These single-serve vegan harvest pot pies are the perfect main dish for holidays and special occasions! They’re filled with a hearty mix of chickpeas, kale, and butternut squash simmered in a creamy, herbed white wine sauce, then topped with a flaky puff pastry crust. Elegant, comforting, and surprisingly easy to make!
One really important thing I’ve discovered since I started developing recipes: savory pies aren’t just for chicken! In fact, I’ve got a bunch of savory pie recipes on this site, and not a single one contains chicken (or any animal products, for that matter). From my vegan “chicken” pot pie to my vegan cheese and onion pie, vegan shepherd’s pie, and vegan tamale pie — they’re all 100% plant-based and 100% delicious.
Another thing I’ve learned? Almost anything tastes better in pie form. With that in mind, I created this scrumptious vegan harvest pot pie recipe.
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These single-serving pot pies were made with holidays and special dinners in mind. Unlike my other pot pie recipes, these aren’t meant to mimic a non-vegan classic I grew up eating. They’re a totally original creation.
A creamy, savory mix of butternut squash, kale, chickpeas, and herbed white wine sauce makes up the filling for these pies. It’s rich, flavorful, easy, and hearty enough to enjoy all on its own. For the crust, we’re using frozen puff pastry pressed over the top of each pie, then baking them to golden, bubbly perfection.
So easy. So tasty. These little pies are guaranteed to wow your guests at your next celebration!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Vegan butter. Most grocery stores stock this in the refrigerated section, usually near the regular butter.
- Shallot.
- Garlic.
- Flour. I've only used all-purpose flour to thicken the filling for this recipe, but alternatives like whole wheat or all-purpose gluten-free flours will probably work.
- White wine. Stick with dry white wine varieties like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, and be sure to run your brand through Barnivore to ensure it's made with no animal products.
- Vegetable broth.
- Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest possible sauce. Light coconut milk is fine if you really want to cut calories and fat. Other non-dairy milks will work if you're not a fan of coconut (although I can't taste it at all in this recipe!).
- Butternut squash. Similar varieties of winter squash can be substituted, such as kabocha, acorn, or delicata squash. You can even use sweet potatoes!
- Kale. The recipe calls for curly kale, which is the most common variety. Other types of kale, like red or lacinato kale, will also work just fine.
- Chickpeas. We're using canned chickpeas to keep things simple. If you'd like to use dry chickpeas, you'll need to soak and cook them first. You'll need about 1 ¾ cups.
- Herbs. We're using fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. Dried thyme can be used instead (reduce the amount, though!), but I stick with fresh rosemary and sage.
- Nutmeg.
- Salt and pepper.
- Puff pastry. Many brands of frozen puff pastry are accidentally vegan! I used Pepperidge Farm.
- Non-dairy milk. Just use a couple tablespoons of whatever non-dairy milk you normally buy. We'll be brushing the crust with it to make a vegan egg wash.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Cook the shallot. Melt your vegan butter in a large pot, then add the shallot. Cook it for a few minutes to begin softening it.
Step 2: Add garlic and flour. Stir everything up to coat the shallot with flour, then cook the mixture for about a minute, stirring the entire time to prevent burning.
Step 3: Add the wine. Stir it in to form a thick paste with the flour, then cook the mixture for a couple minutes to reduce the wine.
Step 4: Add the broth. Begin adding just a bit of broth at a time, stirring the whole time to get the mixture nice and smooth.
Step 5: Cook the filling. Add the coconut milk, squash, kale, chickpeas, thyme, and rosemary. Simmer the mixture until the veggies are soft and the sauce is thick. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chopped fresh sage when it's done.
Steps 6-9: Assemble the pies. Ladle the filling into ramekins, then top each one with a puff pastry square. Crimp the edges, cut a few slits for ventilation, and brush the top with non-dairy milk.
Tip: Don't overfill your ramekins! Leave about a half inch of headspace. The filling will bubble up during baking, and if it's near the top it will leak and can turn your pastry soggy.
Steps 10-12: Bake, rest, and serve. Bake your harvest pot pies until the crust is golden and you can see the filling bubbling up in the slits. Let them rest for a few minutes on a cooling rack before serving.
Variations
- Crust alternatives. Instead of a puff pastry crust, use phyllo or vegan pie crust.
- Flavor variations. These pies are made with a pretty traditional herbed cream sauce, but you can switch it up if you'd like. Use a tomato base instead of broth and coconut milk, or swap out the herbs with other spices like curry powder, Italian seasoning, or smoked paprika. Have fun experimenting here!
- Veggie swaps. Instead of butternut squash, try other winter squash, sweet potato, white potato, mushrooms, carrots, or parsnips. Instead of kale, try chard, escarole, or spinach.
- Vary the beans. Cannellini beans or lentils would make a great alternative to chickpeas.
- Add protein. Throw in some diced bake tofu or sautéed seitan.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think so! You should be okay to replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. For the crust, if you can find vegan gluten-free puff pastry, use it. If not, try a vegan gluten-free pie crust.
I don't recommend making them completely in advance because the crust will loose it's crispness. A better option would be to make the filling in advance and store it in the fridge, then on the day of serving, warm it up and assemble the pies according to the recipe and bake.
Leftover pot pies should be placed in airtight containers, which could be large, sealable plastic bags or storage containers. They'll keep in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months.
Yes! Place the filling into a two-quart casserole dish and cut a piece of puff pastry large enough to cover the top. You may need to increase the bake time slightly — keep an eye on it.
More Vegan Holiday Main Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Harvest Pot Pies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 medium shallot)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (14 ounce/414 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
- 4 cups diced butternut squash (½-inch, about 1 medium squash)
- 1 medium bunch curly kale, stems removed and leaves cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (15.5 ounce/439 gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces frozen vegan puff pastry (thawed, 1 ½ sheets)
- 2 tablespoons unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Make the filling first. Melt the vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced shallot. Cook the shallot for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften.
- Add the garlic and flour. Stir the mixture so that the flour coats the shallot, then cook everything for about a minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the wine. It will form a thick paste when it mixes with the flour. Cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The paste will thicken slightly.
- Begin stirring in the broth, adding a bit at a time and stirring vigorously to break up any clumps.
- Once all of the broth has been added, stir in the coconut milk, butternut squash, kale, chickpeas, rosemary, and thyme. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened a bit and the squash is very tender.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper (Note 1).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Divide the filling between six 12-ounce ramekins, making sure not to overfill them (Note 2).
- Cut the puff pastry into six equally sized squares. You should be able to cut your full sheet into four squares, and your half sheet into two squares.
- Drape each puff pastry square over a ramekin. Make sure it covers the entire top of the ramekin — if not, you can roll it or stretch it a bit with your hands. Press the puff pastry firmly over the edges of the ramekin, letting the corners drape down the sides. Optionally, crimp the edges with a fork. Cut a few slits in the top of each pie, then brush the pastry with non-dairy milk.
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, then transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake the pot pies for about 20 minutes, until the filling bubbles up into the ventilation holes and the crust is golden brown.
- Place the ramekins on a cooling rack when they come out of the oven and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- The filling can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated. Warm it up on the stove before assembling the pot pies.
- The filling should sit about a half inch below the rim of each ramekin. If you have extra filling, use it to make additional pot pies, or enjoy it alone as a stew.
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So yummy