Vegan Cowboy Pie (Cheesy Baked Bean Pie)

Vegan Cowboy Pie is adapted from the classic cowboy pie and featured barbeque flavoured baked beans mixed with meat-free sausages and topped with a cheesy mashed potato topping. Vegan Cowboy Pie is super quick and easy to whip up for a fuss-free easy meat-free midweek meal.

Other names for this Cowboy Pie, which is kind of like a pie crossed with a hotpot, are Cheesy Baked Bean Pie, Sausage and Bean Pie, Veggie Sausage and Bean Pie, Cowboy Casserole, Cowboy Hotpot, and Cowboy Bean Pie!

Origins of cowboy pie

Cowboy pie, is a hearty family meal that usually consists of sausages, baked beans in barbecue sauce, and a mashed potato topping. While there isn't an exact origin for cowboy pie, it can be traced back to traditional Western and Southwestern cuisine in the United States.

Chuckwagon cooking

Cowboy Pie was inspired from cowboy or chuckwagon cooking, which originated in the late 19th century during the era of cattle drives in the American West. Cowboys on long journeys would often cook meals over an open fire using readily available ingredients. The combination of sausages, beans, and potatoes in cowboy pie reflects the ingredients commonly found in the chuckwagon pantries of that time.

The chuckwagon was a vital part of cowboy culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the American West. It was a mobile kitchen on wheels that accompanied cattle drives and provided meals for the cowboys. The chuckwagon got its name from the term "chuck," which was a slang word used to refer to food.

Chuckwagons were typically wooden wagons that were equipped with various compartments and storage areas for food, cooking utensils, and other supplies.

The food prepared on chuckwagons was typically simple and hearty, reflecting the practicality and limited resources available during cattle drives. Common ingredients included beans, salted or cured meats (such as bacon or salt pork), flour, cornmeal, coffee, and dried fruits. Fresh ingredients were scarce and often not feasible to carry for long distances.

The cook, often referred to as the "cookie," would be responsible for preparing meals for the cowboys. They would wake up early to start the fire and get breakfast going. Dutch ovens, cast-iron pots with a flat bottom and a lid, were commonly used for cooking on the chuckwagon. They could be placed directly over the fire and were versatile enough to prepare a variety of dishes.

Meals prepared on the chuckwagon would typically include dishes like beans (such as baked beans or frijoles), stews, biscuits, cornbread, and coffee.

The chuckwagon has become an iconic symbol of cowboy culture and is often associated with the romanticized image of the American West. Today, chuckwagon-style cooking and chuckwagon competitions are still celebrated at events and festivals as a means of preserving this historical tradition. Also, many vegan adaptations of chuckwagon style meals are becoming increasingly popular.

Modern Cowboy Pie

Cowboy pie has since evolved into a popular comfort food dish enjoyed by many, particularly in the US and the UK.

It's a simple and filling meal that incorporates flavors associated with Western-style barbecue and classic comfort foods like creamy mashed potatoes.

Although the exact ingredients can vary depending on who is preparing the pie with some recipes including bell peppers, different types of beans and different seasonings such as curry powder instead of BBQ flavours.

Old school pies and wartime pies

Cowboy Pie is similar to the British old-school classic Cheesy Baked Bean Pie that had its hey day during the 70s and 80s, as well as this Lentil and Bean Mashed Potato Pie which was a popular British wartime meal during the 1940s.

Vegan Cowboy Pie

Preparing this vegan cowboy pie, or another name that was provided by my daughter is Jazzy Bean Pie!, couldn't be easier. There are a few steps to carry out before assembling the pie but these are pretty simple.

The ingredients required for the mashed potatoes are: potatoes, plant-based milk, vegan margarine [or replace with hummus or white miso paste], vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, and for the filling: vegan sausages, cans of baked beans, onions, garlic, BBQ seasoning, paprika, red wine vinegar, vegetable broth or oil, and a little sugar.

First the vegan sausages are put on to cook according to the package instructions, and at the same time the potatoes are simmered in preparation for mashing.

Meanwhile the onions and garlic are cooked in some veggie broth or oil before the BBQ seasoning, paprika, red wine vinegar, and a little bit of sugar is mixed through. Next comes the cans of baked beans which are scooped into the onion-BBQ mix.

This mix is poured into your casserole dish along with the cooked vegan sausages, which are sliced into two pieces.

Once the potatoes are mashed they are spread out over the BBQ beans and sausages, and the casserole is baked for 30 minutes until crispy, golden and the baked bean sauce juices bubbling through the topping.

Finally, the pie is removed from the oven and sprinkled with vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes before the pie is baked for a further 10-15 minutes just until the cheese is melted and gone a little crispy.

How to prepare vegan cowboy pie

Cook the vegan sausages according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile cook the onions and garlic in either vegetable broth or a little oil. Stir the BBQ seasoning through the onions and cook for a further few minutes.

Add the canned baked beans to the onions and give it all a good mix.

Pour the bean mixture into a casserole dish.

Slice the cooked sausages in half and stir these through the beans.

Prepare the mashed potatoes by boiling until soft, draining, and then adding vegan margarine or butter and plant-based milk, and mashing until creamy.

Alternatively the margarine can be replaced with hummus or a tablespoon of white miso paste.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the sausages and beans.

Bake for 30 minutes, before removing from the oven and adding a sprinkle of grated vegan cheese, and then bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the pie is crispy and tinged with brown bits.

Alternatively replace the cheese with nutritional yeast flakes.

The cowboy pie is now ready to enjoy on its own as a complete dish or with your favourite veggie sides.

Recipe Notes And FAQS

Delicious Vegan American Recipes

A slice of our Boston Brown Bread which is easily prepared in a slow cooker or crock-pot or one of these tasty Old Fashioned Cornbread Muffins are great sides for Vegan Cowboy Pie.

Also if you can't find canned baked beans in tomato sauce then you can easily prepare a batch a home with this simple recipe for classic British Baked Beans or go for these Quick Boston Baked Beans which would give your pie a different flavour but it will still be very tasty.

Finally, for another another traditional American family meal idea try this One-Pot American Goulash which is budget-friendly, really easy and a crowd pleaser! For more vegan dinner ideas check out our collection of Vegan Dinner Recipes.

***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***

Recipe

Thank you for trying out our Vegan Cowboy Pie !

If you tried this recipe, please let us know in the comments below how it turned out for you, or if you made any modifications.

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As always, Thank you, and happy cooking!

Love, Jacq x