Classic Vegan Homity Pie Recipe: Creamy Potato and Onion Tart

🍴 Why you will love this recipe

Vegan Homity Pie is a comforting, traditional British dish that pairs a robust wholemeal pastry with a creamy potato and leek filling. This vegan version keeps all the nostalgia and adds wholesome, plant-based ingredients to create a filling family meal that also works well for buffets or as the centrepiece of a vegan Sunday lunch.

If you’re short on time, ready-rolled shortcrust pastry will work fine, but homemade wholemeal pastry lends extra flavour and a sturdier texture that complements the soft, creamy filling.

📝 What you need

Flours: A mix of plain (all-purpose) and wholemeal (whole wheat) flour makes a pastry that is easier to roll and less crumbly than using only wholemeal. Spelt or rye can be substituted for wholemeal with good results.

Vegan butter or block margarine: Use a solid block style product rather than a tub spread, which contains more water and won’t ‘rub in’ properly. Choose a brand you trust for flavour and melting behaviour.

Potatoes: Floury varieties such as Maris Piper or King Edward give a fluffy, creamy texture when partially cooked and mixed with the filling.

Vegan cheese: Adds depth and creaminess — use your favourite mature-style melting cheese for best flavour.

Vegan double cream or oat cream: Choose a neutral-flavoured plant cream. Avoid coconut-based creams here as the coconut flavour can compete with the savory filling.

👩🏽‍🍳 How to make your vegan Homity Pie

Summary: make a simple wholemeal shortcrust pastry, prepare a creamy potato, leek and onion filling enriched with vegan cheese and cream, fill the pastry case and bake until golden and set. Full ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe section below.

To make the pastry, rub the chilled vegan butter into the flours with a pinch of salt and a little cayenne if you like warmth. Add dairy-free milk a splash at a time until a soft dough forms, then chill the pastry to rest.

Roll the pastry on a floured surface and line a greased loose-bottomed tin (about 23cm). Keep a little pastry overhanging the edge — this helps prevent shrinkage while baking. Chill until the filling is ready.

Cube the potatoes and parboil them for a few minutes until they just start to soften. Fry sliced leeks and onions gently until soft, then combine the veg with chopped spring onions, herbs, vegan cheese, mustard and cream. Season well, taste, then spoon the mixture into the chilled pastry case.

Bake on a tray for 40–45 minutes at 180°C (350°F / Gas Mark 4) until the top is golden and crisp. Trim the overhang and remove from the tin to serve.

Yes — freeze before baking for best results. Defrost in the refrigerator (about 24 hours), then bake from chilled; you may need an extra few minutes of cook time.

You can assemble the pie up to 24 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to bake.

A 23cm tin about 4–5cm deep is ideal. A loose-bottomed tin makes serving much easier.

Serve with steamed greens and carrots for a comforting dinner, or with a crisp green salad and tomatoes for a lighter lunch. There’s no need for extra potatoes — the filling is generous.

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🍽 If you liked that…

You might also enjoy other savoury pies and simple plant-based bakes — try a spring vegetable pie, a puff pastry vegetarian pie with lentils and greens, or a hearty meat-free pie alternative.

Vegan Homity Pie

A wholesome wholemeal pastry filled with creamy potatoes, leeks and onions, enriched with vegan cheese and cream. Serves 6.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 175g plain flour
• 75g wholemeal (or spelt/rye) flour
• 150g vegan block margarine
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Dairy-free milk, a little, to bind

For the filling

• 700g floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 leek, trimmed and sliced
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
• Handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 150ml vegan double cream or oat cream
• 125g grated vegan cheese
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the pastry

1. In a large bowl, rub the cubed vegan margarine into the flours with a pinch of salt and the optional cayenne until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add dairy-free milk a splash at a time until the dough just comes together. If it becomes sticky, add a little extra flour.
3. Roll the dough on a floured surface and line a greased 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin, leaving a little overhang to prevent shrinkage. Chill until needed.

To make the filling

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Cut the potatoes into 1–2cm cubes and parboil for 4–5 minutes until they begin to soften. Drain and set aside.
3. Slice the leek and onions, heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry for 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet.
4. Slice the spring onions, strip the thyme leaves and finely chop the parsley.
5. Combine the parboiled potatoes, softened leeks and onions, spring onions, herbs, vegan cream, grated vegan cheese and mustard in a bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper and taste, adjusting seasoning if needed.
6. Fill the chilled pastry case with the mixture, pressing it out to the edges so it sits evenly.
7. Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 40–45 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set. Trim the excess pastry, remove from the tin and allow to rest briefly before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Taste and season the filling before baking — adjustments can’t be made once it’s cooked.
• Keep vegetable pieces chunky for texture contrast with the creamy potato.
• Leave a pastry overhang during baking to prevent shrinkage; trim it off after baking for a neat finish.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

Calories: 588 kcal • Carbohydrates: 66 g • Protein: 9 g • Fat: 33 g • Fibre: 7 g

Free 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan

If you enjoy planning ahead, a four-week vegan meal plan with shopping lists makes weeknight cooking easier and helps maintain variety.

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