Vegan Thanksgiving Pot Pie with Turkey-Style Soy Curls

Ingredients

• 3.5 cup Dry soy curls (Use 3½–4 cups; source also says this yields about 5 cups rehydrated. For the pot pie, use 4 cups prepared soy curls.)
• Water (Warm water for soaking; amount not specified)
• 1 cup Water (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture)
• 2 tsp No-chicken bouillon (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture)
• 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture)
• 2 tsp Poultry seasoning (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture; Southern blend preferred)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture)
• 1 tbsp Refined coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture; choose either refined coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil)
• 0.5 tsp Hickory liquid smoke (For the soy-curl seasoning mixture; or to taste)
• 0.5 cup Onion (Finely diced; optional, for the soy curls)
• 1.5 cup Russet potatoes (Diced into ½-inch cubes)
• 0.5 cup Sweet potatoes (Diced into ½-inch cubes; carrots may be used instead)
• 0.333 cup Plant-based butter (For the gravy)
• 0.667 cup Onion (Diced; for the gravy)
• 1 cup Celery (Diced)
• 4 oz Cremini mushrooms (Finely chopped; optional per the spoken description, though the written list does not mark it optional)
• 2 Garlic (Cloves, minced)
• 0.5 cup All-purpose flour (For thickening the gravy)
• 1 tsp Poultry seasoning (For the gravy)
• 0.5 tsp Celery seed (For the gravy)
• 0.5 tsp Onion powder (For the gravy)
• 2 cup No-chicken broth (Add gradually to the gravy)
• 2 cup Unsweetened plant-based milk (Use an unsweetened, unflavored variety; spoken source suggests soy, almond, or cashew milk)
• Salt (To taste; adjust after tasting the gravy because the bouillon is salty)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 1 cup Frozen peas
• 1 cup Canned green beans (Drained)
• 2 sheets Vegan puff pastry (Choose this topping OR the stuffing topping; thawed. Source describes cutting to fit the pie pans)
• 3.5 cup Prepared Thanksgiving stuffing (Alternative to puff pastry; approximately 3–4 cups, enough to cover both pies. Use this OR puff pastry)
• Plant-based butter (A little melted butter for brushing puff pastry; amount not specified in the spoken source)
• Honey (A little, brushed with melted plant-based butter on puff pastry for golden color; amount not specified. The described honey means this is not strictly vegan unless replaced with a plant-based alternative.)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak the dry soy curls in a large bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes, until softened.

2. 2

   Drain the soy curls in a colander and press firmly to remove as much water as possible; the source says the rehydrated curls should measure about 5 cups.

3. 3

   In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup water, no-chicken bouillon, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, lemon juice, oil, and liquid smoke to make the seasoning mixture.

4. 4

   Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained soy curls and, if using, the finely diced onion.

5. 5

   Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until excess moisture evaporates and the soy curls begin to brown.

6. 6

   Pour the seasoning mixture over the browned soy curls and stir to coat every piece.

7. 7

   Continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed and the soy curls begin to brown again, about 5–8 minutes. Remove from the heat; use immediately or cool completely before storing.

8. 8

   Dice the russet and sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Bring a pan of water to a boil and add the russet potatoes; cook for about 2 minutes before adding the sweet potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are done but still hold their shape, then drain and set aside.

9. 9

   In the same pan used for the soy curls, melt the plant-based butter to begin the gravy.

10. 10

    Add the diced onion, celery, and chopped mushrooms. Cook until the onion and celery are soft and the mushrooms are lightly browned.

11. 11

    Add the minced garlic, poultry seasoning, celery seed, and onion powder. Stir to distribute the seasonings.

12. 12

    Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Cook the flour briefly until toasted so the gravy will not taste pasty; coating the pieces also helps prevent lumps.

13. 13

    Slowly pour in the no-chicken broth, stirring well as you add it. Continue mixing until the gravy thickens and no flour lumps remain.

14. 14

    Add the unsweetened plant-based milk and stir until fully incorporated and the gravy is creamy and thick.

15. 15

    Taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as needed; the bouillon can be quite salty, so adjust the salt after tasting.

16. 16

    Add the frozen peas and drained green beans, then add the cooked potatoes and prepared turkey-style soy curls. Stir to combine and turn off the heat.

17. 17

    Divide the filling between two deep-dish 9-inch pie pans, or place it in a large casserole. The written source specifies two pies; the transcript also mentions a large casserole as an alternative.

18. 18

    For the puff-pastry topping, thaw the pastry, roll it slightly thinner and larger, then use a pie pan as a guide to cut a circle to fit. Lay the pastry over one pie and make small cuts in it; decorative cutouts are optional.

19. 19

    Brush the puff pastry with a little melted plant-based butter and honey instead of egg wash to help it brown.

20. 20

    For the alternative stuffing topping, spread prepared Thanksgiving stuffing over the other pie, covering the filling.

21. 21

    The source says everything is already cooked and the pies need only a short time in the oven, but it gives no oven temperature or exact baking duration. Bake until the topping is ready and the pies are heated through; the specific baking details are not provided.

22. 22

    Serve the baked pot pies; the creator tastes them and recommends the stuffing-topped version as a favorite.

Notes

Makes two deep-dish 9-inch pies, approximately 10–12 servings. The source's written ingredient list ends before providing pot-pie instructions; the method above supplements it from the spoken transcript. Choose either puff pastry or stuffing for the topping. The transcript describes brushing puff pastry with melted plant-based butter and honey, so that topping is not strictly vegan as stated. The source does not specify oven temperature or baking time; follow an appropriate pastry/stuffing package or recipe guidance rather than assuming a precise bake.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan-style
• Thanksgiving
• holiday
• main course
• baked
• plant-based
• soy
• two topping options