These Vegetarian ‘Chicken’ & Leek Mini Pies are absolutely delicious! The pastry is so simple to make, with no blind baking needed, and bakes to a gorgeously golden and crispy finish. The filling is creamy and full of flavour from the herbs. They can be served hot or cold, I’ve enjoyed them hot with mash and gravy and I’ve also served them cold at picnics where they haven’t lasted long!
What’s great about this recipe
- Both vegetarian and meat eaters will love these delicious pies
- The pastry is lovely and crispy
- They can be eaten hot or cold
- They can be frozen to enjoy another day
- You can adapt this recipe to make vegan mini pies
What you will need
- Plain flour – also called all purpose flour, this is the kind of flour you’ll need for the pastry. You cannot use self raising flour
- Butter – I used unsalted butter, if you use salted butter then omit the pinch of salt from the recipe. Or you can use a baking spread like Stork, I’ve had great results making this pastry with Stork
- Eggs – I used large eggs for the pastry, if you only have medium that’s ok. You may find you need to add a small splash of water or milk to the pastry if it doesn’t quite come together
- Leeks – similar to onions, but with a milder flavour, I used the white and light green parts of the leek for this recipe
- Garlic – fresh garlic is always preferable, but if you’re short on time you can use a ready made puree or frozen garlic too
- Quorn pieces – I am a big fan of Quorn products and I use them a lot. The pieces are great for substituting chicken in many recipes. If you don’t want to use them, then swap for mushrooms or extra firm tofu
- Dried thyme & dried rosemary – lovely aromatic flavours that pair perfectly with the leek, cream and meat substitute
- Vegetable stock cube – it adds a fantastic flavour boost!
- Double cream – this creates a gorgeous silky sauce to envelop the other ingredients
- Salt & vegetable oil – basic ingredients that you’ve no doubt already got in the cupboard. Salt enhances the flavours in this recipe and the oil is great for cooking the leeks
How to make Vegetarian ‘Chicken’ & Leek Mini Pies
To start, make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour using your fingers. Then add the egg, and bring together into a dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then make the filling, cook the leek and garlic together until soft, then add the Quorn pieces. Next add the herbs, stock cube, double cream and salt, cook together for 5-10 minutes, then set aside to cool
Roll out the pastry onto a floured surface and cut out rounds with a circular cutter, place them into a lightly greased cupcake tin then fill with the filling. Roll out more pastry and cut out smaller rounds for the pie lids.
Using a little egg wash, stick the lids to the pies, use a fork to crimp the edges and cut two small slits in the top with a sharp knife. Brush the tops all over with egg wash and then bake.
How long do the mini pies last and can they be frozen?
They will last in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days. You can freeze them, wrapped well or in a freezer bag or container, for up to 3 months. They can be defrosted overnight in the fridge. To reheat from chilled, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan and place the pies on a baking tray, cook for 20 minutes.
Can this recipe be made with shop bought pastry?
Yes! You can use shop bought shortcrust pastry instead of making your own if you prefer, or to save time.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Yes! You can use your favourite vegan pastry recipe, use shop bought vegan pastry, or adapt mine with dairy free butter and dairy free milk instead of eggs. For the filling, swap the double cream for a dairy free cream like soy or oat cream. You will also need to make sure to purchase the Quorn Vegan Pieces, as they do both a vegan and a vegetarian option. And you can glaze the top of the mini pies with dairy free milk instead of the egg wash.
What can you serve with the mini pies?
- Mashed, boiled or roast potatoes
- Steamed vegetables like carrots, broccoli and peas
- Vegetarian gravy
- Or serve them cold at a buffet or picnic with vegetarian cocktail sausages, sandwiches, fruit and crisps
More tips for making Vegetarian ‘Chicken’ & Leek Mini Pies
- If you don’t to use the Quorn Pieces, you could use mushrooms or some extra firm tofu instead
- When rolling out the pastry, make sure to lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn the pastry after each roll to make sure it’s not sticking to the surface. I like to use a silicone pastry mat for extra assurance
- You can use butter, or a baking spread like Stork, to make the pastry
- For gluten free pastry, you can either buy a shop bought gluten free brand or follow a gluten free pastry recipe
- To make the mini pies easier to remove from the tin, I put little strips of baking paper in each hole, just grab each side and gently lift the pie out
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Saucepans
- Garlic press
- Chefs knives
- Chopping boards
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen scales
- Cupcake tin
- Silicone Brush
- Round Cutters
- Silicone Mat
- Rolling Pin
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Vegetarian ‘Chicken’ & Leek Mini Pies
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 350 g Plain flour or all purpose flour
- 170 g Butter or baking spread unsalted
- 2 Eggs large
- A pinch of salt
For the filling
- 1/2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 200 g Leeks
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 200 g Quorn pieces
- 1 tsp Dried rosemary
- 2 tsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Vegetable stock cube I used Oxo
- 200 ml Double cream
Other
- 1 Egg beaten, for sealing and glazing the pies
Instructions
- To make the pastry, in a large bowl rub together the plain flour, salt and butter with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs
- Add the eggs and form it into a dough, being careful not to knead it or over work it, then wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes
- To make the filling heat up the vegetable oil in a pan on a low-medium heat, fry the leeks and garlic until soft
- Add the Quorn pieces, and let them cook for 2-3 minutes
- Pour in the double cream, dried thyme, dried rosemary and salt, crumble in the vegetable stock cube too, mix everything together and let it cook for 5 minutes
- Take the mixture off the heat and set aside
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C Fan/425F/Gas Mark 7, grease a muffin/large cupcake tin lightly with butter and strips of baking paper
- Roll about two thirds of the pastry out onto a floured surface to a thickness of around 2mm, and cut out the pie bases using a 10cm round cutter
- Place the pastry bases into the muffin tray, use your fingers to press them against the bottom and sides
- Roll out the remaining dough and cut out the pid lids using a 7.5cm round cutter
- Fill the pastry bases with the filling, then brush the beaten egg around the edge and stick the lids on, pressing them around the sides to seal the edges, and using a fork to crimp the edges. Then use a knife to cut two small slits in the top
- Brush more beaten egg over the tops of all of the pies
- Bake them for 20-25 minutes until they are golden and bubbling. Remove them from the tray using the strips of baking paper to help you, and either serve immediately or let them cool and serve them cold
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months
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