This Vegan Lancashire Hot Pot is a plant-based take on a classic British dish. Get the recipe below.
The Lancashire Hot Pot is a much-loved British classic, traditionally asscoiated with the county of Lancashire in North West England. Dating back to the 18th century, it as a practical, slow cooked sih designed for working families. It was made from inexpensive ingredients that were layered in a pot and left to gently simmer while people went about their day.
The traditional recipe features lamb or mutton, onions and stocked, all topped with thinly sliced potatoes that become beautifully tender and crisp around the edges.
What makes a Lancashire Hot Pot so distinctive is its simplicity. Unlike other stews, the ingredients are layered rather than mixed which means each element cooks gently in its own juices. The potato topping almost acts like a lid, trapping steam while foaking up flavour from the rich broth beneath.
A Vegan Lancashire Hot Pot stays true to the spirit of the original dish but uses lentils an in place of the lamb. Vegetable stock replaces meat stock and additional herbs, seasoning, and a splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce to build complexity.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Add the following ingredients to your shopping list:
For the filling
- Olive oil
- White onion
- Garlic
- Mushrooms (I use chestnut)
- Carrot
- Parsnip
- Tinned green
- Tomato purée
- Dried thyme
- Dried rosemary
- Plain flour
- Vegetable stock
- Vegan Worcestershire-style sauce
- Salt and black pepper
For the topping
- Potatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Cook the onions in olive oil until soft and golden then add the garlic.
- Step 2: Add the mushrooms, carrot, parsnip, lentils, tomato purée, and herbs and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Step 3: Stir in the flour, then gradually add the stock. Season and simmer until thickened.
- Step 4: Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Layer potatoes on top, brush with oil, and season.
- Step 5: Cover and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 45–60 minutes until golden.
- Step 6: Serve with green vegetables on the side (optional).
Hint: Slice the potatoes very thinly and evenly (you could even use a mandoline slicer). This ensures they cook through fully while still crisping beautifully on top.
Substitutions
If you don't have the exact ingredients then don't worry, you can make a couple of substitutions and still have a delicious, hearty meal:
- Lentils: swap lentils for beans or chickpeas
- Mushrooms: swap for finely diced aubergine
- Plain flour: swap for cornflour
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce: swap for soy sauce or tamari
- Olive oil: swap the oil for melted vegan butter
Variations
Put your own spin on this recipe with some of these variations:
- Extra hearty: Add pearl barley or diced swede
- Spicy: Add crushed chilli flakes to the filling
- Creamy: Add vegan cream to the filling for a creamier texture
Equipment
You don't need any fancy equipment for this recipe (unless you'd like to use a mandoline slicer for the potatoes). The equipment you can't do without are:
- Large saucepan
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Deep ovenproof dish
- Foil
Storage
Allow leftovers to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until piping hot. This dish also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Top tip
For an extra golden finish, brush the potato topping with oil again halfway through uncovered baking and increase the oven temperature slightly for the final 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
No, the traditional version uses lamb or mutton, but this vegan adaptation keeps the same structure and comfort.
Absolutely, just use a gluten-free flour or cornflour to thicken the filling.
Steamed greens (like cabbage or kale), peas, braised red cabbage, or crusty bread all work beautifully.
The recipe
Vegan Lancashire Hot Pot
Equipment
- large saucepan
- Sharp knife or mandoline
- chopping board
- Deep ovenproof dish
- Foil
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 250 g mushrooms thickly sliced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 parsnip diced
- 200 g tinned green lentils
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire-style sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
For the topping
- 500 g potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4.
- Gently cook the sliced onions for 8 - 10 minutes in olive oil until soft and lightly golden.
- Stir in garlic, mushrooms, carrot, parsnip, lentils, tomato purée, and herbs. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Sprinkle over the flour, then slowly add vegetable stock while stirring for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Transfer the filling to an ovenproof dish and layer the sliced potatoes neatly on top. Brush with oil and season.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour until the filling is bubbling, then uncover to allow the potatoes to turn golden for a further 30 - 45 minutes.
Leave a Reply