This cozy vegan pot pie is made with tender veggies simmered in savory herbed sauce and baked up under a flaky pastry crust. Tastes just like classic chicken pot pie, but this one is totally meatless and dairy-free!
My husband has been asking for a vegan pot pie recipe since we met. He's big on vegan comfort food and had lots of requests! Some things I tackled right away, like the reuben sandwich. Others took a bit longer but eventually turned out awesome, like my vegan meatloaf.
I decided to give it a go, and I have to say, this vegan chicken pot pie was absolutely delicious!
Veggies, herbs, creamy gravy and vegan chicken (which is actually seitan), are all baked up in a flaky double crust to make this savory vegan pie, which, my husband tells me actually tastes better than the pot pies he used to eat before giving up meat.
This one is a perfect vegan main dish for holidays and special dinners.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil. You could technically use any high-heat oil, but olive will give your pot pie filling the best flavor.
- Mushrooms. The recipe gives you a choice between cremini and button mushrooms but if you'd like to experiment with other varieties, be my guest! Not a fan of mushrooms? Leave them out, or substitute with extra seitan.
- Onion.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Garlic.
- Seitan. You can use store-bought or homemade seitan. If you make your own using my recipe, make the chicken flavor. You'll need a half of batch. Not a fan of seitan? Leave it out or use extra mushrooms!
- All-purpose flour. This is the thickener for our filling. Whole wheat flour can be substituted if you prefer. You could probably also use a gluten-free flour blend, but I haven't tried this.
- Dry white wine. You can leave this out for an alcohol-free recipe if you'd like.
- Vegetable broth. I used Better Than Bouillon in seasoned vegetable flavor.
- Non-dairy milk. You can use just about any variety, as long as it's unsweetened and unflavored. Need some guidance? Check out my guide to dairy-free milks.
- Nutritional yeast flakes. Not to be confused with baking yeast! Look for nutritional yeast in the natural foods section of your supermarket. It will add savory flavor to your pie.
- Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
- Spices. We're using fresh thyme and rosemary, and rubbed sage. The thyme and rosemary can be replaced with dried herbs if you'd like — just halve the amounts.
- Frozen peas. Thaw them out before adding them to the filling.
- Salt & black pepper.
- Pie crust. I used store-bought pie crust for this pie, but my homemade vegan pie crust could also be used. If using store-bought crust, check the ingredients to ensure it's vegan, and make sure to use rollable pie dough as opposed to shells (the kind in foil plates). Wholly Wholesome brands is a good vegan option that you can find at Whole Foods.
How It's Made
The following 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!
The Filling
- Cook the mushrooms. The mushrooms should be sautéed by themselves in a bit of oil. You can either do this in a separate skillet, allowing them to cook while you get started on the veggies, or you can cook your mushrooms first and then remove them from the pot before you start your veggies. Save dishes or save time — it's up to you!
Tip: Resist the temptation to constantly stir your mushrooms as they cook. The slices need to sit on the hot cooking surface for a few minutes in order to brown.
- Cook the veggies. Sweat some diced onions, carrots and celery in a pot with a bit of oil.
- Once the veggies begin to soften up, add your seitan to the skillet. Continue cooking the mixture for a few minutes, until the seitan pieces start to brown.
- Return the mushrooms to the skillet, then stir in minced garlic and sprinkle in the flour. This is your thickener. Make sure to add it slowly and stir everything in the pot to distribute the flour. Stir everything well so that the flour forms a relatively uniform coating on the veggies and seitan.
- Stir in the white wine. Bring the wine to a simmer — it should mix with the flour to thicken up very quickly and coat the veggies. Let it cook just a bit to reduce.
- Add your broth, milk, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and herbs. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Let everything simmer until the veggies are soft and the sauce has thickened quite a bit, then stir in the peas and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Pie
- Roll one of your pie crusts out so it's large enough to fit into the bottom of a large pie dish, then drape it inside your dish. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
- Ladle the filling into the bottom crust.
Note: Ideally you'll need an extra deep pie dish that's 10 inches in diameter. If yours isn't big enough you can either skip the bottom crust to make extra room, or just add as much filling as you can fit. A 2-quart casserole dish could also be used — you'll just need to modify the shape of your crusts to fit.
- Roll a second crust so that it's large enough to cover the top of your pie.
- Arrange the top crust over the fillings, trim any excess dough, and pinch the edges of the two crusts together to form a seal. Cut some slits in the top crust for ventilation. You can crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork if you'd like.
Bake It
- Bake the pie until your crust is golden. You'll probably see some filling bubbling up around the edges by the time it's done!
- Make sure to place a larger baking dish or cookie sheet on the oven rack beneath your vegan pot pie to catch any drips. There will probably be a few!
- Keep an eye on your pie and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield if they start to darken too much.
- Let the pie cool for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven, then dig in.
Variations
- Make ahead option. Prepare the filling up to two days in advance, then assemble and bake the pie on the day of serving.
- Single crust option. Just skip the bottom crust! Press the edges of the top crust to the edges of your pie plate to form a seal. You can get away with using a slightly smaller pie plate (9-inches) with this option.
Leftovers & Storage
Vegan pot pie is best served the day it's made. If you do have leftovers, try to keep them in the original pie dish, covered and sealed tight. They'll keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat the entire dish in a 375°F oven until the filling gets bubbly again, or by microwaving individual servings.
The leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Main Dishes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Classic Vegan Pot Pie
This vegan pot pie is made with tender veggies simmered in savory herbed sauce and baked up under a flaky pastry crust!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 10 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cups diced carrots, about 2 medium carrots
- 1 cups diced celery, about 2 medium stalks
- 8 ounces seitan, cut into ½ inch pieces (half a batch if using my seitan recipe)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
- ½ cup dry white wine (Note 1)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 vegan pie crusts (Notes 3 and 4)
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil and place it over medium heat.
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When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook them for about 5 minutes, until browned on the bottoms. Flip and cook for about 5 minutes more.
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Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and transfer them to a plate.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and give it a minute to heat up.
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Add the onion, carrot and celery. Sweat the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until they begin to soften and onions become translucent.
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Add the seitan to the skillet, along with any juice the seitan is packaged in. Cook the seitan with the vegetables, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the pieces begin to brown.
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Return the mushrooms to the skillet, add the garlic, then sprinkle in the flour. Stir everything up so that the flour coats the ingredients relatively uniformly. Cook the mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
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Stir in the wine and bring it to a simmer. The liquid should thicken up very quickly. Allow it to cook for about a minute, stirring frequently.
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Stir in the broth, milk, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, rosemary, thyme and sage. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
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Lower the heat and allow the mixture to cook at a low simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender and the sauce has thickened up a bit.
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Stir in the peas.
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Remove the pot from heat, taste test and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust any other seasonings as desired.
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Preheat the oven to 375° and gather a large (deep 10-inch diameter or larger) pie dish. (Note 5)
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Use a rolling pin to roll one of the pie crusts so that it's large enough to fully cover the inside of the dish. Drape the crust in the dish and gently press so it conforms to the inside of the dish. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom and sides of the crust.
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Ladle the filling into the bottom crust inside the pie dish.
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Roll the second crust so that it's large enough to cover the pie, then drape it over the fillings.
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Trim any excess crust and pinch the edges of the two crusts together to form a seal. Optionally crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Cut a few slits in the top crust for ventilation.
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Place the pot pie in the oven on the center rack. Place a baking sheet or dish on the rack below the pie to catch any drips. Bake the pie until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 40 minutes. (Note 6)
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Remove the pie from oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- The wine can be omitted if you prefer to cook without alcohol. Just skip step 8 of the instructions.
- The fresh rosemary and thyme can be replaced with dried herbs if you'd like. Cut the amounts down to a teaspoon of each.
- If using store-bought crusts, make sure to buy the type you can roll, as opposed to preformed pie shells. Wholly Wholesome is good vegan brand to try.
- This recipe can be made using a top crust only if you prefer. Ladle the filling directly into your pie dish and press the edges of the crust to the edges of the dish to form a seal. You can get away with using a smaller (9-inch) pie dish if you take this option.
- A 2-quart casserole dish can also be used.
- Keep an eye on your pie and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield if they begin to darken too much, which can occur after 20 minutes or so in the oven.
I can't wait to try this! Thank you! One question though - what is a good white wine substitute to avoid using alcohol?
Thanks!
Hi Brandy! You could just substitute with extra vegetable broth - it might need a bit more time to thicken up fully. I hope you enjoy it!
This was one of the best recipes I have ever tried and I cook all the time! I tweaked it only in using some different veggies I had in my fridge and veggie sausage and it was incredible. Flavorful, decadent, comforting, while still being packed with good nutrition and food that makes my body happy!
Any chance I can get the Nutrition fact on this? I am Diabetic and need to know the carbs TY
It would really depend on what type of crust you go with. If you want to take that into account and figure out the nutrition info, this is a great tool to use.
Such a lovely winter favourite....veganised! Thanks for sharing :)
Just made this and it taste great!!! I didn't make a crust. I made vegan biscuits to put on top and bake in a dish. I am also going to freeze this in individual portions with a biscuit on top of each one and see how it turns out. Will being using this recipe again , for sure !!!
Thanks!
I'm so glad to hear it! And I love the idea of using biscuits as a topper. Thanks so much Frankie!
We made this last night and OH MY GOD. I have not had a good pot pie - vegan or before - in so long. This one blows all the other recipes I've tried out of the water! I bet it will be even better in the colder months.
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And yes, this is one of my favorites during the cooler months. :)
Just one thing, make sure the wine is also vegan as most of them are not!
Thanks for the tip!
HI! I finally got around to trying this recipe and it turned out great. I used a regular old store bought crust and double mushrooms, and I realized too late I was out of peas so I used a can of green beans. It ended up having a slight green-bean-casserole vibe to it by accident. Every recipe of yours I've tried has been a hit!
Oh, I bet green beans were awesome in this! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much Dianne!!
Can you put crust dough under the stew as well? This is how I remember the ones I had before becoming vegan
Yup! Just double up on the pie crust, use half to line the bottom of the dish, and pinch the edges together tightly!
I make my own seitan do I need to add more broth since recipe states to add seitan with liquid
I would recommend that. I think an additional 3 or 4 tablespoons of broth should do it!
I
Can this be made a day ahead ?
The crust might soften up a bit, but I always have leftovers when I make this and they're great. Another option is to assemble the pie a day ahead and bake it when you're ready. Enjoy!!
I was skeptical about the liquid smoke but decided to have faith and girl, you are a genius! I could not stop eating it by the spoonful straight out of the pan! I ladeled it into 3 smaller pie dishes and covered them w/ cut out dough hearts 💕 for Valentines Day. Thanks Alissa!
Yay! What an awesome Valentine's Day meal! Thanks so much Mardy!
I've made this 3 times since I discovered it a couple of months ago. It's that good. The first time, I didn't have any seitan so decided to give TVP rehydrated in vegetable broth a try. We loved it. The second time I made it with seitan and, though my husband thought it was okay, I really didn't like the rubbery texture and we both preferred the TVP. So, recently, I went back to that and...yummm. I use my own whole wheat pie crust, only on top, as suggested, to save on calories but, overall, the calorie count on this isn't bad. We think you're a genius for figuring out how to create these wonderful, homey flavors.
I have only one quibble...the 15 minute Prep Time is much too low as you can see just by looking at the recipe: cooking the mushrooms for 10 minutes, cooking the veggies for 10 minutes, simmering for another 10 minutes. I'm retired so have a lot of time to spend cooking so didn't mind that this was a fairly labor intensive dish. For anyone who's wondering, it is definitely worth whatever time it takes to make it (and, sorry, I can't give you a more accurate time because I know I'm quite a bit slower than many cooks as I'm always trying to do too many other things while I'm cooking).
Now, on to some of your other recipes....
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'm actually due to remake and rephotograph this one, so I'll make note of the prep time. I appreciate the feedback! :)
This is almost identical to my own recipe for pot pie except I don’t use seitan and I also add 1/4 c nutritional yeast. My family Ioves it too! We also like a lot of your recipes.
Great minds think alike! I'm glad you're enjoying the recipes! Thanks Elizabeth!
Ok, I made the chicken pot pie (chickenless!!)
The recipe made loads! Although if I keep going back to the kitchen it will be a serving for one!! I double up on the mushrooms. Really enjoyed this one!
Tomorrow’s hit Parade?!! The Chickpea Loaf.
Delighted! Thank you :)
I’ll keep you posted!
Yay! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks so much Jackie!!
I love this recipe! Have made it four times! It is my daughter’s favorite meal. I have added cream sherry, a little poultry seasoning and “no chicken” vegan bouillon cubes to it and any additional veggies as well. I freeze the filling in small batches. When we want a delicious, quick meal, I pull out a couple of Pepperidge farm puff pastry shells(also vegan) from the freezer, bake them, heat the frozen filling in the microwave and have s perfect meal in about 20 minutes (the length of time to bake the shells.) Yummy!!
Awesome! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I discovered that Pepperidge farm puff pastry is accidentally vegan as well and have used it for a quick and easy pot pie. :) Thanks so much Lori!
Loved it! I didn’t have seitan, so I heated and chopped 3 Morningstar Farms vegan chick patties. That made it a little too dry, so I added an extra 1/2 cup veg broth with the flour addition. I also used two vegan store-bought crusts. Very tasty! So nice to finally have a good pot pie recipe!!
Great idea! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Melanie!
Made this today for Valentine's Day. It's in the oven now and looks delicious. I'm going to check out more of your recipes. Thanks!
If I add crust on the bottom as well is everything the same with cooking time? Do I need to cook the bottom at all first before I fill it?
I'd keep the same cook time - that's what I've done with other pie recipes and it always seems to work!
Can I use sherry instead of wine in this recipe?
Thanks ...
I think so, though I haven't tried it myself. I'd probably cut the amount in half if you give it a try.
I made this with a double homemade crust today. Using what I had available, I used potato instead of mushroom and soy curls instead of seitan. No.peas because they are gross! It was delicious! My husband kept saying how good it was. I'll be making this again for sure. Thank you.