12 Canned Ingredients That Will Take Your Pot Pie To The Next Level

Whether you favor chicken, cherry, pork, or apple, there aren't many ingredients that don't taste good when they are tucked up under a layer of pastry. And though there are loads of different pies out there, there is something about the creamy gravy mixed with meat and vegetables and the crunchy topping that come with a pot pie that really has us smitten. Maybe it's the nostalgia that'll leave you with a full heart as much as it does a full stomach. Maybe it's the fact that it's mood-boostingly comforting. Or maybe it's just the fact that anything swimming in gravy and covered in a buttery pie crust is always going to be good.

But here's the thing. A pot pie can always be better. And if you're looking for ways to make the very best pot pie, then you don't need to look much further than the back of your cupboard. Find the can opener, and crack open the pantry because those cans you've been collecting have more potential for your pot pie than you'd imagine. These are the canned ingredients that will take your pot pie to the next level.

There's an argument to be had that the crust of a pot pie is the best part. Though you can experiment with what kind of pastry you use, a pot pie is defined by a top layer of crispy, flakey, pastry that makes what would have been just a boring old stew into the gastronomical delight that is a pot pie. But pastry is infamously difficult to get right, so if you want to take your pot pie to the next level, relying on canned pastry is a good way of avoiding any pastry-related kitchen disasters.

It might not be the traditional puff pastry or shortcrust pastry dough you're used to, but canned crescent rolls are a deliciously different way of enjoying a pot pie. When you've uncanned your dough triangles, instead of rolling them up, all you've got to do is lay them over the top of your filling and bake. It's a great hack when you're craving pot pie but need to save time.

Speaking of alternative toppings for your pot pie, have you ever thought to top yours with biscuit dough? Although biscuits offer just the right crumbly texture that a pie crust will give you, they can be a bit of a time-eating task to make from scratch ( unless you follow this 3 ingredient biscuit recipe, that is). But if you really want to keep things simple, just grab a can of biscuit dough the next time you are at the store, and you'll seriously cut down on preparation time while at the same time upgrading your regular pot pie.

This 30-minute tuna pot pie casserole recipe is one of the best ways to put canned biscuits to the test. A nifty trick from a Reddit thread says that cutting the dough into quarters before placing the pieces over the top is the best way of doing it. The smaller chunks mean that your biscuits will be cooked all the way through (no soggy pastry here), making it perfectly crisp for the top of your pot pie. Using canned biscuits is a great hack that will leave you with a mouthwatering, hearty meal in no time at all.

If you have a can of bone broth in your cupboard, make sure you crack it open the next time you decide to make a pot pie. This article on everything you need to know about pot pie will tell you that making sure you have a real savory punch of flavor in your filling is a great way of taking your pie to the next level. And what is more savory than our liquid, meaty friend, bone broth? Open up that can of bone broth, and add it into the base of the gravy or use it instead of water when you are making the creamy roux.

You should be keeping bone broth in your pantry for more reasons than just the depth of flavor it'll deliver to your pot pie. By adding bone broth into your pie, you'll also be leveling up the amount of nutrients in your meal. Bone broth is packed with essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and vitamins too. It's said that this magical stuff can help to strengthen bones, and it might even improve your skin. Adding bone broth to your pot pie is a real win-win situation. Not only will you be rewarded with a more deeply flavorful dish, but you'll also get all those health benefits too.

Canned cream of chicken soup is a bit of a secret weapon when it comes to taking your pot pie to the next level. Half the work is already done for you because cream of chicken soup is made of essential flavor enhancers like chicken broth, chicken fat, and chicken meat as well as cornstarch and wheat flour, which act as thickeners for the gravy and will provide that silky texture and creamy consistency that we all want for our pot pies.

It's basically a ready-made gravy that comes packed with flavor and will deliver that comforting texture that will make your pie even more luxurious. If you're after ultimate comfort, then keep it extra soupy with this Instant Pot chicken pot pie soup recipe, which gives you the best of both the pie and the soup worlds. But what about the vegetarians out there? Don't fear. If you want to keep your meal strictly meat-free, then substitute a can of cream of mushroom soup, which will do the trick just as well as the cream of chicken soup could.

We couldn't write about canned ingredients without mentioning the old faithful, canned corn. It has got to be one of the best canned foods you can get and, actually, you should start eating more canned corn. Not only is it cheaper than its fresh or frozen counterparts, but it retains its nutritional integrity during the canning process, meaning that the canned stuff will give you the same nutrient boost as if you'd just plucked an ear fresh from the field. Even better is that, In the case of fiber, it might be better than fresh. The canning process makes the fiber more soluble, so it's more readily available for your body. Take that, fresh corn!

So when you're next in the mood for a pot pie, make sure you don't neglect that can of corn you've got in your cupboard. Crack it open, and add it to any of your pie fillings to seriously level up your dinner. A Tex-Mex chicken pot pie is the perfect candidate for a can of corn, as is this hearty and easy ham pot pie. Just sub out the frozen corn for canned, and you'll be upgrading your pie with a nutrient boost in the easiest way.

If you're more of a savory over sweet-toothed kind of person, then adding canned olives to your next pot pie is a hack you're going to love. Adding a can of sliced black olives will pack a salty hit, meaning you won't need to add as much sodium to your recipe. But while there can be some real risks of adding salt to your food, it turns out that there are some surprising health benefits to olives. According to Healthline, they're packed with antioxidants, including vitamin E, which have been shown to help prevent cancer and osteoporosis.

By their nature, olives work well with flavors of the Mediterranean. Examples include olive tapenade, eggplant caponata, and pasta puttanesca. Why not break with traditional flavors, and upgrade your chicken pot pie by adding a twist that would make everyone envious. Substitute corn for red peppers, peas for green olives, and cheddar for feta, and your meal will have a whole new lease on life you didn't know it needed. So, next time you're in the canned food aisle at the store, make sure you grab a can of olives for your pot pie.

We feel like we've been leaving the vegetarians out of this conversation. Traditionally, pot pie is made with some kind of white meat, like chicken or turkey, meaning it is a little unfriendly to those opting for a plant-based diet. But, if meat isn't your thing or you're looking to cut down your consumption of it, that doesn't mean that you have to give up the delights of pot pie. How? It's easy! Canned beans. 

They are a vegetarian mainstay, and they make a great protein-filled substitute for those meat-heavy pies. These individual garlic and thyme cannellini pot pies are charming enough to serve at a dinner party. Or swap out your chicken for canned beans to make this vegan creamy vegetable pot pie instead. It'll not only taste every bit as delicious as its meaty counterpart, but it'll also keep you satisfied for a long time after the meal is over due to the fiber hit you'll get from the beans. And if you don't have a can of cannellini beans, don't panic. You can sub them out for any canned white bean. If you're looking to dip your toe into the world of canned beans, then we'd recommend checking out this article that will tell you everything you need to know about canned beans before you get cracking on your bean-filled pie.

Even better news for vegetarians is that you don't have to limit your pot pie strictly to beans. We get it. Beans aren't for everyone. And that's where canned jackfruit comes into play. Canned jackfruit is a great way to level up your pot pie. There are loads of reasons that you should be eating more jackfruit. First, it's really good for you. It's full of fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants and could even help lower blood pressure.

Secondly, canned jackfruit is a surprisingly good meat alternative to pork. It might sound weird, but give this vegan pulled pork recipe a go, and you'll be hard pressed to taste much of a difference. When it comes to pot pie, you can just crack open some canned jackfruit for a vegetarian and budget friendly option. The thing with jackfruit is that it can really soak up flavors that it is introduced to, which basically means that there's no such thing as over-seasoning jackfruit. So don't be afraid to get heavy-handed with the herbs and spices when you're whipping up your pulled jackfruit pot pie.

We have a news flash for you: Pot pie doesn't have to be cream based. We know that a classic chicken pot pie calls for a cream-based sauce, and we are certainly not here to dispute how darn good that is. What we are saying is that there is room to get a bit inventive. So why not make things a little tangier and turn to tomatoes.

If you really want to make sure that you're using the very best canned tomatoes, then check out this list of canned tomato brands, ranked worst to best, so you pick up the most delicious one when you next head to the store. Once you've got the goods, it's time to get cooking. This taco pot pie with a cornbread crust is far from traditional, but it's filled with some properly delicious flavors. Taco seasoning, ground beef, and lots of other canned ingredients (beans, corn, and tomatoes) all get mixed together and topped with a homemade cornbread crust. There's even a layer of gooey, melted cheese between the filling and the crust! What's not to love? It's a hearty meal that'll make you think twice about having a classic pot pie ever again.

While a traditional chicken pot pie is pure, nostalgic comfort, there are other protein sources that you can use for a pot pie that go beyond the realms of poultry. Canned tuna, for example, is not only a relatively inexpensive source of omega-3s, but it also makes for a delicious filling for your next pot pie. And because canned tuna lasts a long time, it's likely you've got some stashed away in the back of your cupboard.

Being a mashup of two nostalgic meals, this tuna pot pie casserole recipe is arguably more comforting than traditional pot pie. This weekday savior is topped with our other canned hero, biscuit dough, and uses just a handful of other ingredients, like parsley, carrots, and milk, many of which you've likely got lying around the house. Rummage around for the tuna, and, while you're elbows deep in the pantry, why not switch the frozen corn for canned? The best thing is that no one will ever guess that you've whipped up this cheap, tasty meal in just 30 minutes without even having to make a trip to the food store.

Did you know that canned artichokes are often considered to be superior to their fresh counterparts? They can be daunting to prepare from fresh, so buying them in a can is a much easier way of getting all those nutrients without having to tackle the whole vegetable. Though this culinary delight often gets overlooked, we think it's one of those canned goods you should be buying, especially if you're hoping to take your pot pie to the next level. Canned artichokes offer a high fiber, delicious add-in to your pie filling, and, because they come precooked and pre-sliced, there's little else you'll have to do other than opening and draining the can.

Once you've done that, the world is your artichoke. The vegetable offers a fresh take on the usual creamy pie. But artichokes have a mild flavor, which means you can get inventive with them. A creamy artichoke hearts gratin needs just a sheet of pastry over the top to turn it into a desirable pot pie, and you've only got to glance at Super Bowl dip recipes to know that spinach and artichoke dip is a firm favorite flavor combination. So take that as inspiration, and turn it into a pie! Flip these mini spinach artichoke bites on their heads and voila! You've got a new favorite pot pie to love.

Canned tuna often takes the spotlight when it comes to canned fish, but we want to turn your attention to canned salmon. It's actually a canned meat you should be buying, not only because it's incredibly easy to use due to it already being cooked, but it's also a great (and tasty) source of protein, omega-3s, and B vitamins. Aside from that, it'll work incredibly well in a pot pie, too.

From canned salmon salad to easy salmon patties, there are loads of recipes that called for canned salmon. But if you're in the mood for pie and have a can of salmon in the cupboard, then here's your solution: Substitute the chicken in your regular pot pie recipe for a can of salmon. It's as simple as that! If you want something a little different, then take inspiration from the French-Canadian salmon pie, which has got to be one of the best ways of using up leftover salmon. Of course, if you don't have any leftovers on hand, then just crack open a fresh can of salmon. This recipe involves mixing cooked salmon with mashed potatoes and fully encasing the filling with pie crust. Make yours a pot pie by adding just one layer of pastry to the top instead, and you'll have made something seriously delicious.