creature comfort

Before I went vegan, chicken pot pie was always one of those comfort foods that I looked forward to in the wintertime. Back then, all it took was popping a Marie Calender’s frozen pie in the oven to get my cozy fix on.

This year, I finally decided to bring a little old-time comfort back into my life and came up with this plant-based, vegan version of the pot pie that I had once loved so dearly. Filled with hearty potatoes, meaty mushrooms, flavorful tofu, and topped with buttery puff pastry, this pie is worth a little extra effort.

Skill Level- Medium

Shopping List:

• Extra Firm Tofu

• Puff Pastry

• Mushrooms

• White or Yellow Onion

• Garlic

• Russet or Yukon Gold Potato

• Carrots

• Celery

• Frozen Peas

• Bouillon or Veggie Stock

• Vegan Heavy Cream or Plant Milk

• Vegan Butter

• Olive Oil

• Fresh or Dry Parsley

• Dried Thyme

• Garlic Powder

• Onion Powder

• Poultry Seasoning

• Flour

• JustEgg (optional)

Equipment:

• 13” x 8” or 13” x 9” baking dish

• Large skillet or frying pan

• Cutting board

• Knife

• Scale and or measuring spoons and cups

• Rolling pin

• Pastry brush

  
  Makes enough for about 6 servings.

Products used:

Links provided below-

1. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry- puff pastry is traditionally made with standard butter, but there are a few brands out there that don’t. I find that Pepperidge Farm is pretty easy to find in any run-of-the-mill grocery store.

2. Silk Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative- this adds a really deep, rich flavor to the pie and I recommend using, but if you don’t have or don’t want to buy the heavy cream, you can substitute plant milk instead.

3. Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base- you can certainly use your favorite stock or bouillon, but this is my preference to drive home that chicken-like flavor.

4. Miyoko’s or Melt Organic Butter Sticks- Up until a couple of months ago I was a real ride-or die Flora butter fan, but unfortunately they stopped production here in the U.S. It’s a bummer, but I also enjoy Melt and Miyoko’s. I’m using salted butter because that is what is readily available for most people at this time, but feel free you use whatever is your favorite.

5. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt- the chef’s salt ( for various reasons that I won’t get into here). It contains 53% less sodium than standard salt, so I suggest using half the amount if you’re using Morton, Pink Himalayan, or table salt.

   
   

Helpful Notes:

Tofu- I freeze and sauté the tofu in this recipe to help with texture and flavor. Freezing tofu helps to give it a more firm and chewy texture. Also, we want the tofu itself to be flavorful in the dish, so after freezing and defrosting, we season and lightly fry in a skillet to seal in the flavor. I suggest freezing the night before you start the recipe.

Salt- Diamond Crystal Salt (my salt of preference) contains 53% less sodium than standard salt, so as I mentioned above, you should use half the amount called for in the recipe if you’re using Morton, Pink Himalayan, or table salt. However, the saltiness level of food is very subjective. So no matter what you use, err on the side of caution (you can always add more), and don’t forget to taste your final product to see if adjustments are needed.

Fresh Parsley- Parsley usually comes in a big bunch that you will not use up in this recipe, so you can make the case for using dry instead (which is perfectly acceptable), however using fresh parsley in this recipe really helps to brighten the rich flavors in the pie. Leftover parsley is great chopped in salads, added to soups, or mixed with couscous or quinoa.

Prep:

• The day before you want to make, freeze a half block of drained tofu in a freezer safe container or bag. Remove the morning of to thaw out on the counter or defrost in the microwave before you start the recipe

• Defrost puff pastry according to your package directions ( typically, about 40 minutes, depending on the temp of your house ). I usually bring it out right before I start chopping my veggies, but if your house is on the cold side, bring it out 1 hour prior to use

• Peel and finely dice potato- make sure to cut potatoes into very small cubes so they cook properly in the pie

• Wipe mushrooms to remove dirt and debris (if using whole) and cut into thick slices

• Finely dice onion and garlic

• Clean, dry, and finely dice carrots and celery- if using organic carrots, I like to leave the skin on, but you can decide whether you’d like them peeled or not.

• Rinse, dry, and chop parsley

INGREDIENTS:

Filling

• 227 g (half a block) extra firm tofu, frozen, defrosted, and torn in chunks

• 8 oz (1 C ) cremini/baby Bella mushrooms, thickly sliced - can sub with white button

• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and finely diced

• 2 large carrots, finely diced

• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced

• 1 yellow or white onion, finely diced

• 3- 4 garlic cloves, finely diced

• 134 g (1 C ) frozen peas (do not defrost)

• 120 ml ( 1/2 C ) heavy cream or plant milk

• 1 tsp. Better than Bouillon No Chicken (or sub with 2 C of veggie stock)

• 474 ml ( 2 C ) water (if not using veggie stock)

• 30 g (2 T ) olive oil

• 84 g (6 T ) vegan butter

• 45 g (6 T ) all purpose flour

• 2 tsp. garlic powder, divided

• 1/2 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning (no salt)

• 1/2 tsp. thyme, dried

• 1- 2 tsp. salt, divided

• 1/8 + 1/4 tsp. pepper, freshly cracked, divided

Pastry

• 1 sheet puff pastry (vegan-friendly)

• 2 T JustEgg (can sub with melted butter)

• 2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

• flakey salt (optional) can sub with kosher or sea salt

  
  
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F

Tofu

Make sure you set your puff pastry out on the counter to thaw before you start your pie ( about 30 minutes ) as this process will take around 20-30 minutes ( if you have prepped)- you want to be able to easily unfold the puff pastry sheet without breaking it.

1. Over a sink or a bowl, gently squeeze the defrosted tofu to release any liquid.

2. Place tofu in a medium size bowl and tear into large chunks with your hands.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Toss lightly with your hands to coat.

4. Add 2 tablespoon of oil to a large heavy bottom skillet set to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the coated and torn pieces of tofu and let cook 4-6 minutes or until all sides are golden brown.

5. Set cooked tofu on a plate lined with a kitchen or paper towel and set aside.

Filling

1. In the same pan set to medium-high heat, add sliced mushrooms and spread evenly so that all the slices have contact with the pan. Let them cook about 4 minutes, undisturbed or until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side until browned. Remove mushrooms from pan and place on the plate with the cooked tofu- set aside.

2. Place the butter in the same heated pan and let melt, then add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and toss veggies- let cook 2-3 minutes.

3. Add chopped potatoes and garlic and toss with the other veggies, then add thyme along with the garlic and onion powders- cook another 2-3 minutes.

4. Pour in heavy cream (or milk) and add flour- combine the mixture well until there are no dry flour spots.

5. Add the water and bouillon ( or stock if you are using ) and give the mixture a good mix.

6. Add the tofu and mushrooms back in, along with the frozen peas and parsley- let the filling cook for another 2 minutes.

7. Taste the mixture and see if you want to add more salt or pepper or any other seasoning.

8. When the filling is to your liking, remove from heat and add to your baking dish- let cool 5 minutes.

Puff Pastry/Assembly

1. Place the thawed puff pastry on to a clean work surface and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough so that it covers your baking dish.

2. Cover the filling with puff pastry dough, then use a fork to crimp the pastry to the sides of the baking dish.

3. Use a sharp knife and make 4 diagonal cuts through the dough to vent.

4. Pour the JustEgg or melted butter into a small bowl and brush it onto the dough using a pastry brush.

5. Sprinkle the top with flakey salt and fresh or dried parsley.

6. Place the pot pie on the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake 25- 30 minutes or until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown.

7. Remove the finished pie from oven and place on a rack to cool for 15- 20 minutes.

8. Serve the pot pie hot. I like to pair it with a simple salad dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

9. Enjoy!

Storage and Use

1. Place leftover pot pie in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

2. Reheat in the oven on 375° F for 10-15 minutes or until filling is hot and pastry has crisped up- cover pastry with foil if it starts to get too brown.

I hope you give this new spin on a comfort food classic a try!

Thanks for stopping by,

xx Debbie, Shorty, + Sophie