It’s getting to be that time of year (at least, in Oregon) when temperatures drop and the days become shorter. I start craving comfort food and sweatpants like no other. This is just the recipe for such an occasion.
If you’ve followed our blog for a while, chances are you’ve tried our 1-Hour Vegan Pot Pies, or the Fall Pot Pies.
While I still love both of these recipes, when I spied a white bean pot pie in Top With Cinnamon’s cookbook, I felt inspired to create a vegan version.
This recipe is easy to make, requiring just 10 ingredients and simple methods! Plus, it all comes together in a little over 1 hour.
I hope you guys love these pot pies! They’re:
Savory
Comforting
Warm
Veggie-filled
Satisfying
& Seriously delicious
I’ve officially made this recipe four times since testing it for the blog. It’s that good! The white bean filling gets bubbly and warm in the oven, and the pie crust creates the perfect flaky topping. The combination of the two textures is downright swoon-worthy.
This recipe would be great for the holidays, or to satisfy comfort food-cravings this winter. It’s especially great for hosting, as it’s sure to please mixed crowds of vegans and meat eaters alike.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Thyme & White Bean Pot Pies
Ingredients
FILLING
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced
- Salt + Pepper (to taste)
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional // or sub more vegetable broth)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (DIY or store-bought)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (chopped // or sub 1 tsp dried per 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (rinsed and drained)
CRUST
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or gluten-free)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 10 Tbsp cold vegan butter (or sub room temperature coconut oil*)
- 4-7 Tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and arrange 6 ramekins on a baking sheet (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering default number of servings). Set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper and stir. Sauté until soft and translucent – 4-5 minutes.
- Add carrots and season with a pinch more salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes, then add flour and stir well to thoroughly coat.
- Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add white wine (optional) followed by vegetable broth, whisking to prevent clumps.
- Add thyme and white beans and bring the mixture to a simmer. Then lower heat to low and simmer for a few minutes. Cover and remove from heat while preparing crust.
- To prepare pie crust, add flour and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Next add vegan butter (or coconut oil) and use a pastry cutter (or fork) to cut the two together, until it resembles wet sand – about 30-45 seconds.
- Add ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and use a wooden spoon to gently mix. Add only as much water as needed to help it come together and form a dough – about 4-6 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Use your hands to gently knead/form the dough in the bowl and gather any loose scraps. Then transfer directly to a well-floured surface and form into a disc with your hands.
- Lightly flour the top of the dough, as well as a rolling pin, and gently roll out until about 1/8-inch thick. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into 6 large squares slightly larger than the size of your ramekins (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering default number of servings).
- At this time, scoop the white bean filling into the ramekins until almost entirely full (reserve any leftovers to enjoy as soup or future pot pies).
- Use a lightly floured spatula to scoop each pie crust square onto a ramekin. Repeat until all ramekins are covered. Use a knife or toothpick to create small holes in the top of the pie crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake pot pies for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the pie crust is golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until completely warmed through.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated using all of the crust and filling.
*Recipe adapted from Top With Cinnamon’s Cookbook.
CB says
This recipe was fantastic! Added white mushrooms, peas, and garlic, but kept everything else the same. Used a casserole dish instread of ramekins, but still worked out perfectly. Even our 10 year old twins loved it. Will definitely be making again! Thank you!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Moli says
Delightful and cozy comfort food! I think next time I might replace half the carrots with mushrooms or greens to make it a bit earthier — but then again, the carrots’ sweetness balance out the creamy earthiness of the beans, so maybe I should just stick with it as written. :D
Overall an excellent addition to my collection, and one I look forward to playing with on repeat in future. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Moli. Thank you for sharing! xo
Christel says
I’m planning on making this recipe soon and I’m wondering about the amount of butter in the crust. Is it really 10tbl for 1 1/2 cup flour? My usual pie crust recipe is much less than that.
Hi Christel! Yes, the amounts are correct. We hope you enjoy it!
Anne-Marie McMahon says
I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did, b/c the recipe seemed very simple – but it was really excellent. I made it in a pie dish and covered it with a sheet of puff pastry, baked it over a baking sheet on a lower rung as it bubbled over, crumbled in two organic chicken sausages (that I needed to get rid of) before sauteeing the onions and it worked (although it wouldn’t have been necessary at all, the flavor was great). I had a lot of nutritious carrot peels which I popped in the freezer in order to make veggie broth later (this is a good trick with the good parts of veggies you would otherwise compost). I appreciate that thyme is used, which is the only herb still growing strong in the garden in the winter, when this pie will be made often! Great seasonal choice.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Anne-Marie! Thanks so much for sharing your modifications as well!
Christy says
What size ramekins should I use?
Hi Christy, we used 3-inch ramekins. But this recipe is flexible, so just use whatever you have and adjust the baking time and size of pie crust as needed!
CW says
I added some frozen chopped green beans I had on hand and used premade frozen puff pastry dough, and it turned out great! I made it for a dinner with friends (many who are not vegetarian) and received good reviews :)
Amazing! We’re so glad they were a hit at your dinner party. Thank you for sharing! xo
Amy says
This one is a keeper! I made this dish twice. The second time I made it I added mixed frozen veggies for more variety. Fabulous and perfect for the cold weather.
Lovely! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Amy. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jacqui says
I have made this many times & love it ~ however I am wondering if anyone has ever made it with a pie crust on the bottom & top?
Hi Jacqui, another reader reported doing that with success!
Mel says
Do you think you could make the filling 2 full days in advance?
Yes, that should be fine!
Susan says
Could you make and assemble the day before, then pop in the oven to bake before serving the following day?
Hi Susan, You could either make them and just reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C ) oven until completely warmed through. Or, you could try making the filling and dough, keeping them separate and refrigerated until the next day and then assembling and baking. Hope this helps!
Karen says
YUM! This recipe is awesome! I added garlic and mushrooms and it was such a perfect winter meal. I made mine in a large pie dish instead of individual ramekins and the cook time was still the same. So good!! Already ready to make this again!
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Karen!
Yvonne Delahunt says
Absolutely delicious!!!! I have made this twice in the past 2 weeks it is that wonderful a recipe! I did follow your recipe as written and added a few extra ingredients: a few cloves of fresh garlic (chopped), half a cup of TVP and some frozen peas. The first time I made it in 6 individual ramekins. The second in 2 small square casserole dishes.
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Yvonne!
Laura Z says
Can the dough be made and refrigerated for a couple of days?
We haven’t tried it but that should work, yes!
Inbal Benami Fershtat says
Thank you! Do you think any gf flour can work here?
We think that could work! We suggest using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend here.
Michelle says
Greetings. I made this recipe last night for our Christmas Eve meal. My son and his girlfriend are vegan which pushes us to try new recipes. This was a delicious meal. I added small cauliflower florets and a little bit of spinach.Also it was very easy to prepare the veggie filling in the morning and just assembly later with the dough so I could relax beforehand. I served it with your Roasted Squash and Shallot salad. Everyone loved everything! Thank you.
Yum, dinner at your house sounds like the place to be =) We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Michelle! xo
Inbal says
As always incredible recipes, thank you! I wanted to make this in a 6 cup Pyrex dish vs individual ramekins. How would I do with the crust?
Hi Inbal, we haven’t tried this recipe as a large pie but we think you could just roll out the top crust and cover the pie with it! Hope this helps. xo
Karen says
Hi Inbal! I made this in a single pie dish and rolled the crust over the top and it fit perfectly. Vented it and cooked for 35 minutes and it was perfect :)
Dee says
Can you make just one large pot pie
Yes! Other readers have reported doing so with success.
JL says
This was wonderful. I used less carrots, added mushrooms and chopped kale a bit of butter and extra thyme. Mine filled 4 12 OZ ramekins.
I refrigerated veg and dough in morning. Heated veg on stove while rolling out dough. baked for 30 minutes.
If you used store bought dough or puff pastry it would be super easy. Dough always a little fussy.
We are vegetarian but not vegan so I used butter.
Thank you for sharing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Nicole Madsen says
Hi! I’ve got 6oz ramequins, how can I adjust the recipe to make enough for a set of 8? It’s my first time making anything in a ramequin haha.
Hi Nicole, that size should work well if you evenly divide the filling!
Loren Gebo says
This is a winter weeknight favorite of ours. We have a big gang here, so I always just make one pot pie out of convenience. It is totally delicious and if we have extra time, we will add different/more veggies to it. This is a recipe that is a lot of bang for your buck- simple, but so good and filling.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Loren. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Angie says
I used pinto beans instead (all I had on hand) and it came out delicious!!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Angie!
Angie says
Can I use pinto beans instead of white beans?
Hi Angie, that should work, yes! The flavor and texture will be slightly different.
Angelyn says
I’d love to see a video of this one!!
Thanks for letting us know, Angelyn! We’ll add it to our requests list.
Angie says
Can I use pinto beans or chickpeas instead of white beans?
That should work, yes!
Maureen says
Approximately what size are these servings/ramekins? One cup?
Yes, ~1 cup!
Shelby Addison says
Hi could I make veggies in instapot? With the flour mixed in? Thank you!
Hmm, good question! We aren’t sure if it would thicken properly, but it might work!
Savannah says
I have a follow-on question regarding the ramekins’ size. I was wondering which out of the two following options you would recommend: 3.1 inch (2.5 oz) or 3.7 inch (4 oz)? (these are the Sweese’s Brand ones).
Hi Savannah, we’d suggest the 3.1 inch (2.5 oz). Hope that helps!
Janelle says
Another MB hit in our house! I don’t do individual servings but use 10″ deep pie dishes. Other than that, I follow the recipe exactly and even for a large family it is so worth all the carrot chopping and crust making!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it, Janelle! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Barbara says
I made the filling in advance and tomorrow will bake. I bought premade puff pastry. The ramekins I have are too small so my plan is to bake in a casserole dish. Do I roll out the pastry or not?
Hi Barbara! We haven’t tried this in a casserole dish so we cannot guarantee results, but you’ll want enough pastry to cover the whole casserole, so you may need to roll it out if it isn’t already big enough! Let us know how it goes!
Amelia says
Hi! I really want to try this recipe but I don’t want to make the crust from scratch. Should I buy puff pastry or pie crust for the top? (I’m not vegan so store bought is fine.) Thank yoU! :)
Either one would work!
Rebecca S. says
What size of ramekin is used for this recipe? I have multiple sizes and would like to know what size so I can make sure to use the right ones or adjust the recipe if mine are bigger or smaller.
Hi Rebecca, we used 3-inch ramekins. Hope that helps!
Tina says
If making ahead, would you recommend just making the filling mixture and then adding the crust (will probably used store bought) and reheating before serving? Yes
Hi Tina, You could either make them and just reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C ) oven until completely warmed through. Or, you could try making the filling and dough, keeping them separate and refrigerated until the next day and then assembling and baking. Hope this helps!
Robjn says
This is a great recipe! My family loves it. The second time I made it I used a mix of carrots, celery, parsnips and mushrooms in the filling. So good! Thank you so much. It’s a warm, comforting cozy fall dinner that is vegan and pretty healthy! Love your recipes.
Love it! So glad you all enjoy it so much. Thanks for the lovely review, Robin!
Maddie H says
Loved it!
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Maddie! xo
Celia says
Wellp, after this recipe pot pies are my new thing. It was SO YUMMY! The crust was surprisingly quick and easy to bring together making for a flaky and delicious counter to the rich filling.
My alterations – Added 4 ribs of chopped celery, sake instead of wine, doubled the dried thyme, used dried/soaked beans (required about 45 minutes of simmering), added quite a bit of salt to reach bold flavor, used real butter for crust.
It was abbbsolutely a hit. I’m so glad I have leftovers. Next time I’ll probably cook down some mushrooms at the beginning to add umami.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Celia. Love your modifications too. Thanks for sharing! xo
Kaeru_f00die says
This is delicious exactly as is! Makes great leftovers too! Is the pie crust/biscuit topping freezeable if I were to I make extra?
We’re so glad you enjoy it! The pie crust should freeze well.
Victoria Oviedo says
I’m impressed and I don’t say that about many recipes. This is a delicious recipe. Easy and fairly quick to put together and tastes great! I served this for with cornbread dressing and peas with pearl onions on the side. This pot pie impressive served in individual ramekins or you could make one larger pot pie in a casserole dish. You could also simply serve the filling over mashed potatoes if you didn’t have time to finish the pot pie. I will be making this recipe again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Victoria! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
gabriele says
do you think i can use this crust for sweet recipes?
That should work! If you prefer a sweeter crust, you could add a little cane sugar. Hope that helps!
Erin says
Loved this recipe. It was delightfully simple to make and turned out great. My meat loving husband even enjoyed it and he typically refuses anything vegan. We had these for Thanksgiving but would make for a weeknight meal as well.
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Erin! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Georgie says
ended up doing the full recipe in one pot because I don’t have many ramekins and it turned out super! I left spaces between the crust when I put it on top, and it worked perfectly.
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Georgie!
Sara says
Delicious!! I used a premade gf curst and just threw it on top and even yet it was so good. Absolutely will be a “make again”.
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sara!
Karla Sypsa says
Recipe seems great.
I am wondering if I could use store-brought puff pastry instead of making my own?
We are not vegan, just trying to eat less meat so still able to use story bought pastries.
Sure!
Amy says
My 3 year old and I made this together for dinner tonight. Replaced just under half the carrots with celery. Insanely delicious . Made it in casserole dish and had excess pastry left so cooked it separately and the kids had it with honey for a snack. It’s all good! Thanks Dana X
Yum- love that dessert pastry idea! Thanks so much for sharing, Amy!
Juliana says
I am nine and me and my mom made these for dinner. Everyone in my family loved them especially my sister. I liked the taste of the mix inside. I mixed the crust with the mixer and it tasted delicious! We used garbanzo beans instead of white beans and we subbed vegetable broth for the white wine.
Great job, Juliana! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Rachel says
I made this recipe with my 3 year old today – we used some leftover store bought puff pastry I’d been trying to get rid of instead of making our own. It was so easy and delicious. The only changes I made – I let the filling simmer to soften the carrots longer on the stove and then put the pies in the oven for only 15 mins so the store bought pastry wouldn’t burn.
Next time I make this recipe, I think I’ll add celery and mushrooms.
Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Caroline says
I made this! It was so good.
I added more flour to the carrot & bean mix. I wanted it thicker. It made so much! Perfect
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Caroline!
Michele H says
I made this according to the recipe with the exceptions of using cooked navy beans (from dried) and using a 9×13 pan with the pastry laid out in strips instead of the ramekins. We are not vegetarians, so also used chicken broth and regular butter. Even my 82 year old mom enjoyed this — and she’s one that believes she hasn’t eaten if meat is not part of the meal. This recipe is a keeper and would be great to serve when you know that you are serving meat eaters and vegetarians as it will appeal to both groups.
Lynne says
I did add some peas for color but this really was delicious. Very hearty and satisfying, something I would feel totally comfortable serving to company. I made the crust with coconut oil – easy easy and turned out great. Thank you!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed, Lynne. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
gabriele says
hi. i did this recipe for a special vegan dinner with my parents and they loved !
the crust its perfect and easy to work (i used less coconut oil), too buttery.
the filling i used carrots and chickpea. for sure i will make again. thanks!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gabriele. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Sonya says
Can this be done gluten free?
We think that would work! We would recommend using a gluten-free all purpose flour blend.
LIZ says
I have been making these for years and they are excellent!!! I make them and freeze the left overs in the ramikins. Don’t get fooled into thinking you can use frozen veges because it just gets soggy if you choose to freeze them. Five stars for sure!
xoxo! Thank you!
Rachel S says
This was absolutely fantastic! I read a few comments… if you can’t get the crust brown, spray or brush some oil on the top at the end and hit it with the broiler for two minutes. My crust came out crispy and flakey on the outside, layered and soft in the middle. It was perfect! Great recipe
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rachel! Thanks for sharing! xo
Frances says
I LOVE this recipe!! Super simple and so flavorful! mouthwatering! I used whole wheat flour, turned out divine. The first time I made this my boyfriend & I ate the whole thing! Second time around I added potatoes to increase heartiness! Next time I will add peas as I see in the other comments. Very satisfying.
Thank you Minimalist Baker!
Thanks so much for sharing, Frances! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! xo
Shannon says
I just took this out of the oven and it is beautiful and delicious! Your recipes are an endless source if inspiration for me and they always turn out perfectly! Thank you :)
Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Shannon! xo
Bea says
This was so delicious! I added peas to mine. I also made a bit more crust so I was able to have a layer covering the bottom of the dish and completely covering the top. So good
So glad you enjoyed it, Bea! Thanks for sharing! xo
Phyllis says
Amazing taste! Altho I did break one of the ceramic pans I chose to bake them in!!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Phyllis. Sorry to hear the pan broke, but we are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
jackie says
Made these pies on easter sunday for a vegan friend. I have to say that they came out great the flavour was amazing . The pastry was so tasty so all in all a great recipe. This is definitely a keeper and will be making again.
Thanks
Sussanna says
Hi, Is 10TBS vegan butter the right amount for the crust? It seems like an awful lot so I just wanted to check before I make it for Christmas dinner tomorrow! Thank you!
Jonni says
Any way to make this without a Ramekins?
Sure! Just bake in an 8×8 dish.
shar lynn says
I went to a Christmas party last night and my friend served this pot pie — it was soooooo delicious and looked attractive in the ramekins. I have printed a copy to share with my veggie granddaughter and I will definitely make it for myself !!
Penny says
Amazing! My new favourite. I added some green peas and used a little vegan butter on top of the crust to help with browning. I recommend using the white wine as it adds such a nice crisp tone.
Claudia Langevin says
What would you recommend if I do not want to make the crust, is there a store bought version you have tried? I’m vegetarian and the crust can have egg!
You could use a store-bought puff pastry, which most grocery stores carry in the frozen section!
Karon Davis says
Hi Dana,
Absolutely love your stuff !
What size are your Ramekins ?
I’d love to buy some , to try these in.
Thank you Again !!!
Merry Christmas
The Davis Fam ….
Hi Karon! They are about 3 inches wide on the bottom. But this recipe is flexible, so just use whatever you have and adjust the baking time and size of pie crust as needed!