Vegan "Lamb", Mushroom & Kumara Pies

🛒 Ingredients

• #Savoury Filling (Vegan "Lamb" Style);
• 1 cup dry green or brown lentils — rinsed.. 3 cups water or vegetable stock
• ½ cup walnuts — toasted, roughly chopped.. 250 g mushrooms — finely diced
• 1 medium onion — finely diced.. 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 2 cloves garlic — minced.. 1 carrot — finely diced.. 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari.. 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (vegan version)
• 1 tsp dried thyme.. 1 tsp dried rosemary.. ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp ground cumin.. 2 tbsp plain flour.. 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.. Salt & black pepper — to taste.. 1 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped
• #Kumara (Sweet Potato) Mash Top;
• 500 g orange kumara / sweet potato — peeled, chopped.. 2 tbsp plant milk
• 1 tbsp vegan butter.. ½ tsp salt.. Pinch of nutmeg or white pepper
• #Pastry;
• 1 sheet ready-rolled vegan shortcrust pastry (or homemade — see previous pastry recipe)
• 1 tbsp plant milk — for glazing

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the lentils: Place lentils and water/stock in a saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20–25 minutes until tender but holding shape. Drain well — keep the cooking liquid!

2. 2

   Sauté vegetables: Heat a little oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook onion and carrot 5 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and garlic — cook 5–7 minutes until mushrooms release liquid and brown. Stir in tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and spices — cook 1 minute until fragrant.

3. 3

   Build the filling: Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir well. Gradually pour in vegetable stock and reserved lentil cooking liquid, stirring constantly until thickened. Add cooked lentils, chopped walnuts, and balsamic vinegar. Simmer gently 5–8 minutes until rich and thick. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Let cool completely — warm filling makes pastry soggy!

4. 4

   Make kumara mash: Boil kumara in salted water 15–20 minutes until very tender. Drain, mash with vegan butter, plant milk, salt, and nutmeg until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.

5. 5

   Assemble the pies: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly grease pie dishes. Line base and sides with pastry, pressing gently. Spin in the cooled savoury filling — fill generously. Top with a thick layer of kumara mash, swirling decoratively with a spoon. Brush pastry edges with plant milk.

6. 6

   Bake: Place on a baking tray. Bake 30–35 minutes until pastry is deep golden and crisp, and the kumara top has lovely golden spots. Let rest 10 minutes before serving — filling will be very hot!