Vegetable Pie

For a hearty vegetarian meal, try this vegetable pie, full of hearty vegetables and lentils in a flaky pastry crust.

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Looking down on a baked pie with four slits in the top.

What to Use for a Vegetable Pie

A vegetable pie can be made with almost any combination of vegetables, but I always start with the basics – onions, carrots and celery. From there, take a look to see what you have in your refrigerator and think about texture and color combinations. Leeks are always lovely in a mix of vegetables, lending their gentle onion-y flavor. Butternut or another type of squash is a good veggie to add because it is colorful and its texture softens nicely, thickening the filling a little. Stirring in some kale or chard at the end is a good boost of nutrition and adds nice deep dark green to the mix. What is important regarding the vegetables you add is how you cut them. Leave the carrots in larger chunks to give some ummph to the pie. Finally, the addition of lentils or beans or chickpeas delivers some protein and sustainability (in other words – it will help sustain YOU) to the dish.

A blue skillet with vegetables and a wooden spoon, next to an empty pie plate filled with pastry.

Pastry for Vegetable Pie

I use two batches of my regular pasty recipe for this vegetable pie, minus the sugar. That is necessary if you are lining the bottom AND top of your pie plate with pastry. If you’re only going with a top crust, simply make one batch of pastry. Another delicious pastry crust is the pastry from my Tourtière recipe, with sour cream, Cheddar cheese and egg mixed in. It’s a little more work, but SO delicious. 

Looking down on a pie plate filled with pastry and vegetables.

Make Ahead Vegetable Pie

If you would like to make this vegetable pie ahead of time, go for it! Make sure the vegetables are cold before you transfer them to the pie dish. Then, top it with the top crust and hold it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. Or, pop it into the freezer, well wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 months. Defrost the pie overnight in the refrigerator and then bake OR pop it straight into the oven and add an extra 30 minutes of baking time, keeping your eye on the top crust. If it starts to brown too much, tent the top of the pie with aluminum foil. 

Looking down on two grey plates with a pie of vegetable pie, next to orange napkins and the rest of the whole pie with a bottle of wine.

What to Serve with Vegetable Pie

This vegetable pie is so hearty and full of vegetables that you really don’t need to serve it with anything. Some delicious mixed greens with a simple vinaigrette would be a welcome accompaniment, or you might choose to serve a little sour cream, chutney or tomato jam on the side. 

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Vegetable Pie

  • Prep Time: 15 m
  • Cook Time: 1 h 45 m
  • Chilling Time: 20 m
  • Total Time: 2 h 20 m
  • Servings:
    8

Ingredients

  • 2 9-inch pastry dough circles
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 4 carrots sliced ¾-inch thick
  • 2 cups diced butternut squash about ½-inch dice
  • 3 stalks celery sliced
  • 1 teaspoon herb de Provence
  • ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 leeks sliced ½-inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • cup cooked lentils
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped kale
  • 1 egg beaten

Instructions

  1. Roll out one circle of the pastry dough and place it into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
  2. Pre-heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil and sweat the onions and carrots for 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash, celery, herbs de Provence, sage, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Add the leeks and sauté for another few minutes.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stir and cook for one minute. Add the sherry and vegetable stock and simmer until the mixture thickens. Add the lentils and simmer over low heat for another minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the kale. Let the mixture cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring it to the pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
  4. Roll out the second pastry circle and place it on top of the pie. Pinch the edges shut to form a decorative crust. Brush the top of the pie dough with egg wash and then make 4 slits in the top. Refrigerate the pie for at least 20 minutes.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  6. Transfer the pie to the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown, and the filling is bubbling. If the crust gets too brown, cover the edges with some foil.
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Comments (6)Post a Reply

    1. You do not need the fresh thyme in the recipe. Sorry for the confusion, that ingredient should have been omitted form the list. Thanks we will make the adustment!

    1. If cooking in an air fryer, you would need to bake the bottom crust first since the heating element is only on the top of air fryers. If using an air fryer oven, cook it on the bake setting at the same temperature. It may take a little less time to bake since the pie will be closer to the heating elements.

    1. You could substitute white wine or vermouth, but if you want to avoid using any alcohol, just add more vegetable stock.

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