Savory Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie
When you develop a recipe, you never know when it’s going to be a home run. Many dishes I’ve put out into the universe haven’t made quite the splash I’d expected (this chicken salad for one). Others are instant hits, such as this Savory Roasted Vegetable Pie. When I posted the recipe on social media, it went viral, clocking than half a million views on TikTok alone. It’s hard to say what the secret sauce was, but what I do know is that it’s an excellent recipe for right now. So many holiday meals are built around meat, from the Hanukkah brisket to the Christmas roast. This Savory Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie offers a tasty option for meat-free eaters. It’s also pretty enough to make plant-based guests feel like they’re not an afterthought.
An Easy, Whole-Grain Pie Crust
Like all pies, the starting point here in the crust. And this is an easy one, so as not to scare those of you who haven’t had much luck with pastry. You stir together whole-wheat and all-purpose flour with olive oil instead of butter. It comes together after several strokes with a fork and I find it easier to roll out than traditional pastry. It’s not as flaky as a butter crust, but has a nice flavor and holds the filling just right. Another plus is that olive oil is rich in good-for-you phytonutrients, one of the healthiest fats out there.
Mushroom, Squash, and Kale Pie
Vegetables are the name of the game in this flavorful pie. You roast a heap of mushrooms with butternut squash, shallots, and kale. Save yourself some time by using frozen butternut squash that’s already cut into cubes or fresh, cubed squash. I’ve made it with both fresh and frozen and both are terrific. Once the vegetables are cooked, fold them into a flavorful filling of eggs, milk, cottage cheese, and Gruyère. It’s creamy, just without the cream that is typical for this type of dish. The sum total is a veggie-packed and very wholesome pie.
Make-Ahead Tips, Swaps, and Suggestions
To maximize success and make this recipe accessible for all, here are a few tips and suggestions:
- If you’re looking for a gluten-free crust, check out the freezer section of the supermarket or make your own using this gluten-free crust recipe.
- Feel free to do some of the prep ahead of time. You can cut all the vegetables and/or roast the vegetables, storing them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the pie. You can also make the dough a day or two ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.
- The vegetables in this dish are terrific together, but you can also make lots of different swaps. Try it with a different leafy green, use sweet potatoes instead of squash, or experiment with different varieties of mushrooms. The key is to use about the same volume of vegetables as is called for in the recipe.
- Reheat the pie in a 350 degree oven until warm through to the center, 15 to 20 minutes.
How to Serve Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie
Consider this the type of savory pie that could show up at brunch, lunch or supper. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Enjoy it warm out of the oven with a generous salad for a weekday dinner.
- Set on a holiday buffet, particularly when you know vegetarians will be keeping you company.
- Cut it into small pieces and serve as an appetizer.
- Enjoy it cold or room temperature the next day.
- Pack it up to take for a school or work lunch.
If you like Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie, check out:
Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Tart
Tomato Zucchini Tart with Olive Oil Crust
Mediterranean Egg & Spinach Strata
Easy Breakfast Casserole with Prosciutto
Savory Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie
Roasted winter vegetables get folded into a creamy base for a flavorful and festive pie. It's a very unfussy, whole-grain crust that uses olive oil instead of butter. It can be made ahead and reheated and will tasty for up to three days.
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- ¾ cup whole-wheat flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup can leveled
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red or white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
Vegetables and Filling
- 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 cups cubed (1-inch) butternut squash, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)
- 2 cups stemmed, chopped, lightly packed kale (any variety)
- 8 ounces shallots, cut into ⅓-inch wedges
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese, 3 ounces, divided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the Pie Dough
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In a large bowl, use a fork to whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Drizzle the olive oil over the flour and mix until crumbly. Make a well in the center and pour in the water and vinegar. Mix with a fork until the dough comes together. Put the dough on your work surface and knead several times until smooth and pliable without being sticky. Wrap with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Roast the Vegetables
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While the dough rests, arrange the mushrooms, squash, and shallots on the baking sheets. Drizzle the olive oil over the top, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a light shower of black pepper. Toss everything together. Roast for 15 minutes, stir, and continue to roast until you can slide the tip of a knife into the squash with relative ease, 30 to 35 minutes (if the shallots begin to burn before then, remove from the baking sheet).
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Scatter the kale over the vegetables and continue to roast everything for another 5 minutes, so the kale wilts.
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Remove vegetables from oven and lower the temperature to 350℉.
Roll Out the Dough
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Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. If you find it sticking quite a bit, add a little more flour to both your work surface and the top of the dough. Roll it out until it’s big enough to fit your pie pan with ½ inch draping over the sides (about 12 inches in diameter). Transfer it to a pie pan and pinch it along the rim to form a crust.
Make the Filling and Assemble the Pie
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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cottage cheese, and remaining salt and pepper until creamy and smooth. Add 1 cup of the Gruyere and whisk again.
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To assemble, transfer the vegetables to the pie pan, making sure the squash, mushrooms, and kale are evenly distributed. Pour the egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
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Bake at 350 degrees until the crust is nicely browned and the center is just set, 40 to 50 minutes. If desired, set it under the broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the surface.
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Leave the pie to rest for 15 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Comments
12.29.2022 at5:07 AM #
Loreen Marie Robinson
will try this
12.29.2022 at5:07 AM #
Katie Morford
Terrific!
12.29.2022 at9:29 AM #
J
Ricotta in instructions but no in ingredient list? Did you mean cottage cheese in instructions? Can ricotta be substituted for cottage cheese?
12.29.2022 at9:29 AM #
Katie Morford
Good catch. And yes, you can absolutely use ricotta. I’ve made it successfully both ways.
12.29.2022 at9:46 AM #
4waystoyummy
I have discovered fairly recently that sweet potatoes are hands down the tastiest addition to savory pie. They are subtle but so buttery and rich tasting. While I have not tried squash in a pie yet…I have a feeling it produces the same results. It’s always great to get more veggies in our diet! Love it!
12.29.2022 at9:46 AM #
Katie Morford
Sweet potatoes are a little easier to work with than a big butternut squash, so that’s another plus.
01.01.2023 at4:37 PM #
Janey
I used sour cream as it was the lowest sodium option. And I used 1/3 of the salt and 1/2 the cheese, aaaaammmmazing! Great combination, thanks for the recipe!
01.01.2023 at4:37 PM #
Katie Morford
I always love when folks can successfully make swaps to suit their needs and preferences! Thanks for sharing.
01.04.2023 at10:14 PM #
Kelley
This recipe was great! Thank you!
01.04.2023 at10:14 PM #
Katie Morford
Wonderful! So glad to hear it.
01.06.2024 at2:17 PM #
Linda
I used your recipe as a guide to use up some holiday leftovers and it was delicious! I had left over roasted veg. (parsnips yum!, carrots, sweet potato, and celery); added some cooked chicken breast (from the freezer), and substituted the cheese with ricotta and some strong tasting Italian cheese (tasted similar to parmesan, but not as hard). Made all in a left over, store bought pie crust.
So easy and so delicious!
01.06.2024 at2:17 PM #
Katie Morford
Sounds perfect! Love all your clever swaps.
01.17.2024 at8:29 AM #
Patsy Wood
Can I put this pie together and store in the fridge to bake later in the day?
01.17.2024 at8:29 AM #
Katie Morford
I’d be inclined to keep the filling separate from the crust until just before baking. You can store both in the fridge, just not assembled.
01.21.2024 at1:43 PM #
Jen
Made per the recipe except the crust, as I had a frozen one I needed to use, and I added some herbs as well. Really delicious, cooking instructions were spot-on.
01.21.2024 at1:43 PM #
Katie Morford
Love to hear it!
04.17.2024 at6:11 PM #
Lorraine
Tried this tonight for dinner and it was fabulous! Wonderful taste from the roasted vegetables and the Gruyère was a fabulous taste and texture. Very delicious and filling and will certainly keep this on a dinner rotation but hey would also enjoy at breakfast or brunch! Thank you for sharing.
04.17.2024 at6:11 PM #
Katie Morford
I agree, it’s terrific any time of day.
12.04.2024 at8:25 AM #
carol chait
Do you think omitting the Gruyere would make a huge difference? Not supposed to eat much cheese and with the cottage cheese in the recipe; it’s too much cheese for me health wise…
12.04.2024 at8:25 AM #
Katie Morford
I think it would still be tasty. You could also do a light dusting of good Parmesan, which is very low lactose and packs a lot of flavor.
12.09.2024 at10:43 PM #
Bella
Can you freeze this pie? And what other cheese could you use?
12.11.2024 at12:56 PM #
Donna Dyson
Delicious, but baking the pie at 425 was too high. the curst turned brown before the eggs were cooked. Had to turn it down to 375 and hoping it won’t burn too badly.
12.11.2024 at12:56 PM #
Katie Morford
Hi Donna, The recipe instructs turning the oven down to 350 after you take the vegetables out, but I can see how it was easy to miss that detail. I made it a little more prominent in the recipe and then repeated it a second time. Thanks for the comment. It’s helpful to me!
12.12.2024 at5:53 AM #
Teresa Martin
Can this vegetable pie be baked in advance and frozen?
12.12.2024 at5:53 AM #
Katie Morford
I think it’s at its very best when baked and eaten, but yes you can bake and freeze.
12.17.2024 at12:44 PM #
Kim
Katie: I just made this recipe, and it is delicious. I used unsweetened soy milk for the milk, a Trader Joe’s pie crust, and Trader Joe’s shredded Swiss and Gruyere cheese. This is a keeper. Thank you so much for the yummy and satisfying recipe.