Tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean
Tourtière du Lac‑Saint‑Jean is a legendary comfort dish from the Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean region of Quebec, beloved for its hearty, filling nature and rich blend of warm spices. Unlike smaller tourtières made with minced meat, this version traditionally uses larger chunks of meat and potatoes simmered slowly until the flavours meld together. This fully vegan adaptation preserves every part of its authentic character: a golden, flaky pastry crust, a thick, satisfying filling packed with tender vegetables, savoury protein, and aromatic spices, with absolutely no meat, dairy, eggs, or animal products used at all. It is deeply warming, comforting, and full of homestyle flavour — perfect for holiday feasts, family gatherings, or a nourishing main meal on cold days.
Shared by james
Time
120 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
medium
🛒 Ingredients
- #Pastry Crust:
- 500g (4 cups) all‑purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 250g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) cold vegan butter, cubed
- 6–8 tbsp ice‑cold water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- #Filling:
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or vegan butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 200g (1 ½ cups) button or cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 150g (1 cup) seitan or cooked lentils, cut into chunks
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
- 1 medium carrot, diced small
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp all‑purpose flour
- 300ml (1 ¼ cups) rich vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg,, ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme,, ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Salt to taste.. 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- #For Finishing:
- A little plant milk or oil for brushing the crust
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the pastry: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add cold vegan butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add vinegar, then sprinkle in ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently just until the dough comes together. Divide into two equal discs, wrap well, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- 2
Prepare the filling: Heat oil or butter in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic, mushrooms, seitan/lentils, potatoes, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour, stir well, and cook for 1 minute more. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add soy sauce and all the spices. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened nicely. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- 3
Assemble the pie: Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F. Roll out one portion of dough to line the bottom and sides of a 20×30cm rectangular baking dish. Spoon the cooled filling evenly into the lined dish. Roll out the second dough disc to make a lid, place it over the filling, press the edges firmly to seal, and trim away any excess dough. Cut a few small slits in the top to let steam escape.
- 4
Bake: Brush the top lightly with plant milk or oil. Bake for 50–60 minutes until the crust is deep golden and crisp. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing — this helps the filling set and makes serving easier. Serve warm.