Last updated on April 15th, 2023 at 04:19 pm
This vegan chicken pot pie recipe is a game-changer. I know, I know...big words, but hand on my heart, these vegan pies are the best I've tried.
They are comforting and nostalgic with all those familiar chicken pie flavours. But better, because they're vegan.
This recipe was originally published in my cookbook Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family (Page Street Publishing) and posted here with updated instructions, process images and ingredient substitutions on November 24, 2022.
I Think You'll Love these Vegan Chicken Pot Pies
"Unbelievable vegan pot pies! These are seriously amazing and taste just like chicken pot pies...seriously a game changer." Trish Bozeman from Rhubarbarians
At the risk of tooting my own horn, I am going to agree with Trish. These vegan chicken pot pies changed my dinner game.
As I pulled these little guys from the oven I realised I could feed my non-vegan family vegan meals and I didn't have to turn myself inside-out to do it. These vegan chicken pot pies are :
Ingredients & Substitutions
OK, so I don't want you to be overwhelmed by the ingredients list. Most of foods here you'll already have in your pantry and none of them are super hard to find.
Mirepoix. The combination of diced onion, celery and carrot is called "mirepoix" - it adds a strong base to casseroles and soups. Take your time cooking the vegetables to ensure you get all the flavour.
King Oyster Mushrooms are usually available at Asian grocers and they are well worth hunting out. These delicate shrooms have the uncanny ability to mimic the taste and texture of chicken - they are perfect for vegan chicken pot pies!
If you can't get your mitts on the King variety, you can swap them for regular oyster mushrooms.
Tamari or soy. Lending umami to our "chicken" a spoon of tamari or soy goes a long way.
Puff pastry. Thankfully, so many brands of store-bought puff pastry are vegan. Choose your favourite making sure it's not made with butter.
Garlic. Always. Having said that, if you don't like it, go ahead and omit it. We are packing plenty of flavour into this pie so it will be fine without it.
Dairy-free milk. I generally use soy milk in my cooking but you can use oat or almond here. I don't recommend coconut milk - its flavour is a bit overpowering.
Bay leaves and thyme. Leaning on tradition, these herbs lend their delicate aromatics. You could swap thyme for sage if you prefer or even a little oregano although you will change the flavour a touch.
Peas. So traditional! And who doesn't love sneaking in some added veggies. Peas add vibrancy to our pies - look at that green! - and a different texture. You could swap them for chopped green beens or asparagus spears when in season.
Flour. Just plain old all-purpose flour, nothing fancy. If you need to make a gluten-free gravy, you could use a tablespoon or two of cornflour.
Rather than adding the flour at the beginning of the cook, remove a quarter cup of the reduced cooking liquid in a cup and stir in the cornflour to make a slurry. Add it back into the pot and stir until the liquid has thickened to a gravy. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes to make sure the cornflours dissolves properly. No-one wants a grainy gravy.
How to Make the Best Vegan Chicken Pot Pie
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
OK, so yes, there are a lot of pictures. But, they are really simple steps but for the sake of clarity, I've photographed each one.
Are you ready? Here we go.
For the Pie Filling
Step 1. Wipe the king oysters mushrooms down with a clean cloth to remove any grit. Chop 1-inch of the bottom to remove the gnarly base-thing. Carefully but firmly drag the fork prongs down the length of each mushroom to shred the “meat” (this is easier if you lay the mushroom down.) Set them aside. Break up any bits of the mushrooms that doesn't shred. It's all good.
Step 2. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pan over low to medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery. Cook for around 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and then toss in the garlic for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Step 3 and 4. Stir in the flour and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5. Add the vegetable stock, thyme, and bay leaves and then stir in the milk, soy sauce/tamari, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture up to a simmer.
Step 6. Stir in the shredded mushrooms and reduce the heat to low. Cook the pie filling for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a pie gravy consistency.
NB: If your pie mixture needs more gravy, you can add an extra cup of stock to your pot. Just make sure to taste the gravy and add more seasoning if needed and cook it down to your desired consistency.
Steps 6 and 7. Stir in the peas and cook for another minute before removing the pot from the heat to cool. You might want to go ahead and remove the bay leaves here.
For the Pastry Top
Remove your pastry from the freezer and let it thaw for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Step 1. Fill each ramekin with vegan chicken pot pie filling. Don't be stingy - fill those puppies up.
Step 2. To prepare the pastry, place a plate about 2-3 cm wider than your ramekin down on the thawed pastry and trace around it to cut a circle . Repeat with other ramekins.
Gently press the edges of the pastry to the side of the ramekin
Brush a small amount of dairy-free milk on top (not the sides).
Step 3. Cut a small slit in the pastry on each pie to allow steam to release during cooking.
Step 4. Place the pies in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry top is golden
These vegan pot pies. Serve with a side of crispy smashed potatoes with garlic and a green salad and you'll be in food heaven. Enjoy, x.
Recipe Tips
Leave the puff pastry out for around 30-minutes only. When left at room temperature too long, puff pastry’s main ingredient butter or margarine starts to soften. The dough ends up sticky making it hard to work with and may result in the pastry not holding its shape while baking.
Tip. If the pastry you’re working with gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up.
Cool filling before topping with puff pastry. A hot filling melts butter/margarine in the pastry that creates layers. The butter helps create the puff - melt the butter, lose your puff.
Remove the bay leaves before filling the pies. Been there, done that.
FAQs
Yes and no. They aren't really good for freezing unless you plan on putting the whole ramekin in the freezer. You can easily cool and freeze the filling in a freezer-proof, sealed container for ups to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature for a few hours before making the pies up and baking in the oven.
Need more comfort food? I got you.
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The Best Vegan Chicken Pot Pie Ever
Equipment
- large pot
- ramekins
Ingredients
For the filling
- 8 king oyster mushrooms
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter spread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (yellow or white) finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs (stalks) diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable stock + another cup if needed for more gravy
- 3 thyme sprigs leaves removed and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
For the pastry top
- 2 sheets vegan puff pastry
- 2 tablespoon dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
For the pie filling
- Wipe the king oysters mushrooms down with a clean cloth to remove any grit. Chop 1 inch of the stalk to remove the tough base. Carefully but firmly drag the prongs of a fork down the length of the mushroom to shred the “meat” (this is easier if you lay the mushroom down.) Break up any bits of the mushrooms that doesn't shred. Set them aside.
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pan over low to medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery. Cook for around 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and then toss in the garlic for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the vegetable stock, thyme, and bay leaves and then stir in the milk, tamari/soy sauce, pepper, and sea salt. Bring the mixture up to a simmer.
- Stir in the shredded mushrooms and reduce the heat to low. Cook the pie filling for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a pie gravy consistency. Note. If your pie mixture needs more gravy, you can add an extra cup of stock to your pot. Add it and continue cooking the gravy to your desired consistency. Just make sure to taste the gravy and add more seasoning if needed.
- Stir in the peas and cook for another minute before removing the pot from the heat to cool while you prepare your pastry. And this stage you might want to remove the bay leaves from the pie filling.
For the pie top
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Remove your pastry from the freezer to thaw for 30-minutes.
- Fill each ramekin with pie filling. Don't be stingy - fill 'em up.
- To prepare the pastry, place a plate about 2-3 cm wider than your ramekin down on the thawed pastry and trace around it to cut a circle . Repeat for the other ramekins. Gently press the edges of the pastry to the side of the ramekin. Combine the milk and olive oil in a small bowl and then brush a small amount on top (not the sides) of each pie.
- Cut a small slit in the pastry on each pie to allow steam to release during cooking.
- Place the pies in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry top is golden
Emily says
I made these last weekend and they were so delicious. I never thought about shredding king oyster mushrooms before, that is genius. My husband who grew up on a dairy farm said it tastes like pot pie! Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Amanda says
Oyster mushrooms are a revelation aren't they?! The image of your pies is beautiful, Emily.
Amber says
qNice work on updating your site, it's looking fabulous. I'll definitely be trying these pies once I can get hold of some king oyster mushrooms - not so common in New Zealand. I wonder if they'd work with another mushroom, like oyster mushrooms? Or is the texture quite unique?
Amanda says
The smaller oyster mushrooms should totally work. They will just make a chunkier style pie - their flavour is delicate just like their big brother making them perfect for taking on all those traditional pie flavours. I am glad you like the new design - I was due for a little nip and tuck. 😉 x