Mushroom and Guinness Pie

Mushroom and Guinness Pie

This vegan mushroom and Guinness pie is the kind of thing you make on a grey Sunday and feel genuinely proud of. We're talking deep, sticky, stout-braised chestnut mushrooms with rosemary and thyme, all tucked under golden puff pastry. The Guinness does something magical here, adding a rich, almost meaty depth that makes the whole filling taste like it's been going for hours. Dark soy sauce and Dijon mustard keep things interesting. Honestly, once you've made this, it's going in the regular rotation.

Cook: 815 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Pie dish
  • Frying pan
  • Rolling pin
  • Mushroom mixture needs to cool slightly before assembling

Ingredients

  • 500g ready-made puff pastry
  • 2 tbsp plant-based margarine
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 ½ tbsp plain flour - plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 700g chestnut mushrooms
  • 4 onions
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 300 Guinness - or other stout/brown ale
  • 3 sprig of fresh thyme
  • 25ml dark soy sauce
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 3 fresh thyme

Method

1

Prepare the mushrooms

  • Quarter the mushrooms and spread them over the lined baking tray
  • Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, season lightly and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes
  • When they're ready, remove and set aside, reserving any juices
  • Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan
  • Peel and slice the onions
  • Peel and finely chop the garlic
  • Add to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened
  • Reduce the temperature to medium-low
2

Remove the leaves from the rosemary and thyme

  • By running your thumb and forefinger from the top to the base of the stems (the leaves should easily come away) and finely chop, discarding the stalks
  • Add to the pan along with the sugar and cook for 10 more minutes, until the onions are golden
3

Pour the ale into the pan

  • Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes so the liquid reduces
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the mushrooms and any juices in the tray
  • Add the flour, mustard and soy sauce and simmer gently for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring regularly
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, mustard or soy sauce if you like
  • Leave to cool slightly then spoon the mushroom mixture into the pie dish
4

Lightly dust a work surface with flour

  • Roll out the pastry until it is large enough to cover the top of the pie dish
  • Brush the rim of the dish with water and lay the pastry over the top
  • Cut off the excess pastry and crimp the edges of the pastry either by pinching it between your finger and thumb all the way round, or by pressing it against the dish with the back of a fork
5

Melt the plant-based margarine in the microwave

  • Brush it all over the pastry
  • Use a small sharp knife to cut a little cross in the centre of the pastry so that steam can escape
  • Top with a few rosemary sprigs to make it look fancy
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown, remove and serve hot

Tips & Variations

  • Don't rush the onions: Give them real time over a low heat to go soft and golden. That's where most of the flavour comes from.
  • Let the filling cool before the pastry goes on: Hot filling makes the base go soggy. A bit of patience here makes a big difference to the final texture.
  • Use a good stout: Guinness is our go-to but any dark stout or brown ale works. The bitterness balances the sweetness of the onions perfectly.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the mushrooms first rather than just chucking them straight into the filling. It drives off the moisture and concentrates that deep, savoury flavour so you get something really substantial rather than a watery stew under pastry. The Guinness does the rest of the heavy lifting, giving the gravy this gorgeous bitter-sweet richness that you really can't fake with anything else.