Pumpkin Pot Pie: Cozy Meatless Dinner for Fall
Pumpkin Pot Pie
Pumpkin Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and minced
- Kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
- 3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 ready-to-bake rolled pie crusts (about 14 ounces)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
Step 1
First, slide your oven rack right to the center and crank the heat to 375°. While that's warming up, grab your largest skillet and set it over medium heat with a generous pat of butter melting in the bottom. Toss in your chopped onion and carrot with a pinch of salt, and let them hang out together for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion starts looking soft and a little translucent around the edges. Once that happens, add your minced garlic and fresh thyme, stirring constantly for about a minute until your kitchen smells absolutely incredible.
Step 2
Grab your curry paste and measure it out before you turn on the stove, since this next part moves quickly. Once your pot is warm over medium heat, add the paste and stir it constantly for about 2 to 3 minutes — you'll know it's ready when the color deepens and the kitchen starts smelling fragrant and toasty. Now add your pumpkin along with a pinch of salt, and keep stirring every so often for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges of the pumpkin cubes start to soften and look a little translucent.
Step 3
Grab a wooden spoon and sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables in your pot. Stir constantly for about a minute so every bit of veg gets coated and you don't end up with any floury pockets hiding at the bottom. Pour in the milk and broth all at once, then crank the heat up to medium-high. Keep stirring as it comes to a gentle bubble, then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce looks noticeably thicker and coats the back of your spoon. You'll know it's ready when it clings rather than running off. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the fresh basil and a squeeze of lime juice. Taste it now and add a pinch of salt if it needs a little lift. Let the filling sit for about 10 minutes so it cools enough to handle when you start spooning it into your pie crust.
Step 4
Lightly dust your counter with flour and roll one disc of dough into a 14-inch round — it should be about ⅛ inch thick so it drapes nicely without tearing. Gently lift the dough and ease it into a deep 9-inch pie dish, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides so there are no gaps. Let any overhang hang loose for now; we'll crimp it once the filling is in. Spoon your cooled pumpkin filling into the shell, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon.
Step 5
Now for the fun part — turning your pot pie into a Jack-o'-lantern. Grab that second disc of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until you have a 14-inch round, about ⅛ inch thick. Transfer it to a piece of parchment paper; this makes it way easier to move later. Grab a sharp paring knife and find your face. About one-third of the way down from the top, carve two triangle eyes — make them whatever size feels right to you, maybe 2 inches tall. Right in the center between them, carve a smaller triangle for the nose. For the mouth, work in the bottom third of the round: carve a wide crescent smile, then add two square-ish teeth along the bottom edge of the smile and one tooth pointing down from the top. If you want to keep things steady, sketch your face on a piece of parchment first, then lay the dough on top and trace through it. Once you're happy with your design, carefully lift the parchment with the cutout face and drape it over your filled pie. Gently press the edges of the top and bottom crusts together all the way around, sealing in all that savory filling. Crimp the edge with your fingers or a fork if you want it extra cute.
Step 6
Grab a sharp knife or kitchen shears and run them around the edge of your pie dish, trimming away any extra dough so you've got about a quarter-inch overhang all the way around. Take that little lip of dough and tuck it under itself, pressing it against the rim of the dish so it sits neatly on top. Now pinch the edge between your thumb and forefinger, working your way around the whole pie, to crimp and seal everything in place — this keeps your filling from bubbling out while it bakes.
Step 7
Grab a small bowl and whisk together one egg with 1 tablespoon of water until it's smooth and uniform — this is your egg wash, and it's what gives the crust that gorgeous bakery shine. Using a pastry brush, gently paint the egg wash all over the top of your dough, making sure to get right up to the edges where the crust meets the filling. Don't worry if a little drips down the sides; it'll just help everything turn beautifully golden. Finish by sprinkling a pinch of flaky sea salt across the top — it adds the perfect little crunch and makes the whole thing look like it came from a fancy café.
Step 8
Slide your pot pie onto the center rack of the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes. At that mark, peek through the oven door to check the crust — if the edges are browning faster than the center, gently lay a piece of foil over the darker spots so they don't burn while the rest catches up. Keep baking until the crust is deep golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling lazily through the vents, about 15 minutes more for a total of 1 hour. When it's done, carefully transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it rest for at least 15 minutes — I know it's hard to wait, but this gives the filling time to set so it doesn't run all over your plate when you cut into it.
Nutrition Information
My Tip
Don't skip the step of letting your filling cool for those 10 minutes before adding the crust—warm filling will melt the butter in your dough and leave you with a soggy bottom instead of that flaky, golden layer you're after.
Leftovers
This pot pie keeps beautifully for up to 4 days in the fridge—tuck leftovers into a shallow glass dish with a tight lid so the buttery crust stays crisp instead of turning soggy. Reheat individual portions in a 375°F oven for 15–20 minutes until bubbling and golden; the microwave works in a pinch, but you'll lose that gorgeous flaky top.
Make It Your Own
Want to make this dairy-free? Swap the butter for coconut oil and use full-fat coconut milk in place of regular milk — the coconut's subtle sweetness actually plays beautifully with that red curry and pumpkin combo.