Vegan Lancashire hotpot

I first published this recipe for Vegan Lancashire hotpot in March 2011, more than 14 years ago. I'm updating it in 2025 to be a little more concise. I removed a couple of nonsense ingredients in quantities so small they'd not make much of a difference. Red wine isn't a traditional ingredient in Lancashire hotpot, but I've kept it in anyway because, well, I like it.

This is a good meat and potatoes vegan alternative, perfect for a dreary rainy day, ideal for those days when you want a warming and filling meal. Prepare it on a lazy Sunday morning and it'll be ready for lunch, served up alongside your favourite steamed veg for a meat free alternative to a well known British dish.

The Lancashire hotpot is typical pub grub here in the UK, generally made with mutton or lamb, a dish vegetarians and vegans rarely get to enjoy. It's a cheap and easy dish to make that's filled with onions and any mix of root vegetables, cooked over low heat for a number of hours to create a deep and rich gravy stew.

If you're trying to impress omnivores who aren't familiar with tempeh I reckon a hearty seitan would work well with this vegan Lancashire hotpot (though I've not tried this myself). Alternatively eliminate the tempeh altogether and replace with more vegetables or even pulses. This is a pretty forgiving recipe in terms of precise quantities, so a little more or less of something won't cause much harm.

Print Recipe

Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

This vegan take on a traditional English stew is perfect for Sunday lunch and makes for excellent leftovers.

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 500 millilitres water or stock
• 1 tablespoon Henderson’s Relish, pontack, or vegan worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Marmite or similar yeast extract
• 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning powder optional but recommended (I use Lee Kum Kee brand)
• 1 scant teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 grams floury potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
• 150 grams carrots peeled and sliced
• 100 millilitres red wine
• 300 grams tempeh cut into approximate ½ inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil divided
• 15 grams butter a quite large dollop
• 275 grams thinly sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Salt and pepper sorry I’m copping out with exact quantities here

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 C (no fan).
• Combine the water, Henderson’s Relish (or alternative), soy sauce, Marmite, mushroom seasoning powder, thyme, and bay leaves in a bowl and put it to the side while you prepare everything else.
• Line the bottom of a casserole dish (or in my case a cast iron pan) with half of the potatoes. Spread the sliced carrots over the potato layer.
• Add the wine to a large frying or saute pan and bring to a simmer. Dump the cubed tempeh in and toss with some kind of culinary implement to coat the tempeh. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the wine is completely absorbed and any remaining wine is a sticky glaze on the pan. Now add a tablespoon of the oil to the pan, toss to coat all the tempeh pieces, and fry on medium high heat for 5-7 minutes, until the tempeh is browned. Tip the tempeh into the potato lined casserole dish.
• Turn the heat back down to medium and add the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same saucepan. Add the onions and fry, stirring from time to time, until they’re lightly browned and caramelised, sometime in the ballpark of 10 minutes.
• Add the flour. Stir to incorporate with the onions. Pour the liquid from step 1 into pan, give it a good stir, and cook until it thickens slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste (but remember the sauce will reduce in the oven so don’t over salt). Pour the contents over the tempeh and carrots.
• Cover with the remaining half of potatoes. For a crispier finish you can drizzle some more oil over top or add a few dollops of vegan butter or margarine.
• Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and and bake for a further 30-45 minutes, until the potatoes are browned to your liking.