I came across the idea of a “samosa pie” from this BBC Good Food recipe and thought it looked soooo good I had to make my own vegan version!
I’m pleased to say that not only is it as delicious as I’d hoped but it’s super easy to put together, making it perfect for weeknight dinners. You can also make this ahead of time and/or freeze it.
Because this pie includes both vegan mince and peas, it makes it quite high in protein and very filling too. A nice alternative to a Shepherd’s Pie.
Soy mince is very easy to get hold of and you should find that any supermarket will have it in their freezer section, along with the other vegetarian foods. Most are vegan-friendly but there might be one or two that contain egg so always check first.
And if you’ve not tried soy mince before and are kind of weirded out by it – don’t be. It tastes really good and you’ll be hard pushed to tell the difference in a dish like this. Also, as a bonus, vegan mince is usually very inexpensive.
You can also substitute the mince with cooked lentils. Use two tins, drained and rinsed, in it’s place.
Along with the mince and peas, this pie is also filled with potatoes, onions and lot’s of spices. To make it easier, I’ve just used a curry powder mix, along with some extra coriander and chili powder.
The pie is topped with 8 layers of filo pastry for a crunchy but light finish. It’s like eating a giant samosa with a generous filling. Delicious!
Easy Vegan Samosa Pie
An easy, flavourful dinner that can be made in advance. Perfect for weeknights!
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 150 g frozen green peas
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g frozen soy mince, or 2 x tins lentils, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp dried coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pack of filo pastry, defrosted (if frozen)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Let your filo pastry sit at room temperature so it's easier to work with later on.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the potatoes until soft. Add the peas in to cook during the last minute. Once cooked, drain and mash.
- Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic until softened. Add the curry powder, coriander and chili powder and cook for a further minute before adding the soy mince. Add a drop of water and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
- Combine the mash mixture with the mince and season with salt and pepper. Add some more water if it's a little dry.
- Transfer to an oven dish and smooth into an even layer.
- Unfold your filo pastry and start layering it on top of the mince mixture, sheet by sheet, giving it a brush with oil between each layer. I used ten layers (five sheets folded in half.) Give a final brushing with oil and slice 4 slits into the top, to allow some air to escape.
- Cook for 20 minutes until golden and crisp on top. Alternatively, you can chill or freeze this dish before cooking in the oven.
We loved it! Thanks for the recipe.
So pleased! Thanks for the comment, Anne.
I am in the US and for the Soy Mince, I used something from Trader Joes called “Trader Joes Beef-less Ground Beef. It is a vegan product. They sell it in 12 oz. (343 g) packages and it came out great, and wasn’t very expensive.
Great to know, thanks for the tip Katrina
What do you mean by 2 x tins lentils?
I am in America. Do you mean 2 cups?
I don’t see a reply to your question. I’m in America as well and, based on what I’ve read, I believe that means to use 2 cans of lentils.
I made this and brought it in the next day to work for a friend of mine. Who is Indian. He loved it!!
Hi, do you mean ground coriander when you say ‘dried coriander’?
I made this tonight and it was delicious. The only modifications I made was that I added about 1/2 cup of sundried tomato tapenade (in the olive bar at Sobey’s (I’m in Canada). This just kicked up the richness factor. I also put phyllo under the filling too. My husband loved it too! Thank you! Can’t wait to try some of your others!
I love the look of all your recipes! I tried the apple pie chia pudding this morning and it was so delicious and warming! And also a great way to boost protein for veggies like me :) loving the sound of tofu scramble and beef samosa pieee thankyou xxx
Just made this and it was excellent
what is soy mince? where can I find that?
It’s a vegetarian alternative to beef mince. You can find it in most supermarket’s freezer section or in health food shops. If you’re in the UK, let me know and I can recommend some brands and places that might be near you :-)
Hi. Just read this comment that you left for someone else. Please can you recommend some brands of vegetarian beef mince I have nott had much success finding a non chewy version.. I live in UK North Yorkshire – thanks
I just made this today and it was a hit with my vegetarian teenager. I didn”t have soy mince so I just used a black of firm tofu (in U.S. a block is 397grams) that I crumbled up. Some more substitutions I made because I didn’t have something on hand and don’t want to visit the market:
Used ground cumin in lieu of coriander
Used puff pastry shells in lieu of phyllo
Also planning to use leftover filling served over rice.
Love this recipe!
Happy you liked it Cynthia!
I’m going to try making this with a gluten free puff pastry because I can’t find a gluten free phyllo. Do you think puff pastry will work well with this recipe?
Hi Janice. I think puff pastry would make this a delicious pie! It would be less “Samosa” perhaps, but still delicious.
This looks delicious! What size casserole dish are you using?
Good question! I just checked and it’s roughly 8 x 6 inch and about 2 inches deep. Anything roughly that size should be fine :-)
I enjoy potato samosa, but never ever try samosa pie. Look so much tasty.
I’ve never heard of samosa pie before but now I know that I want it in my life. I can’t wait to give this a try!
I love potato samosa, but never try samosa pie. Look so much delicious.
I’m always glad to find a vegan adaptation of a great BBC food recipe! Thanks for sharing! Sounds delicious.
This looks so delicious Aimee, I’m definitely going to have to hunt down some gluten free filo pastry and make this!
I’ve never heard of a samosa pie before. The flavors do seem very reminiscent of shepherds pie (which I love!) but that crispy buttery layered top adds a whole new element of deliciousness!
This looks AMAZING, Aimee!! I love anything with phyllo dough!
Hold. The. Phone. Samosa pie?! This sounds amazing. Sending this to my (vegetarian) mother immediately, who I know will love this recipe!