Vegan Zuppa Toscana Pot Pies

Ingredients

• 2.5 cup All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Salt (For the pie crust)
• 0.333 cup Vegan Parmesan (The author used Follow Your Heart; additional Parmesan is suggested for serving)
• 0.75 cup Vegan butter (Cold; the author used Earth Balance)
• 0.5 cup Ice-cold water
• Oil (For brushing the crust tops; a little extra may be added to the pot if needed)
• 1 cup Raw cashews (Soaked; soak in room-temperature water for 6–8 hours or boiling water for about 30 minutes, then drain)
• 1 cup Non-dairy milk (Unsweetened; author used soy milk)
• Salt (A pinch for the cashew cream, plus a pinch for the filling and more to taste)
• Black pepper (A pinch for the cashew cream, plus a pinch for the filling and more to taste)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (Add a little more to the pot if needed)
• 1 lb Vegan Italian sausage (About 4 sausages or 1 package; author used Beyond Meat. Remove and discard casings if present)
• 4 Garlic (Cloves, chopped)
• 0.5 Sweet onion (Chopped)
• 1 Russet potato (Large, diced)
• 3 cup Vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 4 oz Kale (Chopped)
• Red pepper (A pinch)
• Herbs (For serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the crust salt and vegan Parmesan, then stir to combine.

2. 2

   Break the cold vegan butter into small pieces and distribute them over the flour. Press and pinch the butter into the flour with your fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles sand or dirt.

3. 3

   Pour in the ice-cold water a little at a time, stirring until the dough becomes too firm to stir. Knead by hand until a smooth ball forms.

4. 4

   Cover the dough and refrigerate it while you make the filling.

5. 5

   Drain the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender with the non-dairy milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, which may take a few minutes, then set aside.

6. 6

   Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add a little extra oil if needed.

7. 7

   Break the sausages into chunks, removing and discarding any casings as you go. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté, lowering the heat as needed, until nicely browned, about 5–6 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the browned sausage from the pot and set it aside in a bowl.

9. 9

   Add the garlic, onion, and diced potato to the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the potatoes have started to cook.

10. 10

    Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper.

11. 11

    Add the vegetable broth, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

12. 12

    Simmer for 5–10 minutes, until the potatoes are fairly soft but not completely done.

13. 13

    Add the kale and stir it into the broth.

14. 14

    Add the prepared cashew cream and stir to combine. Simmer for another 1–2 minutes, until the filling thickens slightly.

15. 15

    Season with another pinch of salt and pepper, then return the sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then turn off the heat.

16. 16

    Preheat the oven to 400°F (about 200°C). If the chilled dough is too firm to roll, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes as the oven heats.

17. 17

    Divide the filling among four 10-ounce ramekins, or pour it into one large pie pan.

18. 18

    On a floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick. For individual pies, cut four circles slightly larger than the dishes; for one large pie, roll enough dough to cover the dish.

19. 19

    Place the crust circles over the filling and press the edges around the sides of the dishes to seal. For a single large pie, cover and seal the dish with the rolled crust.

20. 20

    Pierce the tops of the crusts a few times with a knife to let steam escape, then brush them with oil.

21. 21

    Place the dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 15–18 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and baked through.

22. 22

    Serve topped with a little more vegan Parmesan and herbs.

Notes

The recipe does not state how much oil to use for brushing, or the amount of extra oil, salt, pepper, Parmesan, or herbs for finishing. The source describes either four individual pies or one large pie.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• vegan
• dairy-free
• vegetarian
• baked
• comfort food