Chef Linda
Linda Soper-Kolton, Chef, came to the Sanctuary as a guest chef to share her love of compassionate cooking in our then-fledgling culinary program. Lured by the magic of the Sanctuary, her love of animals and the urgency of our mission, Linda stayed on to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food.
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Pumpkin Pot Pie
By Chef Linda
Do you love the idea of something rich, creamy, and comforting when the weather gets cooler? This Pumpkin Pot Pie is full of hearty vegetables and flavors and topped with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit that's a snap to make.
Let's talk about the topping. Pot pie isn't pot pie without a delicious, over-the-top crust, right? Instead of store-bought crust (though that's fine, too), we're using a recipe from the Minimalist Baker for "The Best Damn Vegan Biscuits". These can be made in advance and then placed on top and heated with the pot pie in the oven. Because they're biscuits, you can cut them into any size or shape you like. Oh, and make an extra batch of the biscuits. They really are the best damn vegan biscuits you'll ever have.
Whether you make one big casserole or portion servings into individual ramekins, our Pumpkin Pot Pie makes a beautiful and festive main dish for your vegan holiday table. The recipe can be made ahead and frozen to make the holiday meal prep easy–all you need to do is pop it in the oven before guests arrive and delight in the scents of the season wafting from the kitchen.
Ingredients
2 large waxy potatoes (like Yukon Gold), diced about 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups
2 cups diced pumpkin (or butternut squash or other winter squash)
2 cups celeriac, peeled and diced (or substitute parsnips, turnip, or rutabaga)
2 tbsp fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, minced, 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
Coarse salt
6 tbsp vegan butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped, about 1 cup
2 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 cup finely chopped kaleoptional
1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
5 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 batch "Best Damn Vegan Biscuits", un-baked (or substitute vegan store-bought, pie crust, or puff pastry)see link to the recipe for the biscuits above
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place potatoes, pumpkin, celeriac, thyme, and sage on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and roast for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are fork-tender. Halfway through cooking time, remove tray from oven and stir vegetables.
Place a large pot over medium heat and melt 4 tablespoons of the vegan butter. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add flour, nutritional yeast, and onion powder and stir. Stir in the broth and cook for several minutes, while stirring, until the mixture has thickened. The liquid should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it's not, whisk in another tablespoon of flour.
Add in the roasted vegetables and mix everything together.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegan butter. Divide the mixture evenly between the desired number of ramekins or a large rectangular casserole dish. Arrange unbaked biscuits on top, leaving a little space in between, and brush the tops of the biscuits with melted vegan butter. Set your casserole or ramekins on a baking sheet to catch the overflow and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pumpkin Pot Pie
8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 large waxy potatoes (like Yukon Gold), diced about 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups
2 cups diced pumpkin (or butternut squash or other winter squash)
2 cups celeriac, peeled and diced (or substitute parsnips, turnip, or rutabaga)
2 tbsp fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, minced, 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
Coarse salt
6 tbsp vegan butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped, about 1 cup
2 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 cup finely chopped kaleoptional
1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
5 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 batch "Best Damn Vegan Biscuits", un-baked (or substitute vegan store-bought, pie crust, or puff pastry)see link to the recipe for the biscuits above
DIRECTIONS
1
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place potatoes, pumpkin, celeriac, thyme, and sage on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and roast for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are fork-tender. Halfway through cooking time, remove tray from oven and stir vegetables.
Place a large pot over medium heat and melt 4 tablespoons of the vegan butter. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add flour, nutritional yeast, and onion powder and stir. Stir in the broth and cook for several minutes, while stirring, until the mixture has thickened. The liquid should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it's not, whisk in another tablespoon of flour.
Add in the roasted vegetables and mix everything together.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegan butter. Divide the mixture evenly between the desired number of ramekins or a large rectangular casserole dish. Arrange unbaked biscuits on top, leaving a little space in between, and brush the tops of the biscuits with melted vegan butter. Set your casserole or ramekins on a baking sheet to catch the overflow and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.