Description

This Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie delivers a bright and tangy lemon curd filling topped with a fluffy vegan Italian meringue. Featuring a buttery vegan pie crust, the pie is perfectly balanced with zesty lemon flavor and a sweet, toasted meringue topping. Perfectly set in the fridge, this plant-based dessert is ideal for gatherings or special occasions, with a light, smooth filling and a crisp crust.

Ingredients

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Pie Crust

1 batch vegan pie crust (makes extra dough – see note 1)

Lemon Filling

3 tablespoons lemon zest (fresh, see note 2)
250 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (see note 2)
300 ml soy milk (or almond milk or oat milk)
300 g granulated sugar
50 g cornstarch (cornflour)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, see note 3)
100 g vegan butter (cold and cubed, see note 4)

Vegan Italian Meringue Topping

1 batch vegan Italian meringue (made from aquafaba)

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Instructions

Preparation: Prepare the vegan pie crust dough up to 2 days before serving and chill it in the refrigerator. Also, reduce the aquafaba for the meringue and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare Pie Tin and Preheat Oven: Lightly grease a 9-inch pie tin with oil or vegan butter, dust with flour, and knock off the excess to lightly coat. Optionally, add a round of parchment to the base. Preheat the oven to fan 190°C (374°F) or conventional 210°C (410°F). Place an aluminum tray or baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
Roll Out and Fit Crust: Roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thickness, making it roughly an inch larger than the pie tin’s diameter. Carefully lift the dough over the tin and gently press it into the sides using your fingers. Trim the edges with a knife or pastry scissors and press down with a fork. Pierce holes into the base with a fork.
Blind Bake Crust: Cut a circle of parchment slightly larger than the pie tin, scrunch it, and place over the dough. Fill the base with pie weights, dried beans, rice, or lentils. Bake for 20 minutes to par-bake.
Finish Baking Crust: Remove the parchment and weights carefully, then continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely at room temperature, but keep the crust in the tin.
Make Lemon Filling: In a high-speed blender, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, soy milk, sugar, cornstarch, sea salt, and optional turmeric. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes until thickened and it coats the back of a spatula. Remove from heat.
Incorporate Butter: Place cold cubed vegan butter into a large bowl, pour the hot lemon mixture over it, and whisk vigorously until fully combined and silky smooth.
Cool Filling and Pour: Let the filling cool for 20-30 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes to prevent a skin. Then pour the lemon curd into the cooled pastry shell. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight to set.
Prepare Topping and Finish: Prepare the vegan Italian meringue as per your preferred recipe. Spoon the meringue over the set lemon filling and lightly torch with a blow torch to toast before serving.
Storage: Store the pie in an airtight container in the fridge. The meringue topping holds well for 2-3 days refrigerated. You can also make the filled pie in advance and add meringue on the day of serving for best texture and freshness.

Notes

Note 1: The vegan pie crust recipe should be prepared ahead; any extra dough can be frozen or used for other pastries.
Note 2: Use fresh lemons for zest and juice to achieve the best bright and natural lemon flavor.
Note 3: Ground turmeric is optional and used solely for a natural yellow hue in the filling.
Note 4: Use firm cold vegan butter to ensure a rich and smooth lemon curd texture.