Vegan Pot Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between shepherd's pie and pot pie? ›

Shepherd's Pie is usually ground beef or other red meat mixed with veg and gravy, topped with mashed potatoes which are lightly browned in the oven. Chicken Pot Pie is made with chicken, veg, and gravy, topped with a crust of some sort. Usually pie crust, but might be puff pastry, or biscuits.

I only gave my pot pie a top crust, because I feel like the bottom crust always gets soggy. If you do want to add a bottom crust, I suggest blind baking it. What does blind baking mean? It's when you bake your pie crust without a filling in order to crisp it up.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumb. Mix in enough cold water with fork until flour is moistened. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball; flatten slightly.

Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water and add it to your filling mixture to thicken it.

A traditional shepherd's pie fillings contain onions, carrots, celery, peas, and of course meat (typically lamb). My plant-based version starts with brown (or green) lentils and onions, which get cooked down until beautifully browned, alongside plenty of garlic.

The name "cottage pie" was first used at the end of the 18th century. It was around that time that the poorer people of Britain, people who lived in cottages in the country, started using potatoes as an everyday food. Originally, a pie made with any kind of meat and a potato topping was called a "cottage pie".

Did you know an average restaurant portion of chicken pot pie has over 900 calories, 60 grams of fat and more than a days worth of sodium? Yeah, that's A LOT. Many often have 10-plus grams of trans fat, too -- thanks to pastries made with partially hydrogenated shortenings.

A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom. (Using metal is crucial: Glass or ceramic pans don't transfer heat as efficiently, so they can be accomplices to a sad, soggy bottom.)

Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White

Coating the inside surface of the bottom crust will create a barrier to prevent sogginess.

While there are many pie crusts that are vegan, it depends on the brand and the ingredients used. Don't just assume that most pie crusts are completely vegan. There's a lot of middle ground here. At grocery stores, you'll find an array of pie shells and pie dough, some may be made without animal products.

Should I bake the bottom pie crust first? ›

Pre-baking is a must if you're looking for a flaky pie crust. It's especially helpful for recipes with a wet center. Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy.

A watery potpie may be the result of not cooking the filling for long enough or adding too much liquid to the filling. Another possible reason for the pie being watery is if you add watery vegetables like spinach or green beans to the filling rather than potatoes or carrots, which soak up liquid.

Watery filling

Water can be released from your pie filling while cooking in the oven. To avoid turning your pie into a sloppy mess, add flour to the filling or add some nuts to thicken it up, like in our Chicken and Leek Pie. This will help to absorb any excess water while it's cooking and will keep the pastry crispy.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the skillet, stir it and let it cook for 1 minute. Once the flour has cooked for a minute, add the cream and stir very well to bring up any delicious brown bits in the skillet. Then, add the milk, salt and pepper. Let it simmer until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.

The two English terms have been used interchangeably since they came into use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although some writers insist that a shepherd's pie should contain lamb or mutton, and a cottage pie, beef.

It should be noted that these were originally two different dishes that had a few similarities. For example, shepherd's pie contained ground lamb, while cottage pie contained beef. Over time, ground beef became the filling of choice, and lamb was used less frequently. Thus, these two names were used interchangeably.

And if you're wondering what the difference is between a pot pie and a meat pie—a pot pie is the American version of the European meat pie. A meat pie has both a top and a bottom crust. And who doesn't want more buttery, flaky pastry in their life?

Shepherd's pie was attributed to a similar Scottish dish that used lamb or mutton rather than beef. Shepherd's herded sheep, hence the name. The textured, mash potato topping also resembles the woolly fleece of a sheep.