Some people perceive vegans to be food-haters but nothing could be further from the truth for this vegan!  I absolutely love to eat, as do many of my veg comrades.  But I do miss some non-veg dishes.  I used to love pot pie with its flaky crust, warm vegetables hiding underneath mixed with gooey gravy.

This pot pie, adapted from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s “Tempeh and Eggplant Pot Pies” in her cookbook The Vegan Table, fits the bill.  I’ve kept her biscuit dough recipe but altered her filling and added her “Golden Mushroom Gravy,” also taken from the same cookbook.  Patrick-Goodreau is a culinary goddess; I would be lost without her cookbooks!  It’s an incredibly hearty and filling dish, perfect for rainy days and chilly nights.  You won’t even miss the meat with this recipe!

Vegan Potato and Mixed Vegetable Pot Pie

Filling

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables (I use Trader Joe’s Harvest Hodgepodge)
1 pound frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste

Golden Mushroom Gravy

4 teaspoons nondairy butter (Earth Balance)
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 pounds baby bella mushrooms, sliced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth
4-6 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Pepper to taste

Biscuit Dough

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup nondairy milk (I use plain soy milk)
1/3 cup nondairy butter (Earth Balance)

Directions:

To make filling, boil potatoes in pot for 20-30 minutes.  You want them to be tender but not too soft.  Drain once done cooking.  In a separate pot, boil (or steam) frozen peas and mixed vegetables until cooked.

In the meantime, to make gravy, heat butter in a large-size skillet and sauté onion and mushrooms over high heat, stirring frequently, until they turn translucent and a little golden brown and mushrooms soften.  Should take about 15 minutes.

While the onions and mushrooms are cooking, in a separate bowl, pour vegetable broth, soy sauce, rosemary and pepper.  Whisk flour into broth mixture.  When there are no lumps, add to mushroom/onion mixture.  Reduce heat and cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.  Take off heat and set aside.

To make dough, place flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, stir together.  Pour in nondairy milk and butter, mixing until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.  The dough should be lumpy and sticky, not smooth.

Combine all vegetables in a large baking dish (approximately 13 X 9 X 2).  Then pour gravy on top of vegetables.  Then spoon dough on top.  Dough will be sticky but spread it out to cover vegetables and gravy evenly.  You can also put these into individual ramekins (little pots) and bake that way, as shown in the picture.  Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Bon appetit!