Vegan Lancashire Hotpot

Written by McDonald, T.  |  Date 10th of November 2025  

This is a traditional English dish that winter was made for! Chunky carrot, cabbage, and soya chunks in an amazing mint gravy all topped with potatoes and just the thing on a cold winters evening.  The potatoes are soft on the underside and soak up some gravy while being more like roast potatoes on the top. An explosion of flours!

Notes

Soya chunks are easy to prepare. Soak them in boiling water for about 10 minutes and then squeeze the excess water out.   

Figure 1, hydrated soya chunks after being squeezed.

Figure 2, soya chunks and onion.

If you want a thicker viscosity to the gravy, add 2 x level tbsp of corn flour mixed with 1 tbsp of cold water. Pour into the gravy and stir it in. 

Traditionally, this dish is made with lamb.  That is why I have used mint sauce, and it certainly does blind well with the other flavours. 

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Serves 3 – 4

Time, about an hour and 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• Soya chunks x 70 g
• Potato x 300 g
• Savoury cabbage x 200 g
• Carrot x 170 g
• Onion x 1 (about 150 g)
• Barley x 40 g (optional)
  
• Yeast extract x 2 tsp
• Cider vinegar x 4 tbsp
• Lemon juice x 1/2 a lemon
• Mint sauce x 1 tbsp
  
• Gravy x 3 tsp (added to 400 ml of water)
• Paisley x 1 tsp (dried)  
  
• White pepper x 1/2 tsp
• Salt x 1 tsp
  

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Method

1. Prepare the barley.  If using dried, it will likely need to cook for 50 minutes before you can use it.
   
2. Prepare the soya chunks as directed on the packet. See figure 1.
   
3. Dice the onion and fry it in a little oil until it starts to soften.  Add the soya chunks to the onions and continue to fry until the onion turns translucent, and the soya chunks start to brown. See figure 2.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
   
5. Dice the carrot and the cabbage.  
6. Now you can add the soya chunks, carrot, and cabbage to a casserole dish with a lid. 
7. Add the gravy granules to 400 ml of boiling water to make a weak gravy and add it to the casserole dish.  Add the mint sauce, lemon juice, cider vinegar, yeast extract, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
   
8. Slice the potato into chunky slices and lay them on top.  Spray the top with a little oil, put the lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven on the middle shelf. 
9. Bake for 35 minutes. See figure 3.
   
10. After 35 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 minutes, so the potato turns a nice golden colour.
    

Figure 3, sliced potato clovers the top.

I hope you liked this blog!  I would love to hear from you; especially if you tried this recipe out.  Have a great day!