Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie
As the temperatures plummet and the days grow shorter, I find myself yearning for a dish straight out of a Charles Dickens short story: a steaming hot pot pie. Imagine a delectable creation filled with creamy, flavorful gravy, sweet and tender veggies, all crowned with a shatteringly flaky crust. While the traditional version, like Chicken Pot Pie, incorporates meat, as an occasional meat-eater, I've discovered it's not a necessity.In my quest to craft the perfect vegan pot pie, mushrooms became my ultimate ally. These magical fungi bring an abundance of umami flavor, making them an ideal meat substitute in this hearty dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, divided
- 2 stalks celery, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, divided
- 3 sprigs thyme, divided
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 c. dried porcini mushrooms
- Kosher salt
- 4 c. cold water
- 1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if needed
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary
- 2 tsp. freshly chopped sage leaves
- 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. dry white wine
- 1 to 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen peas (if frozen, rinsed and drained)
- 1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley
- 8 14"-x-18" sheets phyllo dough, defrosted if frozen
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Start the vegetable broth: Cut the onion, 1 carrot, and 1 stalk of celery in half. Place one half of each in a medium sauce pan. Crush 1 clove of garlic and add to the pan along with 1 sprig of thyme, the bay leaves, and the porcini mushrooms. Add a big pinch of salt, then cover with 4 cups cold water. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, bring to low simmer, and cover almost completely with a lid. Let simmer while you prep and cook the pot pie filling.
- Meanwhile, dice the remaining onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces. Peel and thinly slice the remaining garlic cloves and pick the leaves off the remaining thyme sprigs, adding the stems to the broth pan and reserving the leaves. Preheat oven to 400°.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cremini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Stir, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden on the cut sides and slightly tender, 4 to 5 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mushrooms to a plate. Lower the heat to medium, add another tablespoon olive oil, and repeat process with shiitake mushrooms. (You may have to cook the shiitakes in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.) When shiitakes are cooked, transfer to the same plate as the creminis and wipe the skillet clean.
- Return skillet to medium heat and add another tablespoon of the oil to the skillet. Add the onions and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and carrots are slightly tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add celery, sliced garlic, reserved thyme leaves, rosemary, and sage. Cook until garlic and herbs are fragrant, about 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and remove skillet from burner.
- Strain broth: Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove and discard carrot, celery, onion, garlic clove, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Strain broth into a large measuring cup, reserving the porcini mushrooms. Transfer porcinis to cutting board and chop into small pieces. You should have around 3 cups of broth; if you have less than 3 cups, add cold water to stretch your broth to 3 cups.
- Return skillet to medium heat, and when ingredients start to sizzle, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour has darkened slightly in color and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. (If your skillet is looking dry, add a splash of olive oil.)
- Add white wine and half the prepared vegetable broth, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Bring up to a simmer and cook until a thick gravy forms, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining broth slowly, stirring continuously, until all is added and fully incorporated. Bring back up to a boil and simmer until a velvety gravy forms, 8 to 12 minutes. To test the gravy’s thickness, stir it with a wooden spoon, then immediately trace a line on the back of the spoon with your finger, through the gravy. If the line fills in with liquid, the gravy needs to simmer longer. If the line remains visible, the gravy is good to go!
- Stir prepared cremini, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms into the gravy. Taste for seasoning, then add soy sauce 1 teaspoon at a time, until seasoned to your taste. Remove from heat and stir in peas and parsley. Transfer mixture to a 9”-x-13” baking dish.
- Pour remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil into a small bowl. On a dry, clean surface, carefully unroll the phyllo dough. Keep the sheets covered with a kitchen towel while working with individual sheets. Place one sheet flat, then use a pastry brush to coat the entire sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. Place another sheet on top and repeat the process.
- When all 8 sheets are oiled and stacked, carefully transfer to baking dish. Any excess dough can be loosely folded around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and use a sharp knife to cut 3 slits in the crust.
- Bake pot pie until phyllo is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 8gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 965mgPotassium: 756mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg
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