Winter Vegetable Pot Pie

A cozy dinner if there ever was one, this Winter Vegetable Pot Pie is made with root veggies and kale in a vegetarian gravy and baked up inside a double pie crust. Each warm bite will help melt away the chill of winter.

Winter Veggie Pot Pie

Winter is here and we need all of the warm and hearty foods we can get. This double crust Winter Veggie Pot Pie features root vegetables and kale in a light gravy. However, this pie isn't meant to be a "meat-free" version of a chicken pot pie, just simply a hearty pie chock full of veggies that stands all on its own. There is some room to swap in what veggies you have on hand, but I recommend sticking with the root veggies as the base.

What's in this Winter Veggie Pot Pie?

This pie showcases the best of winter veggies, which in my mind, means roots! Root vegetables are so hearty and delicious; they really make this pie feel satisfying. The good news is that there is a lot of flexibility in what root veggies you can use. Here are some of my favorites to use:

• sweet potatoes
• turnips
• winter radish
• rutabaga
• kohlrabi
• squash
• celeriac

This pie recipe also includes kale, a wholesome green veggie that can be found practically all year round. And of course, the trifecta of flavor: onions, carrots, and celery.

Biggest Tip for Making Pot Pies

You aren’t going to like what I have to say: for the best pot pie possible, you really shouldn’t make the filling and bake it right away.

I recommend you make the filling and the dough ahead of time, either by a day or a few hours. Then assemble the pie and bake it.

And here is why: hot filling and unbaked pie dough don’t mix. I know, I know: lots of recipes out there tell you it’s okay. I’m not going to stop you if you do it. But, my opinion is that if you try to stick a well-made pie pastry on top of a hot savory filling, it’s going to melt the butter and turn your pastry into something not worth all the effort.

If you want more information into why this matters, go ahead and read through this recipe about Butter Pie Dough. Or, take my word of advice and make the filling and dough ahead of time, chill both completely, and then assemble and bake it.

At the very minimum, you need to let the pie filling at least come to room temperature, which can take close to an hour or so. One tip for quickly chilling the pie filling is to transfer the filling to a shallow container, so it has more surface area to cool quicker.

With that said, the easiest way to prepare this pie is to make the filling and the dough one day, and then roll out, assemble and bake the next day.

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Best Type of Pie Crust to Use

This recipe calls for a double pie crust. There are a few options here on the site you could use to make it. Here are some choices:

• Butter Pie Crust
• Cream Cheese Pie Crust (just like a butter pie crust, but with a slightly improved flavor, because cream cheese makes everything taste better)
• Whole Wheat Pie Crust (you'll need to make a double batch, as this recipe only yields 1 pie crust)

If you wanted to "lighten-it" up a bit (but...why?), you could make this a single crust pie! Just bake the filling in a pie dish, with one pie crust on top.

How to Make it Gluten-Free

This pie can be made gluten-free by preparing Gluten-Free Butter Pie Crust for the pastry. You’ll also need to omit the roux (the flour and butter mixture) from the recipe. Skip that step entirely. Instead, after you add the stock to the pot, add a cornstarch slurry to the pot made up of 3 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked together with ¼ cup veggie stock. Add half of the slurry and let it thicken. If it is not thick enough, add the rest of the slurry. This slurry will thicken the mixture without needing to add any flour to this recipe. Because you are leaving out the butter in the roux, go ahead and stir in one to two tablespoons of butter at the end to give it a light richness.

Make Ahead Instructions

You can and should freeze this pie, as your future self will thank you. You can freeze it unbaked or baked. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer either way.

To Reheat it from Frozen:

The best method to reheat a fully baked frozen pie is to let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake the pie at 400ºF until the filling is bubbling. If possible, place an instant-read thermometer in the middle of the pie. The inside of the middle of the pie needs to be a minimum of 170ºF. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can stick a knife in the middle of the pie, and then feel the metal to see if the filling is hot or not. It should be piping hot, not lukewarm.

If at any point the crust is getting too brown while you reheat it, cover it loosely with foil.

To Bake it from Frozen:

To bake this pie from frozen, remove from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until the dough is “tacky” or sticky, about 10-15 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is. 

Then, bake according to the instructions of the recipe. It’s that simple! The total bake time will be a bit longer. If at any point the crust is getting too brown, cover it loosely with foil. If possible, take the temperature of the middle of the pie. It should be above 200ºF.

More Savory Pie Favorites:

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pot Pie
• Supreme Pizza Hand Pies
• Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
• Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Feta Pie

I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Winter Vegetable Pot Pie, please leave a comment and a star rating with your experience. If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, too!

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