Pâté Chinois Quebec-Style Shepherd’s Pie [Vegan & Gluten-Free]

Three layered Pate Chinois on a blue plate in a clean white background

Pâté Chinois french for “Chinese Pie” is the Quebecois spin on British Shepard’s Pie. It’s so popular in Quebec that Le Devoir named Pâté Chinois the unofficial national dish in 2007. The layered casserole made with ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes is made vegan by swapping beef for a lentils, walnut and textured vegetable protein or TVP. The combination of legumes, nuts, and TVP make the dish rich in protein, fibre and polyunsaturated “healthy” fats.

Growing up in Montreal, I ate Pâté Chinois and never considered why it was called Chinese. It was only in my lat 20s that I began to contemplate the oddness of the name. The dish had virtually nothing to do with China or Chinese cuisine.

When pondering how this franco spin on a British dish got its name, I was told what most Quebecers believe to be true: Pâté Chinois was given to the Chinese railway workers, and that’s how it got that name.

In the late 1800s, over 17,000 Chinese men came to Canada to work as labourers on the construction of the western section of the transcontinental railroad. Some Quebecers believe that history contributed to the naming of Pâté Chinois.

Chinese labourers, detraining camp, Petawawa, Ontario. Credit: Meredith, C.P. / Library and Archives Canada / C-068863

The problem with the railway theory is that there is no record of it. Not to mention most Chinese labourers were stationed on the west coast, miles away from where Pâté Chinois originated. 

The truth is, nobody knows the origin. Even sociology professor and gastronomy expert Jean-Pierre Lemasson, who wrote a book about it, Le Mystère insondable du pâté chinois (The Inscrutable Mystery of Pâté Chinois), has not found a definitive answer. He continues to wonder about the birth of the dish.

Despite the uncertainty, there is one theory that I find the most fascinating. Massachusetts Journalist Amanda Beland proposes a new and mostly unknown theory for why the dish was named Pâté Chinois in her podcast titled The Truth about Quebec’s Most Famous and Mysterious Pie.

Beland is a Franco-American whose family came to the United States from Quebec in the 19th century. In the 1870s, about 10 per cent of Quebec’s population moved to the northeastern United States to escape the economic depression in Canada. 

Many northeastern towns had a sizeable French-speaking population who worked in the textile mills. “The Quebec workers were treated poorly by the American factory owners. They were nicknamed “Chinese of the East” for their willingness to work hard for low wages at gruelling mills.” Source: CBC.

Like Beland, my grandmother was part of these French-Canadian communities in the U.S. Born in Rhode Island, she eventually returned to Quebec as an adult where she met my grandfather in Montreal. She travelled back and forth between the two nations as a dual citizen. This is a testament to the cultural exchange between Franco-American and Franco-Canadian communities.

My late Franco-Canadian grandfather and Franco-American grandmother at my high school graduation.

Beland’s family, on the other hand, stayed in the U.S. and gradually became more American, much like my grandmother’s nieces and nephews. However, both Beland and I share the tradition of eating Pâté Chinois.

Beland hypothesizes that because Franco-Americans were sometimes called the “Chinese of the East” to denigrate them, they reappropriated title, calling themselves and their modest casserole “Chinois.” In this theory, the name would eventually travel back to Quebec, where its popularity would live in the infamy.

Of all the theories, this one resonates with me. It’s born of racism which should make me feel upset but instead I’m comforted. Let me explain. I’m not Chinese, but I am half-Asian. My mother is a Sri Lankan immigrant who came to Montreal in 1974. Like many immigrants, my mom experienced racism. Quebec nationalism felt especially xenophobic at times with politicians positioning immigrants as an imminent threat to Quebec’s language, culture and sovereignty.

Quebecers in the U.S. were themselves served the same racist vitriol as that Asian immigrants like my mom faced in Quebec. It’s a reminder that all people, regardless of race or religion, can be subject to oppression and discrimination on the very thin basis of difference. The struggle for dignity and equality is universal. And the comfort I feel comes in that reminder: that we are all the same. It’s a tool to unite us.

French Canadians have been oppressed in North America and have adopted discriminatory policies. Case in point: the Bill 21 ban on religious symbols which disproportionately impacts women of colour. The goal is assimilate immigrants into the dominant culture. Not so different from how Quebecois-Americans were assimilated to mainstream American culture. It’s a loss in my books. I mean how cool would it be if there were still French communities in New England were flourishing rather than dying out.

Beland’s Pâté Chinois origin story theory also gives me comfort as a half-French Canadian, half-South Asian Canadian. I’ve felt the push and pull of two worlds apart. Never quite belonging to either. It’s a melding of my layers. Much likes the layers of Pâté Chinois.

I’ve wondered if the name itself, Pâté Chinois, is flat out racist. Since I’m not Chinese I consulted a Chinese-Canadian friend. She said, “Um, yeah, kinda.”

So, what do we do? Change the name and start a curfuffle? Or use the name as an opportunity to think critically and engage in a conversation about race, discrimination and the common struggle of humanity. For me, it’s chance to dream up a pluralistic world where Pâté Chinois is served up next to a heaping pot of Tadka Dhal and left over Ma Po tofu. That’s the world I want to live in.

Regardless of how you feel about Pâté Chinois, I hope you enjoy this vegan version.

Veganizing this dish makes it heart-healthy and better for the planet and now, after you listen to Amanda Beland’s podcast, you’ll even have dinner table talking points.

So what are you waiting for? Make it tonight.

Pâté Chinois Quebec Shepherd’s Pie [Vegan & Gluten-Free]

Pâté Chinois which translates to "Chinese Pie" is the French Canadian spin on British Shepard's Pie. It's so popular in Quebec that Le Devoir named Pâté chinois the unofficial national dish in 2007. It's a layered casserole made with ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes. In this vegan version, we swap out the beef for a lentil,  textured vegetable protein and walnut mix which ups the fibre.
5 from 1 vote
Servings 8 servings
Calories 337 kcal

Ingredients
  

Meatless filling

  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup brown lentils
  • 1 cup textured vegetable protein
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mashed potatoes

  • For the Mashed Potato Topping:
  • 4 cups of potatoes russet or Yukon Gold, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or any plant-based milk
  • ¼ tasse vegan butter or half vegan butter, half extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients

  • 2 cans corn (341 ml)
  • sprinkle paprika (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • For the meatless filling:
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and garlic, and sauté until softened.
    Add all remaining meatless filling except for the walnuts. Bring the mixture to a simmer, lower the heat, and cover it to cook for about 15 minutes until all the broth is absorbed. It's ready when lentils are soft. If it runs too dry, add a little water. Add in the walnuts and remove from heat.
  • For the Mashed Potato Topping:
  • Boil the diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes.
  • In a bowl, mash the potatoes with soy milk, vegan butter, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
  • Assemble the pate chinois:
  • Transfer the meatless filling to a large baking dish, spreading it evenly.
  • Then, add the layer of the drained canned corn before spooning on the mashed potatoes to cover the pie completely. Sprinkle top with paprika.
  • Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. For an extra crispy potato topping, broil the top to finish. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 947mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4mg
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 947mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Share and tag @meloandmills!