What is cosier than pot pie in the winter? This classic pot pie comes together in less than an hour with delicious leeks and wholesome veggies. You can really use whatever veggies you have on hand – you have mushrooms one day? great! The next, add some peas in it! Leeks and thyme are the star flavours in this dish and are absolutely delicious. The leeks provide a flavourful base for the filling that can be bolstered by any vegetable you wish! Some favourite additions include peas, green beans or mushrooms and they all take on the delicious savoury flavour of the sauce.
Growing up, I used to love Marie Callendar’s chicken pot pie which you could buy in the frozen section and heat up in the oven or microwave. It was an indulgent favourite that I haven’t had for years and for whatever reason, something sparked the need to veganise this favourite dish. Of course, there are some key differences – the vegetables of choice, the lack of chicken, the casserole dish. Regardless of some changes, the sentiment is the same – creamy and delicious filling covered in a flakey and buttery crust that is absolutely perfect in the wintertime.
For some extra filling, I like to add in frozen vegan chicken chunks, but if that’s not your vibe you can use seitan, cauliflower or extra potatoes. (I admit, the vegan meat industry really has come a long way but chicken is still the last great frontier that just isn’t there yet. I personally love fake chicken and seitan but my boyfriend isn’t the biggest fan so sometimes we use it and sometimes we don’t – feel free to adjust to your taste!)
vegan leek and thyme “chicken” pot pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 50 ml non-dairy milk
- 8 ml apple cider vinegar
- 150 grams flour
- 3 grams baking powder
- 50 grams vegan butter cold and diced
Filling
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 250 grams leek sliced
- 5 grams garlic
- 250 grams potato diced
- 300 grams carrots peeled and sliced
- 250 grams celery trimmed and sliced
- 50 grams peas or green beans optional
- 200 grams seitan or vegan chicken pieces
- 1 tsp dried thyme or more to taste
- 15 grams vegan butter
- 30 grams flour
- 5 grams nutritional yeast
- 300 ml vegetable broth
- 100 ml non dairy milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Pie Crust
- In a measuring cup, combine the plant-based milk and vinegar and let stand for five minutes to create vegan buttermilk.
- In a food processor, add in flour, baking powder and salt and pulse until combined.
- Add the cold butter and pluse slowly until the mixture resembles wet sand. Slowly pour in the milk and pulse until just combined.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a ball. Refrigerate for atleast thirty minutes.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F) and grease a 9-inch casserole dish or pie pan.
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onions, leeks and garlic until slightly translucent- about five to seven minutes. Add in the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook for an additional ten minutes.
- Add in additional butter until melted and then sprinkle in the flour a bit at a time, stirring frequently to form a thick paste that coats the veggies.
- Stir in the broth, milk, nutritional yeast and seasoning and raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add in the seitan or vegan chicken and stir occassionall for five minutes or soy until the veggies are tender and the sauce as thickened up a bit.
Assembly
- Take out prepared pie dough and roll into a ¼ inch layer. Using a rolling pin, roll the pie crust out over the top of the dish. Trim or fold inany low hanging edges and cut a few slits in top of the dough.
- Bake until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven.
