Vegan Lentil Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

There is a portion taken off a large pan of vegan lentil pot pie.

5 from 2 votes

Vegan Lentil Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

This amazing vegan lentil pot pie recipe combines a lentil vegetable gravy with a flaky puff pastry crust topping, then baked until golden brown and crispy. The perfect vegan main dish for Christmas or Thanksgiving or delicious comfort food recipe for Sunday night dinner that your whole family will love.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas, dinner, healthy, main, thanksgiving, Vegan, vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Equipment

Oven-safe large pan
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

1 cup dry lentils brown, green, French, or even black lentils work, see notes
1 large onion diced
2 celery stems diced
2 carrots diced
2 cups butternut squash or sweet potatoes diced
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup plant-based milk unsweetened and unflavored
1½ cup frozen peas
3 cups baby spinach
salt and black pepper to taste
1 sheet vegan puff pastry dough I used the puff pastry from the brand Pepperidge, see notes for alternatives

Instructions

Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the fridge or for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
Cook the lentils in plenty of water, then drain the excess water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, warm up a large skillet (oven-safe) with a little oil (I like using oil-spray), then add the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add the squash (or sweet potatoes), garlic and dried herbs and cook for 5 more minutes stirring often. Add a little splash of water if it sticks to the bottom.
Then, sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes stirring often. This will help cook the flour and enhance the flavor.
Pour the broth, soy sauce and nutritional yeast over and stir/whisk vigorously until smooth. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to medium. Keep simmering stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the stew thicker, about 10 minutes (uncovered).
Add the milk, peas, spinach and cooked lentils, stir to combine. Let it cook for a few minutes until the peas are thawed and the spinach wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste. The mixture should be very saucy.
While the stew is cooking, then preheat the oven to 375º and take the puff pastry dough out of the fridge. Transfer the sheet of dough onto a clean and lightly floured counter. Roll into a large square that roughly fits the size of your skillet (about ¼ inch thick).
Once the stew is done, then turn the heat off and place the sheet of dough over. You can fold the extra dough towards the center that falls on the side. Use a knife to make a few openings over the dough.
Bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage: the lentil pot pie is better enjoyed when just out of the oven for the best crispy and flaky texture. If you have some leftovers, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven if possible to get some of the crispiness back, but it is ok to use the microwave if in a pinch.
If you can find a can of cooked lentils, then use this instead of cooking your own dry lentils to save some time.
If you cannot find a vegan puff pastry at your grocery stores, then know that you can make it from scratch as well. Here is a vegan puff pastry recipe you should check out. You can also simply cover the lentil gravy with a regular pie crust if there is a recipe you are used to making and using for baking, that would work well here too. If you are looking for a healthier and lower-in-fat option, then I would recommend topping it with mashed potatoes and turning this recipe into a shepherd's pie!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition