These little veggie pot pies are so cute and comforting. The crust is incredibly flaky and the filling is so versatile. I used asparagus, carrots and peas for the filling, but feel free to use your favorite vegetables. The possibilities are endless! The small size bakes up quickly and is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. I typically serve these with some fresh fruit or salad greens on the side.
I used vegetable shortening for the crust because it makes the flakiest crust ever and also because the pies can easily be a vegetarian dish. If you’re trying to avoid trans fats, then choose a brand of vegetable shortening that doesn’t contain trans fat or replace some of the vegetable shortening with butter.* Keep in mind that if you replace all of the vegetable shortening with butter, your crust won’t be nearly as flaky.
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Mini pot pies
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- 1 1/3 cups (170g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (96g) vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup (59ml) ice water
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter or vegan butter
- 1/3 cup (38g) diced onions
- 1 cup (128g) sliced fresh carrots
- 3/4 cup (96g) chopped asparagus, celery or green beans
- 1/4 cup (32g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (473ml) vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup (59ml) whole milk or oat milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 3/4 cup (100g) frozen peas
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water See note below**
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Filling
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- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Work the shortening into the flower with your fingertips until flat dime size pieces are formed.
- In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Form the dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. (200ºC). Grease four 6-oz ramekins.*** Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onions, carrots and asparagus for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with flour. Cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in the broth and simmer until thickened. Add the milk, parsley and seasonings. Make sure to taste your sauce to adjust the seasonings to your preference. Stir in the peas. Transfer the filling to the greased ramekins.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 4 rounds of dough about an inch larger than the tops of your ramekins. Brush the top edges of the ramekins with a bit of egg wash. Place the rounds of dough on the ramekins, overlapping a bit. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers or with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a 3/4-inch ventilation slit in the top of each pie. Bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
*To replace part of the shortening with butter, use 1/4 cup (48g) shortening and 1/4 cup (57g) butter.
**For a vegetarian version, you can substitute the egg wash by brushing the tops of the pies lightly with olive oil.
***To find the ramekins I used, click here.