Easy Vegetarian Vegetable Pot Pie with Chickpeas
This Vegetarian Vegetable Pot Pie is perfect for the holidays (a vegetarian's dream main dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas!), but it's also easy enough to whip up on a busy weeknight. Made with protein-rich chickpeas, dried herbs, and a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables, this veggie pot pie is full of flavor and ready to eat in about an hour. You can use homemade or store-bought pie crust, depending on what best fits your needs!
If you look up "comfort food" in the dictionary, I'm pretty sure you'd find a picture of pot pie. It's made with a hearty and creamy veggie filling that's topped off with a perfectly buttery and flaky, golden brown pie crust.
I mean, come on! It doesn't get any cozier.
Consider this Vegetable Pot Pie to be the vegetarian relative of Chicken Pot Pie. Other versions just have the vegetables, but I included chickpeas for a little extra protein and staying power.
This recipe would be perfect as a vegetarian main dish for the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. But it's also pared down and simplified enough to make on a weeknight. (There's less than an hour of active time in the kitchen!)
Try serving it with my Cranberry Orange Kale Salad, which you can make ahead of time, for a delicious, cold-weather meal.
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Ingredients
This recipe incorporates a mixture of fresh and frozen vegetables, along with canned chickpeas, to make the prep work really quick and easy.
The creamy, gravy-like consistency of the filling comes from simmering the vegetables with a mixture of flour, vegetable broth, and oat milk. The flour is key for getting the thick and creamy texture!
You can use either a homemade or packaged pie crust. Store-bought crust works great in a pinch, but if you have the time, I love this all-butter pie crust from Sally's Baking recipes. You can prep it up to five days ahead of time.
Here are all of the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe:
- Olive oil, or oil of choice
- Onion
- Sliced mushrooms - such as baby bella/crimini mushrooms
- Garlic
- Dry thyme - really important for getting that herby pot pie flavor!
- Crushed rosemary
- All purpose flour - this is what thickens the filling to a gravy consistency.
- Vegetable broth
- Extra creamy oat milk - I use Silk brand. You could also substitute whole dairy milk.
- Frozen mixed vegetables - The mix I use has peas, carrots, green beans, and corn.
- Chickpeas - Use canned or cook dried chickpeas in advance.
- Pie crust - Note that not all packaged pie crusts are vegetarian (some are made with lard).
- Egg for egg wash (optional)
- Fresh thyme for garnish (optional)
See the recipe card at the end of this post for exact quantities and preparation.
Instructions
This is a basic rundown of the steps to make vegetable pot pie. You can find more detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Cook the pot pie filling in a skillet.
Transfer the filling to a 9x9-inch (2.5-quart) casserole dish.
Use a fork to press the edges of the pie crust. Brush with egg wash (if using). Use a sharp knife to cut slits for venting.
Bake at 425º F for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
Hint: Brushing the top of the pie crust with a beaten egg gives the crust a glowing, golden-brown color. It's optional, but totally worth the extra little bit of effort!
Substitutions
Here are a few substitutions you can make to this recipe if needed:
- Extra Creamy Oat Milk - Substitute with whole milk or another plant milk. Note that the filling won't be quite as creamy if you use almond milk, skim milk, or another lower fat milk alternative.
- Gluten-Free - use 1:1 gluten-free flour and top with a gluten-free pie crust. (King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill both make gluten-free pie crust mixes.)
- Egg - Brush the pie crust with oat milk or dairy milk instead.
Variations
Want to change up this recipe to make it your own? Here are a few ideas.
- Biscuit Topping - Top the pot pie with biscuits instead of pie crust.
- Puff Pastry - Use puff pastry instead of pie crust.
- Lentil - Substitute cooked green or brown lentils for the chickpeas.
- Pot Pie Soup - Add more liquid to the filling to make a creamy and comforting soup. Here's a Pot Pie Soup recipe to try.
Shepherd's Pie is a similar dish with mashed potatoes instead of pie crust. Try my Tempeh Shepherd's Pie recipe for a vegetarian version.
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board - Use to chop the onions, garlic, and mushrooms
- Skillet - I use a 12-inch skillet to cook the filling.
- Wooden spoon - For stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- 9x9-inch (2.5-quart) casserole dish - I use this one. It has a larger volume than a standard pie dish. If you use a round pie dish, you'll have extra filling.
Storage
To make ahead, you can cook the filling one day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Assemble with the pie crust and bake the next day.
Freezing: Store the baked or unbaked pot pie a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed until warm.
Top tip
Be sure to stir the filling frequently once you add the flour and liquid. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent the flour from sticking. The filling thickens quickly so you don't want to take your eye off of it!
FAQ
Some pot pies include both a bottom and top crust, but the bottom crust isn't necessary. The bottom crust can sometimes get soggy, so if you do include it, be sure to pre-bake it before you add the filling. Cutting slits into the top crust to let out steam also helps.
Both are made with a hearty filling that traditionally contains vegetables and chicken or beef. While the pot pie is topped with pie crust (or sometimes biscuits or puff pastry), shepherd's pie is topped with mashed potatoes.
Related
Looking for more easy vegetarian main dish recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegetable Pot Pie:
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegetarian Vegetable Pot Pie with Chickpeas
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- skillet
- Wooden spoon
- 9x9-inch (2.5-quart) casserole dish This is larger than a standard pie dish. If you use a standard pie dish, you will have extra filling.
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or oil of choice
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (see note 1)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cup extra creamy oat milk (see note 2)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (see note 3)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed (see note 4)
- 1 pie crust rolled out and chilled (see note 5)
- 1 beaten egg (optional, see note 6)
- Fresh thyme for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, stir in onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, or until translucent.
- Stir in mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, or until tender.
- Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute, or until evenly mixed.
- Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, or until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Stir in vegetable broth and oat milk and increase the heat to high. Once simmering, lower the heat to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until thickened. Scrape the bottom of the pan with the wooden spoon as needed to prevent sticking.
- Stir in frozen mixed vegetables and chickpeas and cook for 1 minute, or until evenly mixed. Taste and add seasonings if desired.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x9-inch (2.5 quart) casserole dish. Cover with pie crust. Use a fork to press the edges of the pie crust. Brush the pie crust with beaten egg for color if desired. Cut 2-inch slits into the pie crust for venting.
- Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Cool for 10 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
- Any type of sliced mushrooms will work, but I recommend baby bella (also called crimini) mushrooms.
- I use Silk Extra Creamy Oatmilk for this recipe. Substitute whole milk if desired.
- The blend of frozen vegetables I use includes peas, carrots, green beans, and corn.
- You can also use dry chickpeas that you have cooked ahead of time. Substitute 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.
- Use a homemade or store-bought pie crust for this recipe. Note that not all packaged pie crusts are vegetarian (some are made with lard). I like this recipe for All Butter Pie Crust from Sally’s Baking Recipes. Prepare homemade pie crust up to five days in advance and keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Brushing the pie crust with a beaten egg gives it a shiny, golden brown color. Note you will only use about ¼ of an egg for this purpose.
- Make Ahead: Cook the filling (steps 1-7) 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble and bake the next day.
- Storage: Store in a freezer-safe container baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed until warm.
