Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot is a tasty vegan version of the famous Lancashire Hotpot.

What is a Lancashire Hotpot?

Lancashire is located in the North West of England.

Lancashire hotpot was a convenience meal for the hard working pre-industrial Lancashire population.

Many women worked at home spinning cotton so there was less time to cook meals.

The dish could stew away for hours and be ready when it was needed, with very little attention required to prepare a hearty, sustaining meal.

After industrialisation of the cotton industry many women and children were required to work in the factories along with the men. So the hot pot retained its popularity.

If the hotpot was prepared in a farmhouse then a bread-oven was commonly used. The hotpot could be placed in a low or cooling oven and left until the family’s evening meal.

The hotpot likely gets its name from the ceramic, heavy-based dish that the meal is cooked within. Generally, a lid would be added to traditional hotpots during the initial cooking stages as this would keep the heat in and the meat juices would be retained. The lid would be removed shortly before mealtime in order to brown and crisp the potatoes.

Today, the hotpot retains its popularity, with many pubs and inns up and down the British Isles serving up the delicious hotpot.

The TV soap Coronation St has long featured Betty’s Famous HotPot within the local Rovers Return pub.

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

Traditionally, Lancashire Hotpot is made with mutton or lamb.

My vegan version uses Quorn vegan fillets.

Alternatively any plant-based pieces could be substituted.

Either fresh or frozen plant-based meat alternatives will work fine.

Or replace the pieces with some butter beans, extra mushrooms, or your choice of vegetable.

Another key ingredient of hotpot is onions and potatoes.

My vegan Lancashire hotpot also has leeks, chestnut mushrooms, and a sprig of rosemary or thyme, which are stewed with the fillets to create a delicious savoury sauce.

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

Serves 4 large individual pie portions.

Or bake in a larger casserole dish.

Quorn vegan fillets are used but these can be subbed for any vegan pieces/chunks or even just some extra beans or vegetables.

For a gluten-free hotpot ensure that the vegetable stock, plant-based pieces and flour are gluten-free.

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot is a delicious traditional dish that is pure comfort and soul food!

So satisfying and tasty!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: British, English

Servings: 4 portions

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Jacq

Equipment

• Sauté pan/ large deep shallow pan.
• Casserole dish/Pyrex dish/or individual pie dishes. A dual stove-top and oven proof pot can be used and will reduce the dishes to wash!

Ingredients

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot filling

• 500 grams potatoes 17.6 oz. Thin sliced, leave skins on if unblemished.
• 2 leeks about 2 cups. Sliced.
• 1 medium onion about 1 cup/115g chopped
• 4 cloves garlic sliced
• 250 ml vegetable stock, for sautéing Or 1 cup. Alternatively use 1 tbsp of vegetable oil of your choice.
• 1 packet vegan Quorn fillets or pieces About 300grams/10.5 oz. Substitute for any type of plant-based 'chicken' style fillets or pieces. Or replace with butter or cannellini beans. Any type of creamy white bean will work. Or add extra mushrooms perhaps different varieties or extra vegetables in place of the Quorn.
• 10 chestnut mushrooms chopped into quarters. Or any type of mushroom. About 3 cups.
• 130 grams frozen peas 1 1/2 cups. These don't need precooked as they will just get tipped straight into the pie before the oven stage
• 1 sprig rosemary or thyme or use 1tsp of dried version

Gravy sauce

• 450 mls vegetable stock 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. Use 1 vegetable stock cube. I use Marigold vegan Organic stock cubes.
• 2 tbsp gluten-free plain flour I use the Doves Farm brand. Alternatively use plain flour or wholemeal flour.

Potato topping

• 1 tbsp plant-based margarine This is optional. This is to melt and brush over the potato topping.
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes optional but it is what I always add. A tbsp for each serving. Makes a delicious cheezie top!
• plant-based cheese this is optional. Sprinkle a little grated plant-based cheese over each dish or over a larger dish.

Seasoning

• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200 Fan/220 Celsius/425 Fahrenheit/Gas 7
• Parboil the sliced potatoes in salted water for 6-8 minutes depending on the size of slices you have.

  Thinner slices will become soft sooner. You don't want to parboil till the slices are mush. Just until a skewer can dent them a little.

  Drain the potato slices and leave to cool.

  (reserve the cooking liquid as you can use some later in the recipe. Use some of the potato water to make up some vegetable stock. It can also be used to sauté the onion, leek and garlic instead of oil)
• Over a medium heat sauté the onion, garlic, leek and fresh or dried herbs for 5 minutes until starting to turn lightly golden. Use either a tbsp of oil or 1/2 cup of vegetable stock.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add the Quorn fillets or pieces, fresh or frozen is fine. Frozen fillets only take a few minutes to defrost enough for chopping.

  If the pan is becoming dry then add a splash of potato cooking liquid or stock.
• Cook the mix for about 3 minutes.

  After this time it should be possible to break the fillets up with a knife or wooden spoon.

  Just half or quarter them into rough sizes. If using pieces this won't be necessary.
• Add the flour and mix.
• Add the 450ml of vegetable stock a little at a time, and mix well to incorporate the flour.
• Bring to the boil.

  Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• If the sauce is too thick just add a little extra potato water to loosen it up.
• Take off the heat and tip in the frozen peas. Mix well.
• Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon the mix into the casserole dish or individual pie dishes.
• Remove the sprig of thyme or rosemary if used.

  Melt the margarine if using.
• Layer the potatoes over the mix,
• Brush the melted margarine over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

  If using nutritional yeast or plant-based cheese sprinkle this over now.
• Bake for 25-50 minutes until the potatoes are crispy and golden.

  Precise cooking times depend on your oven.

  If your having an accompanying vegetable prepare this while your hotpot is cooking.

  Extra vegan gravy is a tasty accompaniment. Pour extra gravy over each portion when serving.
• Serve either in the individual dishes or carefully scooped out.

  If serving later cool and store in the fridge for up to three days.
• These hotpots taste even yummier the next day as the flavours get a chance to settle and develop more.

Notes

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The following nutritional data is for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary. The calculation includes 1 tbsp of plant-based margarine and 4 tbsp of nutritional yeast flakes. 

This nutritional analysis includes 1 tbsp of vegetable oil as some visitors will use oil. It can be interesting to see how oil changes the nutritional makeup so I thought some visitors may like to see for themselves!

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot Recipe Notes

• Vegan Lancashire Hotpot will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will taste better the longer you leave it. So its a perfect dish to prep in advance.
• Freeze individual hotpots or one big one for a future speedy meal.
• Vegan Lancashire Hotpot is a major favourite with my kids. When one of my daughters was younger this was a birthday dinner request for many years!
• If liked served with tomato ketchup or brown sauce.
• This dish is a complete filling meal so sides are not generally needed but it could be served with an additional vegetable. Especially some steamed greens.
• Traditionally Lancashire hotpot is served with pickled red cabbage or beetroot.
• Frozen sweet corn could be substituted for the frozen peas. Or a mix of sweetcorn and peas used.
• Sweet Potatoes can replace the white potato topping. Perhaps equal quantities of white and sweet potatoes.
• For a change mash the potatoes instead of slices.
• Make a Scottish ‘neeps and tatties’ topping with half potato and half turnip/swede mash.
• A few bay leaf’s are a nice addition, add at the rosemary or thyme stage, and don’t forget to remove before the potato topping is added.