Meatless Pot Pie with Lentils
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Featuring a flaky pastry crust filled with potatoes, lentils, and colorful vegetables in a creamy, herb-infused sauce, this meatless pot pie with lentils makes a great option for an easy weeknight dinner. As written, this lentil pot pie recipe yields one 9-inch round pie, and will serve about four to six people depending on portion sizes. It’s straightforward to prepare and ready to enjoy in about an hour. This pot pie makes a great main dish for Meatless Monday, accompanied by a green salad or a fresh fruit salad.
Why Did I Create This Recipe?
As a baker and a vegetarian, I love creating meatless, vegetable-forward main dishes, especially when I can combine them with my favorite pastry or baking techniques. (See also: my pithivier with mushrooms leeks and potatoes, my buffalo cauliflower pizza, and my lattice pastry with cheese and caramelised onions!) During the cold winter months, pot pie is my ultimate comfort food. And while my first love will always be Pennsylvania Dutch-style pot pie (more of a stew than a pie, with pasta and vegetables swimming in a thick broth), I also enjoy the more traditional kind baked inside a flaky pastry crust.
In this meatless pot pie recipe, I’ve simmered a creamy sauce (filled with potatoes, lentils, onions, carrots, celery, green beans, and herbs) on the stovetop, scooped it into an oven safe baking dish, topped it with a sheet of shortcrust pastry, and baked it in the oven until deliciously golden brown, with bits of creamy filling bubbling up around the edges.
Key Ingredients
- Potato – You’ll need one baking potato, equalling about 250 grams, 8-9 ounces, or 1 1/2 cups diced potato. (I didn’t bother to peel the potato, but you can if you’d like.) See recipe for notes on pre-cooking the potato.
- Lentils – Choose brown lentils, not red or yellow as these have a different texture. Like the potato, you’ll pre-cook the lentils before adding them to the filling. See below for notes on cooking the lentils. And save the rest of the bag! They’re great for making my vegetarian lentil meatballs recipe.
- Flour – A small amount of all purpose flour acts as a thickening agent, creating a creamy, full-bodied sauce.
- Vegetable Bouillon – I prefer the Knorr brand cubes of vegetable bouillon. Or, you can use an equal amount of vegetable broth (store-bought or homemade) in lieu of vegetable bouillon dissolved in water. If you’re not strictly vegetarian, feel free to substitute chicken or beef bouillon (or broth) instead.
- Dried Spices – To season the sauce, you’ll need dried onion powder, dried rosemary, and dried thyme, plus kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Check to make sure your dried spices are fresh, ideally purchased within the last year. Old spices lack flavor and won’t contribute much of anything to the filling.
- Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is a savory condiment traditionally made with vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, tamarind extract, onions, anchovies, garlic, and a blend of spices. In this recipe, I’ve added a dash to the filling for a flavor-boosting hit of umami. However, the anchovies in classic Worcestershire sauce make it unsuitable for strict vegetarians. If you’re pescatarian like me (or simply trying to eat more meatless meals) go with Worcestershire sauce. To keep this meatless pot pie strictly vegetarian, substitute vegan Worcestershire for a similar flavor boost without animal-derived ingredients, or season the filling with Marmite instead.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables – You’ll need 150 grams (about 5 ounces, or 1 US cup) of frozen mixed veg. I used a bagged blend of carrots, peas, green beans, and cauliflower, but any frozen mixed vegetables will work. Or, make this pie on freezer cleanout day—it’s a great way to use up the ends of bags frozen vegetables left over from other recipes!
- Pastry – I started with a sheet of store-bought shortcrust pastry. A frozen pie crust will also work. If starting from frozen, thaw the crust according to the manufacturer’s directions before proceeding with the recipe. You can also use homemade pie crust for this recipe, or replace the shortcrust with a sheet of puff pastry instead.
Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions
- Choose the right dish. You can bake this pot pie in a deep, 9-inch round ceramic baking dish, or a deep 9-inch pie plate. Choose an oven-safe glass or ceramic baking dish measuring at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches deep. If using a shallow dish, opt for something no smaller than 10 inches in diameter, to ensure that you have enough room to accommodate all of the creamy vegetable filling.
- Bake in a disposable pan. This lentil pot pie freezes especially well (I like to keep it in the fridge to reheat during a busy week when I need quick, homemade comfort food!) If you are planning to bake and freeze the pie to reheat at a later date, I recommend using a disposable aluminum pan.
- Properly prep the lentils. Before making and assembling this meatless pot pie, you’ll need to prepare the brown lentils. (Lentils take a long time to cook, so don’t them to the pie without pre-cooking—they won’t have enough time to soften.) Start by rinsing the lentils under cool water to remove any debris. Timings vary by brand, so cook the lentils according to the instructions on the packaging. I find that I sometimes find that I need to “top up” with a little bit of extra water or cook just beyond what the manufacturer calls for—you’ll know that the lentils are ready when they are tender and cooked through, but not mushy. Do not overcook or they’ll turn to sludge.
- Make it vegan. To make this pot pie vegan, replace the whole milk with plant milk, and skip the egg wash (or brush the top of your pie with plant milk instead. Also, double-check ingredients on the pastry you’ve chosen to make sure it does not contain animal products, but you’ll find that most cheaper shortcrust and puff pastry products contain vegetable oil rather than butter or other animal fats.
Meatless Pot Pie with Lentils
- Total Time1 hour
- Yield1 9-inch pot pie 1x
Featuring a flaky pastry crust filled with potatoes, lentils, and colorful vegetables in a creamy, herb-infused sauce, this meatless pot pie with lentils makes a great option for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
1 medium baking potato, washed but not peeled (about 250 grams, or 1 1/2 cups diced potato)
60 grams brown lentils (about 1/3 cup uncooked, or 1 cup cooked lentils)
30 milliliters olive oil (2 tablespoons), plus more for coating dish
1 medium onion, peeled and diced (about 125 grams diced onion)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (about 100 grams chopped carrot)
1 12-inch celery stalk, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
32 grams all-purpose flour (1/4 cup)
1 cube vegetable bouillon, dissolved in 225 milliliters (1 cup) warm water
240 milliliters whole milk (1 cup)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash Worcestershire sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce, or Marmite (see notes)
150 grams frozen mixed vegetables (5 1/4 ounces, or about 1 cup)
1 sheet shortcrust pastry or pre-made pie crust, thawed according to package if frozen
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
Add the diced potato to a small saucepan with a pinch of kosher salt. Cover with water and cook over medium-high heat until fork-tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Pass the potatoes through a fine mesh strainer to drain. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook lentils according to package directions, or until tender and cooked through.
Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Spray a deep, 9-inch round baking dish or 9-inch round pie plate with nonstick spray, or coat with olive oil.
Add the olive oil to a stock pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes more.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and use a rubber spatula to toss. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until flour smells nutty.
Add the water, milk, onion powder, dried rosemary, dried thyme, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce or Marmite. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, potatoes, and lentils.
Remove from heat and spoon filling mixture into prepared baking dish.
Unroll pie crust and place it over the filling mixture. Use a sharp paring knife to trim away any excess, allowing a 1/2-inch overhang on all sides.
Fold the pastry over the edges of the dish. Crimp with a fork.
With a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg over the pastry.
With a sharp paring knife, cut 4-5 small slits in the pastry for ventilation.
Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Let stand on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes prior to serving. Serve hot.
Wrap leftover pot pie in foil transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Wrap the leftover pot pie pin foil, or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 400° F (205° C) oven, or microwave on medium-high power, until warmed through.
To freeze: Baked and cooled pie can be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. (For freezing, I recommend using a disposable aluminum pan rather than glass or ceramic.) Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake at 400° F (205° C) for about 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.
Other Savory Vegetarian Recipes You Might Enjoy
Vegetarian Pennsylvania Dutch Pot Pie
Savory Pithitiver with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Potatoes
Lattice Pastry with Cheese and Caramelized Onions
Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup
Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
