This Lentil Pot Pie is hearty, creamy, and topped with a flaky puff pastry crust! It's easy to make and comes together in less than 1 hour. Serve it up for dinner on a cozy winter night!
I love pot pie, but we all know that it's a labor of love to make one. It's one of those things that take hours to cook, just so you can eat it all in one go, am I right?
Well, this mushroom lentil pot pie is a lot simpler, because we're using pre-cooked lentils and a store-bought pastry crust. The end result is a crispy, savory, and warm vegetarian pie that just hits the spot.
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Ingredients and notes
- Lentils. You'll need to use pre-cooked lentils. You can either cook them in advance or use canned lentils to save time.
- Puff pastry. If you don't want to use store-bought puff pastry, you can make your own pie crust before making this recipe.
- Vegetable broth. Either store-bought or homemade. Just make sure to use a low sodium broth so you don't oversalt your pie.
- Coconut milk. Make sure to use light coconut milk from a can.
- Flour. We use all-purpose flour, but you can also use chickpea flour.
How to make lentil pot pie
To a large pot or a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegetables and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until fragrant. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the flour, stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Then, add vegetable broth, coconut milk, potatoes, and spices. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Next, add cooked lentils and frozen peas and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour the mixture into a pie pan and pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Layer the rolled puff pastry on top. Trim the pastry to ½ inch beyond the edge of the pan.
Use your index finger and thumb to fold the excess pastry into the inner edges of the pan. Use a sharp knife to make four straight cuts in the center of the dough (see photos below).
Brush with olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden.
When the pie is ready, set it aside to cool for 10 minutes after baking. This will allow for an easier cut and the pieces won't fall apart as much. Top with fresh thyme (optional), and serve right away!
Expert Tips
- Use light coconut milk from a can. No, the pie won't taste like coconut, but the milk will give richness and creaminess. If the milk is too thick, be sure to thin it out with 2-3 tablespoons of water.
- Taste the lentil filling before baking the pie and adjust the seasoning if needed. Maybe add more salt or black pepper to taste.
- Make cuts on the top of the puff pastry to allow heat to escape. This is pretty important, so make sure not to forget it!
- Let the pie rest for 10 minutes after baking for an easier cut.
FAQ
Yes! You can make the lentil filling up to 4 days in advance and assemble the pie the day before baking.
Puff pastry gets softer and loses its crunch as it cools, but once you reheat it in the oven, it will crisp up again! Just make sure not to get it wet or in contact with too much moisture.
All you need to do is use a puff pastry that's vegan. You can also use make your own vegan pie crust if you have the time.
Yes! You'll need oven-safe ramekins for this. Once the lentil filling is ready, fill them ¾ of the way. Cut the puff pastry ½ inch larger than the size of the ramekins and layer it over the top. Bake as the recipe suggests.
Yes! This lentil pot pie freezes well, but even more so if you freeze it before baking. You can assemble the pie, then wrap it securely with foil and freeze it for 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
More Comforting Vegetarian Recipes
Savory Fried Leek and Kale Tart
We love to serve this pot pie with some curried mashed potatoes or this sweet potato beet salad on the side.
Mushroom Lentil Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing (or sub with dairy-free butter)
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced (~2 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or sub chickpea flour)
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup light coconut milk*
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped (~1 cup)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 sheet puff pastry or pie dough, rolled 1 inch larger than the pie pan (use vegan if needed)
Instructions
Lentil filling
- To a medium pot or a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms and saute for 5-6 minutes, until fragrant. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then, add flour (or chickpea flour) and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, potatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Stir. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Next, add lentils and frozen peas and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. If the mixture tends to burn easily, add a splash or two of water or broth. Remove from the heat.
Assemble
- Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Pour the lentil filling ¾ of the way of a standard pie pan.
- Layer the rolled puff pastry on top. Trim the pastry to ½ inch beyond the edge of the pan. Use your index finger and thumb to fold the excess pastry into the inner edges of the pan. Use a sharp knife to make four straight cuts in the center of the dough (see photos in the blog post above).
Bake
- Brush the top with olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden.
- Let the pie rest for 10 minutes after baking for an easier cut. Serve!
Sophia says
This pot pie was very delicious and my family loved it! Thank you!
Petranka says
You're welcome, Sophia!