3 Recipes: Classic Cornish Pasty Gets a Vegan Makeover!

Vegan food in Britain might just be the biggest trend since the Beatles. With some UK cities having over 20% of its residents on a vegan diet, it’s no wonder British food manufacturers have hopped on board for a slice of the market. Although profit might be a corporation’s primary motivation behind making vegan products, plant-based culture tends to catch on wherever it goes.

After UK food giant Greggs relaunched their classic sausage rolls with a vegan twist, the Cornish Vegan Pasty Company has followed suit, making their classic, flaky meat pies complete free of eggs, meat, and dairy. The traditional Cornish pasty is typically made from potato, onion and swede. These new vegan pastries replace the commonly-used  chunks of steak with seitan.

Although plenty of pasty purists claim their ancestors would be “spinning in their graves” about the revamp, the move could mean exciting things to come for the plant-based baking community.  The right to officially label a meat pie a “Cornish Pasty” is a tricky matter. The food has protected geographical indication status, which means only a pastry made the traditional way within the Cornwall region can be called Cornish Pasty. This technicality means that this new vegan pastry isn’t just tasty, it’s official.

It’s the classic tale of old meets new, and reactions among the Cornish community have been mixed, to say the least. “Eat whatever you like, but don’t call it what it isn’t,” wrote one user on Facebook. “It’s not traditional steak if there is no bloody steak in it,” said another angry commentator. Despite blowback from traditionalists, Cornish Vegan Pasty Company owner Sam Grady believes vegan pastries are in for a bright future, if done correctly of course”

“Most pastry companies have upped their game when it comes to a vegan offering,” he said, “But we’re the only one rivaling the traditional pastry for flavor.”

Time will tell if these plant-based pies will be a hit. Even if the conservative foodies have their way in the end, stories like this are a testament to the reach of plant-based living, not to mention it’s innovation.

Of course, you don’t have to go all the way to Cornwall for delicious vegan meat pies. Check out these tasty savory pies, courtesy of the Food Monster App.

1. Savory Lentil Pot Pie

Source: Savory Lentil Pie

This rich and filling Savory Lentil Pie by Elsa Brobbey is the embodiment of comfort food. When the lentil, tomatoes, and onions and spices meld together, it cooks into a tender and deeply savory pie. Each bite is toothsome with a little crunch. The flaky crust is made with coconut oil and white whole wheat flour (spelt flour works excellently too), is speckled with hints of turmeric, garlic, and cumin.

2. Caramelized Onion, Caper, and Mushroom Tart

Source: Caramelized Onion, Caper, and Mushroom Tarts

There’s nothing like a warm, bubbly tart to fill your belly. Having no crust, the creamy onion and mushroom filling in Emily Wilkinson‘s Caramelized Onion, Caper, and Mushroom Tarts caramelize beautifully in a hot oven. Add to that some fresh thyme and salty capers, and you’ve got yourself some very special tarts. Serve for dinner with a side of greens.

3. Pastel de Choclo: Chilean Shepherd’s Pie

Source: Pastel de Choclo

Simply put, Smith and Daughters‘ Pastel de Choclo is very similar to shepherd’s pie. Typically, this dish has big juicy chunks of beef, but we find eggplant is the best substitute as it doesn’t have much flavor of its own and carries all the flavors of the dish while still retaining its shape. This is fantastic served with a green salad dressed with our lemon and cumin vinaigrette.