Make a comforting bowl of savory vegetable pot pie, topped with a flaky crust. This version is loaded with tender vegetables and baked with a puff pastry lid for a hearty, individually portioned meal.
This savory pot pie is loaded with carrots, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms, then encased in a flaky puff pastry topping. Nothing is more exciting than tapping the tip of a spoon to break through the crispy layers of puff pastry to get a taste of the tender vegetables hiding beneath.
The good news is it doesn’t take all day to make this hearty vegetable pot pie. Purchasing some frozen puff pastry is a quick and affordable way to create individual portions, which makes this dinner easy to serve, store and even freeze for later.
As the dough transforms into golden layers, get the spoons ready to dig down into the bubbly filling!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE POT PIES
I love chopping up a variety of produce, especially for comfort foods like this. A combination of carrots, mushrooms, peas, and potatoes makes for a tasty base. The vegetables are sautéed with herbs and garlic for a punch of flavor.
Then, I thicken the filling with a little flour to create a luscious gravy.
Fill the ramekins with the vegetables and gravy, cover with the cut puff pastry squares, cut small slits for tiny vents, brush with egg wash, and bake until golden brown.
HOW TO MAKE THE GRAVY FOR POT PIE
Flour is used to thicken the filling in this pot pie. I make a classic roux with equal parts of butter and flour. The vegetables are sautéed in butter first to soften and add more flavor to the filling, then the flour is sprinkled on top.
It’s best to cook the roux for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste. The vegetable stock and milk are then added and simmered until the liquid is thickened and can coat the back of a spoon, but not overly thick or lumpy.
How to Work with Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is a buttery and flaky dough, made of numerous super thin layers, similar to croissants. It’s a wonderful and quick alternative to homemade pie crust. You can find puff pastry in the frozen aisle of the supermarket.
Make sure to properly defrost the dough before using. It should be cool to the touch, yet pliable enough to handle. The layers are delicate. If the fat in the dough gets too warm, the layers will meld together and not puff up as much once baked.
Best is to thaw it overnight in the fridge. If you forgot, don’t worry. You can thaw the pastry at room temperature. In that case, it will take about 40 minutes.
HOW TO ADAPT YOUR POT PIE
This recipe works well for root vegetables or other heartier ingredients. Parsnips, fennel, gold potatoes, and sweet potatoes make a nice substitution or addition to Russet potatoes.
For a lower carb option, chop up some cauliflower florets. When corn is in season, slice those kernels off the cob and add them to the mix. Sweet bell peppers or spicy chopped chiles add a nice twist.
WHAT CAN YOU SERVE WITH POT PIES?
A crunchy green kale salad, a mixed green salad, green bean salad, or a cool shaved fennel salad would all be nice sides to serve with the pot pie.
Also, a warm bowl of soup like tomato, carrot, or zucchini would make a nice pairing. For extra protein, pair the pie with roast chicken, fried chicken, sous vide steak, meatloaf, or stuffed portobello mushrooms.
CAN I MAKE POT PIES AHEAD OF TIME?
If you just want to make the pot pies a day or two in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. Make the filling, add it to the ramekins, cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Wait to defrost and cut the puff pastry until the day you plan to bake them.
If you want to freeze the pies, make them to completion.
CAN YOU FREEZE POT PIES?
I recommended baking the pot pies completely, letting them cool, and then either refrigerating them if eating within 3 days or freezing them.
The puff pastry will cook faster than the frozen filling, so it’s best to reheat from an already precooked pie.
- For a refrigerated pie, reheat on a sheet tray at 325ºF for 15 to 20 minutes.
- For a frozen pie, reheat at the same temperature for 50 to 60 minutes. Make sure to check that the filling is nice and hot.
I couldn’t believe how good they taste when warmed in the oven, it was like it was baked fresh with the crust still crispy!
NEED MORE COMFORT FOODS IN YOUR LIFE?
Vegetable Pot Pie Recipe
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 vegetable pot pies (8-ounce sized ramekins)
Puff pastry is often sold frozen. Make sure you remove it from your freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw the day before you want to make the pot pies. If you forgot, don’t worry. You can thaw the pastry at room temperature. In that case, it will take about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 package (2 sheets, 17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced red onions, 1/4-inch dice
- 1 cup diced carrots, 1/4-inch dice
- 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/4-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 ounces sliced brown mushrooms
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, 1/4-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon for egg wash
- 1 cup peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 large egg, whisked
Method
1 Prepare the puff pastry: Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the fridge. If you forget, you can thaw it on the counter: Remove the frozen pastry from its packaging and defrost on a sheet tray until cool but pliable, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable filling.
2 Cook the vegetables: Set a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme.
Sauté until onions are tender and translucent, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook for 7 minutes.
3 Make the gravy and finish the filling: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir and cook, to reduce the raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly until the gravy is smooth. Allow the gravy to simmer until slightly thickened and potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in and combine the peas and parsley. Taste the vegetable pot pie filling, season with more salt and pepper as desired.
4 Preheat the oven and fill the ramekins: Heat your oven to 400°F. Evenly divide the filling among ramekins, about 3/4 cup of filling per serving.
5 Cut the puff pastry: Trim 1/4-inch around the edges of the puff pastry; this will help it look neat and allow the pastry to puff a little better. Cut each pastry sheet into four 4-inch squares, making 8 squares total. Place one square pastry sheet over each ramekin, allowing the edges to hang over the sides. Make 4 small slits in the top (1/2-inch long).
6 Bake the vegetable pot pies: In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the top and sides of the puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Once your oven reaches 400°F, place the ramekins on the baking sheet. Bake until the puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown in color, 15 minutes.
