Vegetable Pot Pie

Lunch time? Fun time! Here’s how to make the most delicious vegetable pot pie in the world – creamy, filling and super healthy!

Whenever I think of comfort food, there are a few things that pop into my mind – casseroles, meatloaf, baked pasta dishes and, of course, a pot pie. If you ask me, I’d say that a pot pie is basically the very definition of comfort food.

What’s a pot pie? You might ask. Well, the answer is extremely simple: a pot pie is a mix of veggies and gravy, all topped with some flaky crust. Eh, I told you!

So what’s not to like here, after all? Crispy pastry. Creamy sauce. Yummy, healthy veggies. A pot pie combines the best things about a pie and a stew – all in the same oven dish. And for me, that rhymes with perfection! And today I want to teach you how to make the best vegan recipe for pot pie – a vegetable pot pie perfect for lunch.

I know, it may sound a bit boring at first if you think about it. After all, it’s just some pastry and some veggies, right? Nope, my friends! Everything about a pot pie is absolutely packed with flavor, from start to finish.

The crispy pastry adds a unique texture to the dish when you first crack through it with your spoon or fork. The sauce is creamy and herby and it perfectly complements the bubbly veggies. The end result is extremely filling, yummy and, to top it off, very easy to make as well. Heck, it’s as easy as A-B-C, you just need to throw your ingredients in a sauce, then in a pan, then in the oven. And that’s it!

Okay, so let’s talk about ‘veganizing’ this recipe for a bit. Yes, I made the sauce vegan by using vegan ingredients, of course – such as vegan butter and almond milk. And for the filling I used a plethora of flavorful veggies such as potatoes, carrots, peas and spinach as well. If you want an extra protein boost, you can add some tofu cubes or some vegan meat in here as well. I didn’t, but you do you and feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients!

What about the herbs and flavors? I used parsley, garlic cloves and onions because I like to keep things simple and classy. But you may want to add something else such as fresh thyme or rosemary. Nothing wrong here at all!

As for the pastry: you can either be adventurous and make your own in the kitchen (it’s quite simple and there are countless recipes on the web) or you can get store-bought pastry sheets. Just be sure to check that they’re vegan – most of them are, but it doesn’t hurt to double check!

Not convinced yet? Here’s a short list with the main reasons why I love this recipe:

• It’s fail-proof. Even a kid could make it with a little bit of guidance!

• It’s comfort food at its best.

• The ingredient list is flexible. Feel free to add, omit or replace any of the veggies and filling ingredients below.

• It lets you choose. You can either bake one big vegetable pot pie or several smaller ones – maybe in ramekin pots so they’ll be tiny and cute, why not?

These being said, whenever you have an hour to spare, you can get in the kitchen and bake this amazing vegetable pot pie. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner or, if you want to show your loved ones how much you care about them, you can even prepare it for a family meal. Everyone will be impressed, I assure you! And if you’re not following a vegan diet, you can even throw some of your favorite meats inside it – chicken works best, if you ask me.

I simply love cooking this vegetable pot pie in the winter. When the weather is chilly, maybe even rainy and all you want to do is sit inside under a blanked, a savory baked dish such as this one comes in perfectly to make your day ten times better. Don’t just take my word for it – bake it and see for yourself!

TIP #1: I know it’s hard, but please try and let the pot pie cool for a bit before slicing it. Let’s say 10 minutes will be enough, if you can take your hands off it for that long. Caution: the sauce will be BURNING!

TIP #2: Short on time? You can prepare the sauce-and-veggies-mix beforehand and store it in the fridge for later cooking. Up to 48 hours!

A perfect weekend recipe. The cure for a cold, rainy (or snowy) day. A delight for the senses. I hope I convinced you to try this amazing vegetable pot pie soon. And if you do, just like always, please don’t forget to come back here and tell me how it went. I’m so curious to find out!

Happy cooking and happy eating!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Lunch time? Fun time! Here’s how to make the most delicious vegetable pot pie in the world – creamy, filling and super healthy!

Prep time - 10 mins Cook time - 35 mins Total time - 45 mins Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 Pastry sheet (the store-bought ones are usualy already vegan, but double-check if you want this recipe to be 100% dairy free)

• 100g butter (use vegan if you want)

• 2 Tbsp flour

• 1 cup veggie broth or water

• 2 cups almond milk

• 2 tsp dijon mustard

• 2 medium potatoes, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 medium carrots, chopped

• ½ cup frozen peas

• ½ cup frozen spinach

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

• Salt

• Pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter, sprinkle the flour and mix to form a paste.

2. Add the milk, veggie broth or water and mustard. Mix until no more lumps.

3. Once simmering, add the garlic, carrots and potatoes.

4. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the peas and spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Take off heat, add the green onion and parsley, mix well.

7. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and cover with pastry dough.

8. Cook for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees C.

Taco vegan

Try this simple vegan taco recipe with a "meaty" filling! It will be difficult for you to tell the difference between the original taco recipe, with meat, and this one!

I started the week with a recipe without Italian inspiration, as I was used to until now. I'm still in Milan, but I realized that I have a lot of older recipes waiting to be posted on the blog! I've been cooking non-stop since I moved here, so I hope to have time to post more and more often and show you what delicious dishes I have prepared. I experimented a lot and I discovered some wonderful recipes! 🙂 This recipe was inspired by the Mexican taco recipe, the one with beef. I wanted to veganize it, but to get as close as possible to the original taste. I say it worked out for me! All you have to do is test it and tell me! This vegan taco recipe was supposed to be posted last month, as part of the campaign with healthy, gluten-free sandwiches, created for Schar Romania. I didn't have time, so I'm posting it now! If you are looking for vegan sandwich ideas, then take a look at these recipes: Grilled Mushroom Sandwich, Grilled Egg Sandwich and Vegan BLT Sandwich.

P.S. What other recipes would you like to see on the blog? Leave me a comment below! 🙂

Taco vegan

Prep time - 15 mins

Cook time - 20 mins

Total time - 35 mins

Serves - 6

Try this simple vegan taco recipe with a "meaty" filling! It will be difficult for you to tell the difference between the original taco recipe, with meat, and this one!

Ingredients

• Vegan "minced meat":

• 100g textured soy, granules

• 4 tablespoons sweet corn

• 1 small onion

• 1 red pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon chemistry

• salt and ground pepper to taste

Assemble vegan taco:

• gluten-free glue from Schar (or taco glue from corn)

• 1 avocado copt, feliat

• tomato slices

• salad

• Salsa

• 2 ripe tomatoes

• 1 green onion

• 1 Spoon patrol

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water and wait for it to boil. When it boils, turn off the heat and add the soybeans. Cover the pan with a lid and let it soak for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, red pepper, garlic and put them in a bowl.

3. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and add the ingredients from the bowl, plus the sweet corn and spices. Saute for 5 minutes.

4. Add the soybeans and leave them on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.

5. Prepare the sauce. Add all the salsa ingredients in the blender and process them.

Prepare taco vegan astel:

1. Spread a tablespoon of salsa on each stick, add a few slices of tomato, avocado and salad, plus 2-3 generous tablespoons of vegan "minced meat".

2. You can eat them as they are, or you can put them in the oven for 3-4 minutes to become crispier.

Taco Soup

This easy taco soup recipe can be made in 30 minutes on the stove top, Instant Pot, or slow cooked in the Crock Pot for a healthy Mexican-inspired, make-ahead, one-bowl meal.

Easy Taco Soup

In the words of Rachel Ray, this easy taco soup eats more like a “stoup”, aka stew meets soup. It’s hearty, healthy, totally flavorful, not overly brothy, and once you’ve emptied your bowl you feel like you’ve actually eaten a meal. And all those taco toppings seal the Mexican dinner deal.

We all have different cooking styles and different needs. Fast. Slow. Later. That’s why I’m giving you this recipe with 3 sets of directions. This is how you do dinner fast. Or if you prefer, do it slow. Crock Pot. Instant Pot. Just one pot. You choose. It’s perfect for fast weeknight eats, make-ahead party feasts, or double it and freeze half for later meal-planning feats.

Beans, ground beef, and spicy tomatoes give this soup the same signature flavor as my mother-in-law’s homemade Taco Bell Tacos, but unlike a lot of taco soup recipes on the web, I skip the ranch dressing packet flavoring (I prefer to top with real sour cream at the end) and the taco seasoning packet and use real food Mexican spices instead.

What’s In This Easy Taco Soup

I grew up with a dad who always had back-ups. And back-ups for back-ups. I’ve become my stock-the-pantry dad with cans of tuna fish and packages of pasta and bottles of hot sauce stacking my shelves. When it comes to making meals on the fly, it’s a relief to know I can head to the cupboard and freezer turn nothing into something because I have just about everything already on hand.

Here’s what’s in this taco soup recipe:

• Ground beef. I use 85% ground chuck or 90% lean ground sirloin

• Yellow onion

• Tomato paste

• Canned tomatoes with green chiles

• Black beans (canned)

• Chili beans (canned)

• Frozen corn kernels (or canned work too)

• Ground chile powder, cumin, and garlic powder

• Kosher salt

How to Make Taco Soup

The ingredient list remains the same whether you make this soup on the stove top, in the Crock Pot, or in the Instant Pot. The only variance will be how much water you add to the soup (less liquid for IP and slow cooker since the steam doesn’t escape), and when to transfer ingredients to the other cooking vessel. To make this recipe in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, scroll down for instructions below. To start, I use 85% lean ground beef. Feel free to use a leaner meat if you like. I like the flavor the extra bit of fat imparts. Brown the beef on the stove top (or SAUTÉ in the Instant Pot), then add the onions to soften. Add tomato paste adds depth, a bit of acid, and umami to this soup. I keep a squeeze tube of tomato paste in my fridge for small additions to recipes like this. Cook it for a minute or two with the onions and ground beef to take away the raw flavor and sweeten it’s flavor just a bit more. Use canned chlle spiced tomatoes. I used two varieties of canned Rotel tomatoes in this soup, one mild and one spicy to get that medium chile heat. Rinse and drain the black beans before adding to your soup. To keep the broth red and clear, rinse the juice away from the beans which will muddie the broth. The chili beans are fine to add with their juice.

Taco Soup Toppings

Just like any taco, the toppings are the best part of the dish, and how everyone can make this soup their own.

To serve, set out a variety of toppings in small bowls and let everyone help themselves. Word to the wise, always have more cheese than you think you’ll need. Because what taco doesn’t love cheese?

• Tortilla chips

• Shredded cheese or crumbled Mexican cotija

• Chunky guacamole or diced avocado (here’s how to ripen avocados perfectly)

• Chopped onion or quick pickled onions

• Sour cream, Mexican crema, or plain Greek yogurt

• Cilantro

• Lime wedges

• Chopped jalapeño

How to Make Crock Pot Taco Soup

To make Crock Pot Taco Soup: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking into smaller chunks, until no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, and kosher salt, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker and add the tomatoes, black beans, chili beans, corn, and spices and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups water. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste for seasoning and top with your favorite taco toppings before serving.

How to Make Instant Pot Taco Soup

To make Instant Pot Taco Soup: Sauté the ground beef, onions, and tomato paste in the insert of the Instant Pot. Add the spice seasonings and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, corn, and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Lock the lid into place and seal. Set to Pressure Cook for 8 minutes. Allow the soup to Naturally Release for 15 minutes, then Quick Release the pressure valve with the handle of a wooden spoon until the soup has vented all the way. Stir, taste for seasoning, garnish and serve.

What to Eat With Taco Soup

This soup is all about the toppings:

• Skillet Cornbread

• 5-ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

• Quick Pickled Onions

• Easy Mexican Coleslaw Recipe

How Long Is Taco Soup Good For?

This soup can be made ahead of time or frozen for later. It’s good for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, or freeze in freezer safe ziploc bags for up to 2 months.

Easy Taco Soup (Stove Top, Instant Pot or Crock Pot)

With most of the ingredients already in your pantry, this easy ground beef taco soup takes just 30 minutes to make on the stove top, or prep and cook in the slow cooker for later.

Course Soup Cuisine Mexican Keyword taco soup

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 Calories 156 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 10-ounce cans Mexican flavor diced tomatoes with green chiles

• 1 15-ounce can black beans , rinsed and drained

• 1 15-ounce can chili beans with juice

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

• 4 cups water

• Shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, chopped onion, sour cream, and lime for serving

Instructions

To Make On the Stove Top

1. In a large stock pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking into smaller chunks, until no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, and kosher salt, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chili beans, and corn. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you like a thicker soup, cook longer to thicken. Garnish with your favorite taco toppings and serve.

To Make In the Crock Pot Slow Cooker

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking into smaller chunks, until no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, and kosher salt, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker and add the tomatoes, black beans, chili beans, corn, and spices and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups water. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste for seasoning and top with your favorite taco toppings before serving.

To Make In the Instant Pot

1. Sauté the ground beef, onions, and tomato paste in the insert of the Instant Pot. Add the spice seasonings and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, corn, and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Lock the lid into place and seal. Set to Pressure Cook for 8 minutes. Allow the soup to Naturally Release for 15 minutes, then Quick Release the pressure valve with the handle of a wooden spoon until the soup has vented all the way. Stir, taste for seasoning, garnish and serve.

Recipe Notes This soup can be frozen for up to 2 months.