A quick and healthy Cheesy Spicy Lentil Pie made with a 5 minute crust and a savoury lentil filling topped with vegan cheddar.
The perfect weekday meal, this healthy pie is made with my Easy Press in Pie Crust that takes just 5 minutes to throw together! You are welcome to use any pie crust you’d like, but I love this press in the pan crust for weeknights. It’s so quick to make and is fool proof.
Sure, a press in pan won’t get you those fancy crust edgings, but a cute and frilly ruffled pie pan adds a fancy touch to any pie!
The filling is made of wholesome ingredients such as lentils and a savoury blend of spices. I use a small banana pepper I got at my local farmer’s market to add a touch of spice to my Cheesy Spicy Lentil Pie.
You can use a small jalapeño with seeds removed, or a quarter of a green bell pepper if you prefer not to have spiciness in this pie,
Cheesy Spicy Lentil Pie Ingredients
For the 5 minute pie crust
- All purpose flour (or you can use a half all purpose and whole wheat flour)
- Olive oil (or oil of choice)
- Salt & cold water
For the savoury spice blend
- Ground paprika
- Ground oregano
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
for the Pie filing
- Cooked green lentils
- Small onion
- Vegetable stock
- Bay leaf
- Jalapeño or banana pepper without seeds
- Olive oil
- Tomato
- Vegan cheddar cheese
- Chopped parsley
Making This Pie Step By Step
For the easy 5 minute pie crust
- Add flour and salt together in a medium bowl and mix.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the water until it becomes light in colour. Right away, pour the entire water/olive oil mixture into the bowl of flour. Stir with a fork until the flour is mixed in with the liquids.
- Gather the dough together with your hands until it holds together. If more water is needed carefully add a teaspoon more water at a time.
- Dump the dough evenly into a pie plate and press gently until it covers the pan evenly.
For the Pie filling
- Add all dried spices, salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix until combined.
- Add finely chopped onion, finely chopped hot pepper (with seeds removed) and chopped tomato to a large saucepan on medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until onions soft and translucent.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add cooked green lentils, vegetable broth and bay leaf and stir to combine.
- Cook 5-7 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally.
- Fill pie crust with the pie filling and top with vegan cheddar cheese.
- Cook pie at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown.
- Top with chopped parsley and serve!
Commonly Asked Questions
CAN THis PIE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, but do not fill the pie crust until it is ready to be baked or your pie crusts will be soggy. Make the pie crust ahead of time and store it in the fridge separately from the pie filling (which can also be made ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge. Assemble the pie right before you are going to bake it!
CAN THis pie BE FROZEN?
Yes after the pie is baked it can be frozen (but not before they are baked). Tightly wrap the pie or store in an air-tight container and freeze pies for up to 4 months.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE THis pie?
Traditionally a savoury pie is great with ketchup! A great vegan ketchup option is 365 Everyday Value Ketchup. I also love this Cheesy Spicy Lentil Pie with a side of steamed green beans!
Cheesy Spicy Lentil Pie
Ingredients
5 Minute Press in Pan Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or sub half with whole wheat flour)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or oil of choice
- 3 Tbsp cold must be cold water, not room temperature
Pie Filling
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- olive oil for cooking
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1/2 small banana pepper (or 1 small jalapeño pepper) finely chopped and seeds removed to reduce heat
- 1 1/4 cup cooked green lentils
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf optional
- vegan cheddar cheese to top
- handful chopped parsley garnish
Instructions
5 Minute Press in Pan Pie Crust
- Add flour and salt together in a medium bowl and mix.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the oil with the water until it becomes light in colour.
- Right away, pour the entire water/olive oil mixture into the bowl of flour.
- Stir with a for until the flour is mixed in with the liquids.
- Gather the dough together with your hands until it holds together. If more water is needed carefully add a teaspoon more water at a time. You do not want the dough to be too wet or it won't press together in the pan. (Your dough will be crumbly but it will come together when pressed in the pie pan).
- Dump the dough into your pie plate and press gently until it covers the pan evenly.
- Set aside in fridge while making the filling (Do not fill the pie crust with filling until you are ready to bake the pie, or your pie will be soggy)
Pie Filling
- Add all dried spices, salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix until combined.
- Add finely chopped onion, finely chopped hot pepper (with seeds removed) and chopped tomato to a large saucepan on medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until onions soft and translucent.
- Add spice mix and stir.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add cooked green lentils, vegetable broth and bay leaf and stir to combine.
- Cook 5-7 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally.
- Fill pie crust with the pie filling and top with vegan cheddar cheese.
- Cook pie at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown.
- Top with chopped parsley and serve!
Looking for more vegan pie recipes? Try my Perfectly Spiced Vegan Pumpkin Pie!
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