Looking to try out a new vegan recipe to warm you up this fall? Check out these hearty Vegetable Bean Pot Pies from the cookbook “The First Mess” by Laura Wright! Instead of the traditional pastry crust, this recipe substitutes in thinly sliced potatoes as the topping, which makes this recipe a little easier to make, but just as tasty to eat!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1 medium yellow onion, small dice

  • 1 medium carrot, small dice

  • 1 stalk celery, small dice

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) minced fresh rosemary (about 1 sprig)

  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) tomato paste

  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) cooked white beans, such as navy, cannellini, or butter beans

  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) dry white wine

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) whole spelt flour

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) vegetable stock

  • 1 medium sweet potato or 6 to 7 mini new potatoes, thinly sliced, or a mixture

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 5 ramekins or ovenproof dishes with 1 cup (250 mL) capacity on a baking sheet and set aside.

  2. Heat half of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until the onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and tomato paste and stir. Add the zucchini and white beans to the pot. Stir to combine. Pour in the white wine, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Season the stew with salt and pepper.

  3. Sprinkle the spelt flour over the vegetables and beans. Stir until the flour is moistened and is starting to get slightly pasty. Pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

  4. Divide the stew among the ramekins. Arrange sweet potato slices on top of the ramekins in a fan or layered patter. This will form the top crust. Gently brush the sweet potato slices with the remaining oil. Season the crusts with salt and pepper.

  5. Slide the pot pies into the oven, and bake until the filling is bubbling and the sweet potato slices are tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes.

  6. Serve the pot pies hot.

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