Root Veggie And Chard Pot Pie Recipe

The arrival of cooler temperatures is the perfect occasion to prepare hearty comforting suppers. This root vegetable and chard pot pie recipe combines flavorful autumnal root vegetables with earthy chard and a creamy sauce, to create a warming and satisfying meal. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins created this rich and nourishing savory pie that's brimming with a variety of flavors and textures in each bite. 

She shares, "This recipe hits all the right notes for me, especially when the weather starts to cool. It's hearty and comfy like a well-worn sweater." Plus, if you're a fan of eating seasonally, "It also hits on those fall flavor elements ... rustic root veggies, aromatic woody herbs, and warming savory spices ... foodstuffs that I just can't get enough of during the season." Enjoy this tasty pie as a one-dish meal or serve it with a variety of sides for a holiday dinner.

For this recipe, you'll need butter to saute the ingredients. Prep the vegetables before starting, as they all need to be diced evenly: onion, celery, carrots, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, and gold potatoes. Watkins explains, "Cutting your veggies all to the same size ensures that they reach tenderness and cook at the same time and rate." In particular, she highlights, "You want to pay extra-special attention to those nips (parsnips and turnips) and taters (sweet potatoes and gold potatoes), those, to the best of your ability, should be close to the same size." Peel and mince garlic cloves and chop a bunch of chard too.

For the rest of the filling, you'll need all-purpose flour, chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, chopped fresh rosemary, and chopped fresh thyme. Save yourself the hassle and pick up some premade pie crusts. You'll also need to beat an egg for the final egg wash. If desired, Watkins suggests adding cracked fennel seeds and cracked black pepper to garnish the top of the pie. 

Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Once melted, add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes.

Add parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, and gold potatoes to the pot, stir to combine, and continue to saute for 10 minutes.

Add the chard to the pot, stir to combine, and cook until the greens have wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the flour to the pot and stir to combine the roux.

Add the chicken broth and heavy cream, stir to combine, and bring to a low simmer.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme, and stir to combine. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Gently press one of the pie crusts into the bottom of a pie pan.

Add the filling mixture to the pie pan and spread out in an even layer.

Place the remaining crust on top, covering the filling, and crimp the edges to seal.

Dock the pie with 5-6 little slits to accommodate any heat looking to escape.

Brush the top of the pie with egg wash.

(Optional) Sprinkle the top of the pie with cracked fennel seeds and black pepper. Place in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and hot throughout. Cover the pie with aluminum foil if the crust is getting a little too brown.

To serve, slice pie and divide between plates.

Because of all of the components that go into this root vegetable and chard pot pie recipe it in itself is a well-rounded meal. Hearty tubers, plenty of vegetables, and a creamy filling all encased in a flaky crust make for a rich and satisfying slice of pie. As Watkins notes, "This dish really is the whole enchilada," adding that you have "all the components of a meal wrapped up in a nice pie crust." If you want to offer this as a hearty meat-free meal for vegetarian guests or meat-free Mondays, simply swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

If you enjoy having a second element on your plate, or if you're hosting and want to enhance your offerings,  Watkins has a suggestion to complement the pie. "If you want to expand the menu, I would recommend a nice side salad with a zesty dressing for balance," she says and points out, "Because this pie is super comfy and rich, a crisp salad with an acidic vinaigrette would pair perfectly." 

"This pie makes for some lovely leftovers," Watkins notes, which is great news if you want to prepare this for one or just a few people. To store extras, "I simply wrapped my pie (in its pie plate) in plastic, after it cooled nicely at room temperature, and placed it in the fridge," she says. "Most of my pie plates are ceramic and the like," she adds and advises, "If you are working with a metal pie plate, try to pry your pie out of the metal plate and transfer to a sealable container." 

Watkins recommends finishing the leftovers within a couple of days. To warm up the pie she says, "Simply reheat in the oven covered with foil or portion and microwave. I like to place a square of paper towel over my saucier microwavables to catch any splatters."