Here’s a cozy, delicious vegan dinner idea, perfect for fall! A savory lentil pot pie filled with roasted butternut squash and kale, topped with a golden puff pastry crust.
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This savory lentil pot pie recipe was our dinner last night, and it was so homey and delicious that I just had to share it! To save time, I used store-bought vegan puff pastry dough, which makes this recipe very easy. The roasted butternut squash gives this dish such lovely sweetness, and together with the lentils and kale, it makes for a delicious symphony of flavors and textures.
I recommend cooking the lentils and thawing the puff pastry dough overnight in the fridge. Perfect for fall gatherings, this plant-based recipe is a definite crowd-pleaser- just read all of our 5-star reviews!
Lentil Pot Pie Recipe Ingredients
- Butternut squash: Or sub another type of winter squash.
- Parsnip and carrots: Hearty winter veggies that get roasted with the squash.
- Onion and garlic cloves: You can sub leeks or shallots for the onion.
- Celery: Or use fennel bulb.
- Fresh sage: Feel free to sub other woody herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- Olive oil: Used for roasting and sautéing. You can sub butter in the skillet if you wish. You’ll also need oil for brushing the puff pastry, or you can use an egg wash.
- Flour: Use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Vegetable broth: Use a flavorful veggie broth, like our Homemade Vegetable Stock.
- Almond milk: Or try soy or oat milk, or you can always use regular milk too.
- Lacinato kale: Adds a nice bunch of dark, leafy greens, adding to the savory flavor.
- Cooked lentils: Or sub frozen peas. I used black caviar lentils, but French green lentils or brown lentils would work too.
- Nutmeg: Just a pinch for cozy flavor!
- Sheet puff pastry: Remember to thaw it! You can also sub pie dough, but the puff pastry is especially satisfying!
How to Make Lentil Pot Pie
Step one: Thaw the puff pastry dough overnight in the fridge.
Step two: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 1/2 cup dry lentils, cooking until tender (like pasta). This can be done ahead of time.
Step three: Preheat oven to 400F. Peel and dice the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes, then peel and dice the carrots and parsnips into 1/2-inch cubes. This ensures even roasting time. Toss the veggies with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast until tender, 25-35 minutes. This step could be done in advance as well.
Step four: In a large, 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, celery, and sage and cook until onions are golden. You could sub fennel for the celery here to create an even more nuanced flavor.
Sprinkle all-purpose flour over top, mix, and toast 1-2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, add warm veggie broth a little at a time, whisking it in. You can also use water and a teaspoon of veggie broth paste.
Add the almond milk (or other plant-based milk), whisk, then bring to a simmer until thickened. Turn off heat, and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Step five: Once the roasted veggies are done, fold them into the skillet, along with the kale and lentils.
If dry, add a splash or two of veggie broth or almond milk. The texture should be like a thick stew. Be careful not to over-mix. Taste and adjust, adding a pinch of salt or more black pepper if needed.
Step six: Unroll the thawed pastry dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with flour and roll it out a little with a rolling pin, mostly just to get the creases out.
Step seven: Place the puff pastry dough over the butternut lentil mixture, then fold up the corners, and add a few slits for venting. Brush the top with olive oil. You can use an egg wash if you prefer.
Step eight: Bake at 400F for 20 minutes on the middle rack. Lower temperature to 350F and bake 10 minutes. When it comes out it will be beautifully golden brown and will fill up your kitchen with a heavenly aroma. Serve with fresh thyme!
Variations
- Mushrooms: Add sautéed or roasted mushrooms instead of carrots or parsnip.
- Sweet potatoes: Add roasted sweet potato instead of carrot or parsnip.
- Peas: Add peas instead of lentils.
- Fennel: Add fennel instead of celery.
- Pie crust: Top with a pie crust instead of puff pastry.
- Vegan biscuits: Cover the top with biscuits instead of puff pastry or pie crust.
Chef’s Tips
- If you forgot to thaw your puff pastry ahead: You can thaw in a microwave, 15 seconds at a time, until it unrolls easily. If you overshoot, and it’s too soft, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm it up. You want it thawed, but still cold.
- If you plan to have leftovers (for longer than 24 hours): Consider baking this in a baking dish rather than a cast-iron skillet.
- To add a bit more umami or depth: Stir a little miso paste (1 teaspoon) into the warm broth, before adding to pan (or add an 1/2 extra bouillon cube or bouillon paste).
- Pans: I used a 9 ½ inch cast iron skillet. Feel free to use an oven proof skillet, enamel skillet, 9-10 inch braiser, 9-10 round inch baking dish (or equivalent square or rectangle). You basically want to use a baking pan/dish where the filling reaches the top or very close to the top, or even slightly over the top (mound in the middle) so the puff pastry lays level or even slightly mounded. Place over a sheet pan to catch juices!
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. (If saving for longer than 24 hours, I would remove it from the cast-iron skillet.) Reheat in a warm 350F oven, tent with foil to prevent excess growing.
Serving Suggestions
Vegan pot pie is so hearty, it can be served on its own, or with a leafy green salad, like Pear Salad with Vanilla Fig Dressing, White Cheddar Apple Salad, Farro Salad with Kale, or Waldorf Salad.
FAQs
A combination of flour and broth and almond milk creates a thick, stew-like consistency.
The veggies need to be thoroughly cooked before baking, otherwise the vegetables will release too much moisture while in the oven, thinning out the base.
Yes, let the pot pie cool for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.
We hope you love this Lentil Pot Pie recipe! Please let us know what you think. Enjoy!
Other Recipes You May Like
- Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
- Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash
- Truffle Mac & Cheese
- Cozy Baked Beans with Butternut Sauce
Lentil Pot Pie | 60-Sec Video
Lentil Pot Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: vegan, main, fall
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Here’s a cozy, delicious vegan dinner idea! A savory lentil pot pie filled with roasted butternut squash and kale, topped with a golden puff pastry crust.
Ingredients
- 2lbs butternut squash, peeled, 1-inch cubes (or sub other winter squash, about 6 cups cubed)
- 1 large parsnip, 1/2 inch diced
- 1 large carrot, 1/2 inch diced
- 1– 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)
- one onion, diced (or sub leeks or 2–3 shallots)
- 4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped ( or sub thyme or rosemary)
- 1 cup celery, chopped ( or sub diced fennel bulb)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm flavorful veggie broth (see notes)
- 1 cup almond milk ( or soy, oat milk, or regular milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- big handful lacinato kale (chopped, big stems removed)
- 1 cup cooked lentils, or sub frozen peas (I used black caviar lentils, but French Green lentils or brown lentils work too).
- a pinch nutmeg
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed, about 250 grams ( roughly 9″x11″)
- olive oil for brushing (or use egg wash- not vegan)
Instructions
- Thaw puff pastry dough overnight in the fridge. (Or see notes)
- Cook lentils – 1/2 cup dry lentils- simmer in salted boiling water ( like pasta) until tender. You could do this ahead.
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F
- Prep the veggies: Peel and dice the butternut into 1-inch cubes– you’ll need about 6 cups. Peel and dice the carrots and parsnips into 1/2 inch cubes. (You want the butternut bigger and carrots/parsnips smaller so they roast at a more even rate.) Toss with olive oil, generously season with salt and pepper and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan, roast until tender- 25-35 minutes.
- Make the Stew Base: In a 9-10 inch, ovenproof skillet (or see notes), heat oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, 3-4 minutes, add garlic, celery and sage, and continue cooking until the onions are golden. Sprinkle with the flour, stir it in and toast it, 1-2 minutes. Add the warm veggie broth, a little at a time, whisking it in, over low heat. Add the almond milk, whisk it in, bring to a simmer, just until it thickens. Turn the heat off. Season generously with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Combine: Gently fold in the roasted veggies, kale and lentils. If it feels dry, add a splash or two of almond milk 0r veggie broth to loosen. It should be like a very thick stew. Try not to over-mix. Give it one more taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Roll out the pastry. On a floured surface, unroll the puff pastry dough, and sprinkle it with a little flour. Roll out any creases or crevices and roll it out a couple of inches bigger than the pan. (Rolling it out a bit will help it cook more evenly, so do this anyway, even if it fits, right out of the package.)
- Assemble. Place the puff pastry over the top of the pan, folding up the corners. Cut a few slits for venting. Brush with olive oil, or if not vegan, use an egg wash.
- Bake on the middle rack at 400F for 20 minutes, then lower heat to 350F, and bake 10 more minutes until beautifully golden.
Notes
TIPS: To add a bit more umami or depth, stir in a little miso paste (1 teaspoon) into the warm broth, before adding to pan ( or add an 1/2 extra bouillon cube or bouillon paste.)
If you forgot to thaw your puff pastry ahead, you can thaw in a microwave, 15 seconds at a time ( turning it over) until softened and unrolls easily. If you overshoot, and it’s too soft, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm it up. You want it thawed, but still cold.
Pans: I used a 9 ½ inch cast iron skillet. Feel free to use an oven proof skillet, enamel skillet, 9-10 inch braiser, 9-10 round inch baking dish (or equivalent square or rectangle). You basically want to use a baking pan/dish where the filling reaches the top or very close to the top, or even slightly over the top (mound in the middle) so the puff pastry lays level or even slightly mounded. Place over a sheet pan to catch juices!
See post for other additions and substitutions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 449.5 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.2 g
- Fiber: 7.4 g
- Protein: 7.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This pot pie was a welcome change to the normal chicken one we usually have. It was so savory and delicious. I used oat milk and rosemary and added a random potato I had rolling around. This will be a wonderful dish for the holidays or just on a snowy night.
Great to hear Sarah! Appreciate hearing your process.
I made this over the weekend and I was so excited for it! Everything came together nicely – the stuffing tasted so good! I followed the baking directions but unfortunately, the pastry took extra long to brown which dried out the stuffing inside. I’m not giving up though! Will make again and try more milk and maybe not drop the oven to 350 after 20 min? Or maybe my oven isn’t working properly!
Hi Aimee, thanks for the feedback. What size pan did you use, and did you roll out the pastry a little before placing it over top? Did you add slits? Just curious! This one usually works for me, just wondering what the variable is here!
I ended up buying the Lodge pan that you had linked in the recipe, and yes I did slit it. I did not roll it out because it already over lapped but now I realize that was most likely the issue! Thanks – I will try it again and report back!
Ok thanks for sharing. What size lodge pan is it?
It was the Lodge 3.6 quart pan you had linked to Amazon in the recipe
Ok great! Did the filling come close to the top?
I made this a second time and I definitely added more liquid which helped it not be so dry but the cook time was still an issue. I followed your directions, 400 for 20 min then 10 min at 350. It probably went about 10 min at 350 and then I hit broil and 3 min later it browned perfectly! It was SO good!!
So glad it worked out Aimee!
Yum !and Im not vegan.
Thanks
Glad you enjoyed!
I’ve made this a million times and it’s my favorite, I am wondering can I make it a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge BEFORE baking it?
You can definitely make the filling ahead. I would get the pastry ready on a separate pan and put it on just before baking.
Isn’t puff pastry’s main ingredient butter ?
You can find some made with palm oil, shortening or coconut oil.
This was delicious!! I made a few variations based on what I had on hand. I used sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash, rosemary and thyme, and instead of puff pastry, I took a frozen pie crust, thawed it, and plopped it upside down on top of the cast iron skillet that had the filling in it. It worked, though I am sure puff pastry would have been better. I also used green lentils but I do love black lentils- the texture is less mushy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sounds great Hilary! Thanks for the helpful review. 🙂