The easiest Vegan Mushroom Pie you will ever make! With tender, juicy, meaty portobello mushrooms stuffed with sweet caramelized onions, a sprinkling of thyme then topped with my quick and easy buttery, crisp pie crust. Oven and air fryer friendly!
PREP TIME: 15 minutesminutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutesminutes
Servings: 2individual pies
Ingredients
2largeportobello mushrooms, see recipe notes for tips on choosing them
2teaspoonsolive oil , or a few drops of water for oil-free
1mediumyellow or red onion, cut in half then sliced into very thin half moons
1teaspoonsugar, optional
1teaspoondried thyme
2pinches each of salt & pepper
For the crust
1 cup (125grams)all purpose flour, plain flour in the UK
¼teaspoonfine sea salt
5 tablespoons (60grams)vegan butter, hard and cold
1tablespoonmaple syrup, or just use milk but it won't be quite as golden
ORa littleolive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 420 °F (215°C).
Heat a small pan over medium heat, add the oil (or a few tablespoons of water), and once hot add the onion and sugar. Cook stirring frequently until brown, sweet, and caramelized (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms with a sharp knife. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a dry cloth.
Add the flour to a bowl and stir in the salt. Add the vegan butter and either cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork or rub it in with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time stirring with a knife until you can form it into a smooth dough. You will probably need about 4 tablespoons but this will vary depending on your flour and the time of year. Try not to over-handle it.
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough out just big enough that both mushrooms can sit on it with about ½ an inch of pastry left around the edge of each one.
Cut 2 circles (using the mushrooms as a guide) about ½ an inch bigger than each mushroom. The circle doesn't have to be perfect.
Place the mushrooms upside down on a greased or lined baking sheet. Fill the bowl-shaped cavities with the cold caramelized onions. Sprinkle with dried thyme and a generous pinch/grind of salt and pepper.
Top with the pastry circles. Crimp or press down with a fork all the way around the outside.
At this stage, you can store the pies in the fridge for up to 2 days. Put them in an airtight container to stop them drying out, then when you want to bake carry on with the next step.
Mix the milk and maple syrup in a small bowl and brush the top of each pie generously (or use a little oil instead). Use a sharp knife to make a small ½-inch incision in the middle of each pastry top.
Place in the hot oven and bake for around 30 minutes until the crust is golden and crisp.
To air fry
Prep as instructed. Lightly grease the air fryer basket and place the mushroom pies in it. Cook at 380° (193°C) or as close to that as you can with your settings, for about 13 to 14 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
NOTES
For this recipe, choosing the right shaped portobello mushrooms is key. Their tops should be domed (not flat) and when turned upside down, the underside should be slightly concave/bowl shaped so that they can hold the caramelized onions comfortably before being covered in the pie crust.