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha!! That's amazing Michelle!!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Jenny says
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. ❤️
Jenny says
Autocorrect. Not needless. Beefless!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you're able to enjoy it again!
Elixabeth McFarlane says
You need a pie funnel ...
Emily says
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?
Sam Turnbull says
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! 🙂
Jackie Newman says
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!
Sam Turnbull says
Great to learned it thawed well 🙂
Tereza says
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! :-*
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled it was a hit, Terez 🙂
Ed says
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?
Jenn says
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!)
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Ed, you could use my Sheperd's pie filling instead which is lentil-based. ENjoy!
Jo says
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
Sam Turnbull says
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 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
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.
josh says
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.)
Connie Moultroup says
This sounds absolutely divine!!!! Gonna make it!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I hope you love it!!
Valerie says
This looks amazing! Can this be frozen afterwards?
Sam Turnbull says
Generally both mushrooms and tofu change in texture after frozen, so I wouldn't recommend it for this recipe.
Cap'n Dave says
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.
Cap'n Dave says
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!
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds great!
Lili says
What a great main dish for Holidays and to share at potlucks with non vegan friends!! Forwarding to my sister immediately! Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Lili!! SO happy you enjoyed!!
Anne Simoncelli says
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!
Cap'n Dave says
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!
Sam Turnbull says
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!
Sophia says
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 ❤️
Sam Turnbull says
Aww what a lovely surprise!!! Enjoy!!
Amy D says
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!
Evan says
AMY D I've used lentils in the past to make this and it turned out fine.
Joanne says
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.
Sam Turnbull says
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!