Ultimate Vegan Thanksgiving Pot Pie

Thanksgiving leftovers are great, but sometimes I want that cozy holiday feeling without waiting for the actual day to roll around. And let’s be honest, not everyone at the table eats turkey anymore. My daughter went vegan last year, and I’ve been finding ways to make our favorite comfort foods work for everyone.

That’s where this pot pie comes in. It’s got all those warm, savory flavors you want when the weather turns cold, but it’s completely plant-based. I load it up with vegetables, herbs, and a creamy sauce that even my meat-loving husband goes back for seconds on. The best part? You can make the filling ahead and just pop on the crust when you’re ready to bake.

Want something that feels fancy but comes together easy? This is it. It’s become our go-to for casual dinners and potlucks alike.

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What Kind of Vegan Chick’n Should I Use?

You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to vegan chick’n for this pot pie. Store-bought brands like Gardein, Beyond Meat, or Daring work great and save you time since they’re already seasoned and ready to go. If you prefer a more budget-friendly option, you can use extra-firm tofu that’s been pressed, cubed, and lightly seasoned with poultry seasoning or nutritional yeast. Tempeh is another solid choice if you like a nuttier flavor and firmer texture. Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s cooked and cooled before adding it to the filling so it doesn’t release excess moisture into your pot pie.

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Options for Substitutions

This pot pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Vegan chick’n pieces: If you can’t find vegan chicken, try using chickpeas, white beans, or cubed firm tofu instead. You can also use chopped mushrooms for a meatier texture – just sauté them first to remove excess moisture.
• Vegan heavy cream: No vegan cream on hand? Mix 2/3 cup of full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream as a substitute. You can also use plain unsweetened plant milk, though the filling won’t be quite as rich.
• Vegan butter: Coconut oil or regular vegetable oil works in place of vegan butter, though you might lose a bit of that buttery flavor. Use the same amount.
• Vegetables: Feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you like – green beans, corn, diced potatoes, or parsnips all work great. Just keep the total amount of veggies around 3-4 cups.
• Vegan stuffing: If you don’t want to make stuffing, you can top the pie with a second pie crust, puff pastry, or even biscuit dough. Just adjust baking time as needed for the topping to cook through.
• All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in the same amount for the roux.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pot pie is creating a roux that’s too thin or too thick – cook your vegan butter and flour mixture for about 2-3 minutes until it’s golden and smells slightly nutty, then add your liquids slowly while whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Another common error is adding the stuffing topping too early or packing it down too tightly, which can result in a soggy bottom crust – spread the stuffing loosely on top just before baking and consider placing a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.

Don’t skip the step of letting your filling cool slightly before assembling, as pouring hot filling directly onto the crust can make it soggy and difficult to work with.

Finally, if your crust edges are browning too quickly, cover them with foil strips halfway through baking to ensure the filling cooks through while keeping the crust perfectly golden rather than burnt.

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What to Serve With Vegan Pot Pie?

This pot pie is already pretty hearty with all the veggies and stuffing on top, so I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the creamy filling perfectly, or you could go with roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with a little balsamic glaze. Cranberry sauce is another great option since it adds a sweet-tart contrast that feels right at home with the Thanksgiving flavors in this dish. If you want something even easier, steamed green beans with a squeeze of lemon juice work really well too.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover pot pie covered with foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days. The stuffing topping might lose a bit of its crunch, but the flavors actually get even better as everything sits together.

Freeze: This pot pie freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. You can freeze the whole thing or cut it into individual portions for easier reheating later.

Reheat: Warm it up in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. If you want the stuffing topping to crisp up again, remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 120-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

For the crust and toppings:

• 2-3 cups vegan stuffing
• 1 (9-10 inch) vegan pie crust

For the filling:

• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups vegan chicken pieces, cooked
• 2/3 cup vegan heavy cream (makes it extra creamy)
• 6 tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
• 1 1/2 cups vegan vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur works best)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 medium carrots, sliced

Step 1: Prepare the Vegan Stuffing and Pie Crust

• 2-3 cups vegan stuffing
• 1 (9-10 inch) vegan pie crust

If using a store-bought vegan pie crust, you may use it directly from frozen.

If homemade, ensure it’s well chilled.

Prepare the vegan stuffing according to package directions or your recipe; let it cool completely before using.

Step 2: Cook the Vegan Chicken Pieces

• 2 cups vegan chicken pieces, cooked

Cook the vegan chicken pieces until heated through and lightly browned, either by air frying or pan frying.

Season lightly if you wish.

Set the cooked pieces aside for later use.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables and Build the Filling Base

• 6 tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)

Melt the vegan butter in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, sliced celery, and sliced carrots, cooking until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Add the minced garlic, dried thyme leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Cook for another minute to let the flavors meld.

Step 4: Make and Thicken the Filling

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur works best)
• 1 1/2 cups vegan vegetable broth
• 2/3 cup vegan heavy cream (makes it extra creamy)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• cooked vegan chicken pieces from Step 2

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the pan, stirring to coat the vegetables well.

Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.

Gradually add the vegan vegetable broth, stirring constantly.

Once combined and thickened, pour in the vegan heavy cream and toss in the frozen peas.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the filling is thick.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Stir in the cooked vegan chicken pieces from Step 2.

Let the filling cool slightly before assembling the pie.

I like to taste the filling at this point and add a touch more pepper for a little extra zip.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Pie

• prepared vegan pie crust from Step 1
• filling from Step 4
• prepared vegan stuffing from Step 1

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil to catch any drips.

Spoon the cooled vegetable and vegan chicken filling into the pie crust.

Gently press and mound the prepared stuffing on top.

Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Check after 25 minutes—if the stuffing or crust edges are browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil.

Pie is done when gravy bubbles appear at the edge.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Remove the baked pie from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

This short rest helps the filling set up for cleaner slices.

Ultimate Vegan Thanksgiving Pot Pie

Delicious Ultimate Vegan Thanksgiving Pot Pie recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the crust and toppings:

• 2-3 cups vegan stuffing
• 1 (9-10 inch) vegan pie crust

For the filling:

• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups vegan chicken pieces, cooked
• 2/3 cup vegan heavy cream (makes it extra creamy)
• 6 tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
• 1 1/2 cups vegan vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur works best)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 medium carrots, sliced

Instructions

 

• If using a store-bought vegan pie crust, you may use it directly from frozen. If homemade, ensure it's well chilled. Prepare the vegan stuffing according to package directions or your recipe; let it cool completely before using.
• Cook the vegan chicken pieces until heated through and lightly browned, either by air frying or pan frying. Season lightly if you wish. Set the cooked pieces aside for later use.
• Melt the vegan butter in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced celery, and sliced carrots, cooking until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute to let the flavors meld.
• Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the pan, stirring to coat the vegetables well. Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually add the vegan vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Once combined and thickened, pour in the vegan heavy cream and toss in the frozen peas. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the filling is thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the cooked vegan chicken pieces from Step 2. Let the filling cool slightly before assembling the pie. I like to taste the filling at this point and add a touch more pepper for a little extra zip.
• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil to catch any drips. Spoon the cooled vegetable and vegan chicken filling into the pie crust. Gently press and mound the prepared stuffing on top. Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes. Check after 25 minutes—if the stuffing or crust edges are browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Pie is done when gravy bubbles appear at the edge.
• Remove the baked pie from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving. This short rest helps the filling set up for cleaner slices.