Harvest Vegetable Pot Pie
When the temperature begins to dip along with the setting sun, dinner calls for something a bit more substantial, and warm. Hmmm…anyone interested in hot, bubbly, double-crust pot pie loaded with seasonal veggies?
mushrooms, new potatoes, celery, red onion,
garlic, and parsley…all from the farmers market.
Every great dish is the sum of its ingredients. The better the quality and freshness, the better the results. I visit my local tailgate or farmers market at least once a week to find vegetables picked at the peak of maturity, knowing they will impart maximum flavor.
The star of this recipe is a shining example. These adorable, diminutive squash with beautifully dark yellowish-orange coloring immediately caught my eye. The name “Honeynut Squash” sealed the deal, and I quickly filled my basket with these miniature beauties. Sweeter than butternut squash and offering a slightly nutty taste, honeynut squash melds beautifully with the lovely veggies tucked between this pot pie’s flaky homemade crusts. It truly tastes like autumn!
Getting hungry yet? Let’s review the ingredients. Gorgeous honeynut squash, red-skinned new potatoes, earthy portobello mushrooms, crisp carrots with the tops still attached, slender celery, red onion, garlic, thyme, and parsley. The only ingredients in this pot pie that are not fresh out of the garden are frozen peas and dried rosemary and sage.
I crushed the dried rosemary and sage with fresh thyme, sea salt, and black pepper using a wooden mortar and pestle. This handy tool is one of my favorite kitchen items! Crumbling dried herbs with your fingers works almost as well.
Ready for the filling!
Let’s get the pot pie filling under way. First, roast the honeynut squash until almost tender, then let cool before peeling and cutting into chunks for the filling. Save the shallow round bottoms of the squash for an easy side dish later…or a snack while you cook. It really is the most delicious squash I’ve ever tasted!
The remaining ingredients come together simply. Sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil, then add the garlic, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Using a mortar and pestle, blend and crush the herbs and spices and add to the skillet. Next come the mushrooms and honeynut squash.
Once the veggies have begun to soften it’s time to sauce things up! Sprinkle the mixture liberally with flour, then whisk in some unsweetened soy milk and vegetable broth. Almost miraculously you will have a golden, thick sauce. Be sure to taste and add a bit more salt or thyme or whatever is calling to you to amp up the flavor.
Prep Time: 40 minutes (includes roasting squash)
Bake Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Total Time: 75 to 80 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Categories: Main Dish
Method: Roasted, Sautéed, Baked
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Dairy Free
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 honeynut squash, roasted then peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 4–6 carrots scrubbed and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
- 2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
- 6 small or 4 medium new potatoes, skin on, scrubbed and cubed
- 8 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or non-dairy milk of your choice
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups vegetable broth or No Chicken type bouillon
- One recipe of double pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the honeynut squash in half horizontally and scoop out seeds. Place cut side facing up on baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes.
- The skin of honeynut squash is thinner than most other varieties so it’s easier to slice.
- Remove pan from oven and place on cooling rack. Once cool enough to handle, cut off the bottom thirds of the squash (the wider hollowed out circular portion of the squash) and save for another use. They make a delicious side dish stuffed with wild rice and dried cranberries. Peel and then cut the thicker top two-thirds of each squash into bite-sized pieces.
- Raise oven temperature to 400F.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil on medium high heat in a large saucepan until it begins to shimmer. Add the diced onion, lower heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes; the onions will soften and begin to brown. Add garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper. After a few minutes add the mushrooms and potatoes.
- Continue cooking over medium heat, uncovered, 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally. The moisture from the mushrooms should provide enough liquid. If needed, add ¼ cup vegetable broth to prevent ingredients from sticking to the pan. Once the potatoes begin to soften, add the cubed honeynut squash and cook for an additional minute, allowing the flavors to merge.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over the entire vegetable mixture in the skillet, pour in soy milk and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Whisk gently to combine sauce ingredients, being careful to keep vegetables intact. Once the flour, soy milk, and broth are well blended, add one additional cup of broth and the frozen peas.
- Stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until mixture begins to bubble. If the mixture is too thick, add an additional ½ cup of broth. The filling will firm up as the pot pie bakes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
- Roll out the second disk of pie crust dough into an 11-inch circle, wrap crust loosely around the rolling pin and then unroll on top of the filled pie. Crimp the edges gently between your thumb and forefinger, sealing the top and bottom crusts.
- Cut four slits in the top crust, approximately 2 inches long to allow steam to escape. Carefully transfer the filled pie dish to a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; this prevents any filling that drips out of the pot pie from sticking to the bottom of your oven and burning.
- Bake at 400F for 35 to 45 minutes. Set your timer for 30 minutes and keep an eye on the edges of the crust. Cover them with foil if they start to turn dark before the pie is baked through.
- Once the top crust is evenly browned and the filling just begins to bubble through the slits, it is ready! Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, perhaps with a green salad. Prepare yourself for the accolades!
Notes
Storage Tips
Cool completely then refrigerate for up to three days. Freezes well for up to two months; slice and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and the place slices in a freezer bag. Remember to write the date on the bag!
Find it online: https://veganfriendlycooking.com/179/