mini vegetable pot pies

The official start of winter is right around the corner! I like to plan ahead and have quick comfort food recipes in my arsenal to warm me up when the temperatures dip. Chicken pot pie is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, but it can be bit labor intensive to poach a chicken and make the pastry crust. It also tends to be a bit heavy and I prefer to eat things that don’t put me to sleep right after I finish. I found this recipe for individual Vegetable Pot Pies that uses a shortcut for the crust, and after taking one bite, all was right in the world.

Get the original recipe here.

These Mini Vegetable Pot Pies are baked in cute 8-ounce ramekins, so it’s best to cut the veggies small enough to allow everything to fit comfortably in the ramekins. Chopping vegetables isn’t my favorite thing to do. To speed things up, I follow a simple 3-step process:

1. Cut foods like carrots, parsnips, and sqaushinto sticks.
2. Line the sticks up parallel to each other, then turn them 90°.
3. Slice all of thesticks at once to create perfect cubes.

The filling includes a delicious, hearty medley of root vegetables. Wild mushrooms give the Mini Vegetable Pot Pies a meaty flavor so you won’t miss the chicken. Make this recipe vegan by replacing the butter with oil, the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and the regular cow’s milk with unsweetened almond milk. To prepare, just saute the vegetables in a little butter until they start to turn soft, then add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let most of the liquid evaporate. Finally, add the milk and flour mixture and boil for a couple minutes. This thickens the filling and gives the pot pies their characteristic creaminess.

The crust could not be easier! Simply place a ramekin on each slice of bread and use a paring knife to trace a bread circle around each ramekin. Brush lightly with mayonnaise and sprinkle with cheese for maximum crispiness, then layer on some paprika for a nice color and subtle smokiness. (Vegans, replace the mayonnaise with olive oil.)

Since the filling is already cooked, you don’t even need to bake these savory pies, they just go under the broiler for a few minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

These quick, lightened-up Mini Vegetable Pot Pies are welcome on my table any day.

Mini Vegetable Pot Pies

Serves: 6

1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced wild mushrooms
2 small carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small parsnip, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup frozen baby peas
6 slices thin whole-wheat sandwich bread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Paprika, for garnish

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, carrots, parsnip, butternut squash and rosemary; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the milk. Add it to the skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in peas and season again with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among 6 8-ounce (1 cup) ramekins.
3. To make the crust, place a ramekin on a slice of bread and using a paring knife, cut around the outside of the ramekin to make a circle of bread. Repeat with remaining slices.
4. Spread 1 teaspoon mayo on one side of each circle of bread; sprinkle with Parmesan and a pinch of paprika. Arrange bread, mayo side up, over vegetables.
5. Broil 5 minutes, or until tops are golden and filling is bubbling around edges.