Classic Pot Pie

Last week I made three pot pies in four days, and while that seems like objectively too much pot pie, I can tell you from experience: I coulda eaten more of it. Because this recipe is for the perfect pie: flaky, flavorful, creamy, and hearty, and not only will you want seconds (at least), but you will absolutely forget chicken ever even had a place in a pie. Chicken who?

That being said, if you really want to add some vegan meat to your pot pie, go right ahead! I bet if you wanted to make this a beef pot pie, Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef would be stellar in this recipe. I'd just sub out some of the veggies, because this baby was really at capacity when I filled it.

I posted my recipe for savory pie crust the other day, and its herby, golden-baked goodness really shines in this pie. But if you're in a rush and need to use a store-bought crust, no worries, you're still about to make a really great meal!

Vegetable Pot Pie

serves 4

- Flaky, savory pie crust (or 2 rounds of your preferred crust)

- 1 cup carrots, diced or thinly sliced

- 1 cup frozen peas

- 1 cup diced potatoes

- 1/2 cup diced celery

- 1/3 cup diced onion

- 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

- olive oil

- 1/2 cup butter

- 1/3 cup all purpose flour

-1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp celery seed

- 1/8 tsp white pepper

- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

- 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth (non tomato-based)

- 2/3 cup almond milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Bring a medium sized pot to a boil and add the carrots, peas, potatoes, and celery. Lower the heat slightly and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside.

3. While the other vegetables are cooking, sauté the onions with 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

4. Once the onions are beginning to turn translucent, add the mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms are just tender.

5. Add the 1/2 cup of butter and stir until melted. Add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, celery seed, white pepper, and nutritional yeast, and, stirring frequently, cook the mixture for 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the vegetable broth 1/4-1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Repeat the process with the almond milk, making sure to stir the sides and bottom of the pan.

7. Simmer mixture, stirring frequently, for 4-6 minutes, until nicely thickened.

8. Turn off the heat, add the vegetables, and stir until they’re well-coated in the sauce. Set aside.

9. On a well-floured surface, roll out the larger disc of pie dough to a 1/4-inch-thick circle. Transfer to the pie dish and trim the edges.

10. Scrape the vegetable filling into the pie dish, roll out of the smaller disc of dough, and place on top of the pie, trimming and securing the edges, and cutting out vents.

11. With a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drippings, bake the pie for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the vents.

12. Take out of the oven and let sit for 8 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!