Description
This hearty vegetable pot pie is served casserole style with a 5-ingredient homemade biscuit topping. Some of my favorite vegetables to use are mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, peas, and cauliflower. See the recipe notes for substitutions and other ingredient suggestions.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus extra for hands
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder (yes, Tablespoon!)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (270ml) whole milk, divided
Filling
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (130g) diced yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 1 cup (130g) sliced or diced carrots (1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced celery (2–3 stalks)
- 1 cup (120g) roughly chopped mushrooms
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (42g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 cups (480ml) vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 2 cups (about 300g or 10 ounces) mixed vegetables (such as frozen peas, frozen or fresh broccoli and/or cauliflower florets; see Note)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Instructions
- Make the biscuit topping: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl or use a food processor. Add the cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or pulse several times in the processor. Cut/pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add 1 cup (240ml) milk (reserve the rest for brushing on dough in step 4), and then stir/pulse until the dough comes together. Dough will be very shaggy and a little wet. If it’s too dry, fold in another Tablespoon of milk. If it’s too wet, fold in another Tablespoon of flour. With generously floured hands, shape biscuit dough into 8 or 9 1-inch-thick discs. The amount of biscuits you need (and their diameter) depends on the size and shape of the baking dish you’re using for the pot pie. Dough is sticky, so keep your hands floured. Biscuits don’t have to be perfect or neat. Place shaped biscuits on a lined plate or baking pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to use in step 4, or for up to 2 days.
- Make the filling: Melt the butter in a large skillet, pot, or 11- or 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables have softened and released some liquid. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and thyme until flour has absorbed all the liquid. Stir in the broth and 1/2 cup (120ml) milk. Cook and simmer for 7–9 minutes or until thickened into a thick soup-like consistency. Stir in the mixed vegetables and parsley, and then remove from heat. Taste and add more salt, pepper, thyme, or parsley if desired. Cool for 5 minutes.
- As it’s cooling, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Pour filling into greased 2.5- or 3-quart baking dish, or use a 9-inch pie dish that’s 2 inches deep. Arrange cold biscuits on top, squeezing them in as necessary to fit. Brush the tops of the biscuits with remaining 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk.
- Bake for 25 minutes, and then, keeping the pot pie in the oven, turn oven up to 425°F (218°C) and bake for 5–6 more minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat as desired.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Biscuit topping can be made up to 2 days in advance. See end of step 1. You can also freeze the shaped biscuit dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before assembling on top of filling. Filling can be prepared 1 day in advance; cover and store in the refrigerator. Bring filling to room temperature before baking. It’s best to arrange the shaped biscuit dough on the filling immediately before baking so the biscuits do not absorb too much filling and become soggy. You can also prepare and freeze the filling for up to 3 months (freeze the shaped biscuits separately). Thaw at room temperature, give it a stir, and then cover with thawed biscuits and bake as instructed.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Pastry Cutter or Food Processor | 2.5- or 3-quart Baking Dish or 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush
- Option to Add Flavor to Biscuits: Since you’re using it in the filling and if you have extra, feel free to add 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried), 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried), and/or 1 minced garlic clove to the biscuit dough when you add the salt. You could even add 1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese when you add the salt.
- Onion/Celery/Carrots/Mushrooms: Feel free to use more of one and less of another, such as skipping the celery and adding 1/2 cup extra each carrots and onions. If you wish to skip the mushrooms, substitute with more vegetable add-ins at the end of the recipe.
- Flour: Flour thickens the gravy. You could also use 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch instead.
- Vegetable Broth: When testing this recipe, I used different brands of vegetable broth. Keep in mind that some are saltier than others. (Some tasted straight-up sweet!) Stick with 1 teaspoon of salt as listed in the recipe, and then when the filling comes off the heat in step 4, give it a taste and add more salt if you think the filling needs it. You can substitute with chicken broth if desired.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is best in the filling and biscuits. Avoid lower-fat milks, and if you need a nondairy milk suggestion, I recommend plain oat milk. Plain almond milk would be the second best option for nondairy. Keep in mind that the filling won’t taste as creamy and rich.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: Use 2 total cups of mixed vegetable add-ins. A mix of frozen peas, fresh or frozen broccoli, and fresh or frozen cauliflower is great. Other options are canned and drained corn, green beans, white beans, and/or chickpeas. Frozen corn or frozen or fresh green beans (chop into bite-size pieces) work well too. If using frozen vegetables, do not thaw.
- Can I Add Potatoes? Yes. I recommend adding 1 cup peeled and chopped potato (or sweet potato) when you add the broth. To make room for this addition, remove the mushrooms or 1 cup of vegetable add-ins at the end.
- Canned Biscuits: Though I recommend homemade (yum!), you can use canned biscuits. Follow this recipe as written, subbing canned biscuits for homemade. If prepping the casserole in advance, place sliced canned biscuits on top of casserole immediately before baking.