Vegetable Pot Pie

This hearty pot pie is loaded with carrots, potatoes, onions and mushrooms, then encased in a flaky puff pastry topping. Nothing is more exciting than tapping with the tip of a spoon to break through the crunchy layers of puff pastry and get a taste of the tender veggies hiding beneath.

The good news is that it doesn’t take all day to make this savory vegetable casserole cake. Buying frozen puff pastry is a quick and inexpensive way to make individual servings, making that dinner easy to serve, store, and even freeze for later.

How to make homemade pot pies

I love shredding a variety of produce, especially for comfort foods like this one. A combination of carrots, mushrooms, peas and potatoes creates a tasty base. The vegetables are sautéed with herbs and garlic for a bold flavor.

Then I bind the filling with some flour to get a delicious sauce.

Fill the molds with the vegetables and sauce, cover with the cut squares of puff pastry, cut small slits for small openings, brush with egg yolk and bake until golden brown.

How to make the sauce for pot pie

It is best to cook the roux for a few minutes to remove the raw flour flavor. The vegetable broth and milk are then added and cooked until the liquid has thickened and can coat the back of a spoon but is not overly thick or lumpy.

How to work with puff pastry

Puff pastry is a butter and puff pastry made up of numerous wafer-thin layers, similar to croissants. It’s a wonderful and quick alternative to homemade pie crust. You can find puff pastry in the freezer section of the supermarket.

Be sure to thaw the dough properly before using. It should be cool to the touch, yet flexible enough to handle. The layers are delicate. If the fat in the batter gets too warm, the layers will fuse together and stop puffing up as much after baking.

It is best to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. If you forgot, don’t worry. You can thaw the dough at room temperature. In this case it takes about 40 minutes.

How to customize your pot pie

This recipe works well with root vegetables or other heartier ingredients. Parsnips, fennel, golden potatoes, and sweet potatoes make nice substitutes or additions to russet potatoes.

For a lower carb option, chop up some cauliflower florets. When corn is in season, cut these kernels off the cob and add them to the mix. Sweet peppers or spicy chopped chillies give a nice touch.

What Can You Serve With Pot Pies?

A crisp green kale salad, tossed green salad, green bean salad, or cool shaved fennel salad would all be nice accompaniments to the pot pie.

A warm bowl of soup like tomato, carrot, or zucchini would also make a nice pairing. For extra protein, pair the pie with rotisserie chicken, rotisserie chicken, sous vide steak, meatloaf, or stuffed portobello mushrooms.

Can I make pot pies in advance?

If you only want to make the pot pies a day or two in advance and store them in the fridge. Prepare the filling, transfer 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 it.

If you plan to freeze the cakes, make them whole.

Can You Freeze Pot Pies?

I have recommended fully baking the pot pies, letting them cool, and then either refrigerating them if eating within 3 days, or freezing them.

The puff pastry cooks faster than the frozen filling, so it’s best to reheat a pie that’s already been cooked.

For a chilled cake Heat on a baking sheet at 325oF for 15 to 20 minutes.
For a frozen cake, Heat for 50 to 60 minutes at the same temperature. Make sure the filling is nice and hot.

I couldn’t believe how good they taste when reheated in the oven, it was like it was freshly baked and the crust was still crispy!

Need more comfort food in your life?

Chicken pot pie
Cajun turkey pot pie
Biscuits and sauce casserole
Cheesy tortellini casserole
Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

preparation time
30 minutes

cooking time
40 minutes

total time
70 minutes

portions
8 pot pies

Puff pastry is often sold frozen. Make sure you take it out of your freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw the day before you make the pot pies. If you forgot, don’t worry. You can thaw the dough at room temperature. In this case it takes about 40 minutes.

1 package (2 sheets, 17.3 ounces) puff pastry leaves, thawed
1/3 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup rolled Red onions, 1/4 inch cube
1 Cup rolled carrots, 1/4 inch cube
1/2 Cup rolled celery1/4 inch cube
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8th ounces cut brown Mushrooms
1 1/2 lb red potatoes, 1/4 inch cube
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 Cup flour
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 Cup whole milkplus 1 tablespoon to wash eggs
1 Cup Peas
1 tablespoon chopped Parsely
1 big Egg, whisked

Prepare the puff pastry:

Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight. If you forgot, you can thaw them on the counter: Remove the frozen pastry from the wrapper and thaw on a sheet pan until cool but malleable, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable filling.
Cook Vegetables:

Place a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Put the butter in the saucepan. Once melted, add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and thyme.

Sauté for 3 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add mushrooms, stir and cook 1 minute. Add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook 7 minutes.
Make the sauce and finish the filling:

Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir and cook to reduce raw flour flavor, about 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened and the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in the peas and parsley and mix. Try the veggie pot pie filling, season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven and fill the ramekins:

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Divide the filling evenly among the ramekins, about 3/4 cup of filling per serving.
Cut puff pastry:

Trim 1/4-inch around the edges of the puff pastry; This makes it look neat and allows the pastry to rise a little better. Cut each sheet of dough into four 4-inch squares for a total of 8 squares. Place a square sheet of pastry over each ramekin, letting the edges hang over the sides. Make 4 small slits at the top (1/2 inch long).
Bake the vegetable pies:

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the top and sides of the puff pastry with egg yolk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Once your oven has reached 400°F, place the ramekins on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until the puff pastry is puffed and golden brown.

nutritional information (per serving)
584	calories
33g	Fat
62g	carbohydrates
12g	protein