Broccoli cheddar pot pies are a hearty vegetarian main dish that uses puff pastry instead of homemade pie crust for a fuss-free meal. These single-serve pot pies are cheesy and so comforting!
It's officially the season for all things cozy, and homemade pot pie certainly fits the bill. These single-serve broccoli cheese pot pies are made with puff pastry, making them perfect for weeknight dinners.
Recipe features
- Quick & easy: ready in just over 30 minutes using only 8 ingredients
- Flavor: tastes just like broccoli cheddar soup in pot pie form
- Uses puff pastry instead of pie crust
Puff pastry is really easy to work with, and as much as I love making homemade pie crust for things like pumpkin pie, it’s not my go-to choice for weeknight meals.
Now that I know how to make individual pot pies I don’t think I’ll be going back to the full thing any time soon!
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: I use Yukon gold potatoes because they are buttery and don’t need to be peeled. You can peel the potatoes if you prefer.
- Broccoli: You can use fresh or frozen broccoli in this recipe. Steam it with a steamer basket or cook in the microwave.
- Shredded cheddar: Shredded sharp cheddar is my go-to cheese. This can easily be swapped with vegan cheddar if you want to also use vegan butter to make this recipe 100% dairy-free.
- Puff pastry crust: I use Pepperidge Farm’s frozen puff pastry sheets. You only need one sheet for this recipe. They take about 20 minutes to thaw at room temp which is the amount of time it takes to prep the other ingredients.
- Milk: I usually use cashew milk because it is a lighter option and still creamy like traditional milk. You can use regular milk (whole, 2%, etc.) or even unsweetened, unflavored soy or almond milk.
- All-purpose flour combines with butter and milk to make the base of the creamy bechamel sauce.
Steps to make this recipe
Puff pastry topping
There are two ways to make circular puff pastry toppings:
1. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter to cut large circles.
2. Turn the ramekin upside down and use a knife to cut an outline around the ramekin
Use leftover puff pastry in these goat cheese puff pastry bites or try it with baked Brie.
Bechamel sauce
This is the base of the broccoli-cheddar sauce. It’s a combination of butter, flour, and milk and is one of the cooking methods that I use most frequently in my kitchen (see vegan squash casserole and green bean casserole for more examples!)
We also add shredded cheddar into the sauce which helps to thicken it further, just like with mac and cheese.
You can tell that the sauce is thick enough to use when it coats the back of a spoon without sliding right off. It's okay if it is still dripping a little bit.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe notes and expert tips
- Boil the potatoes in well salted water. I also recommending seasoning the broccoli and potatoes to taste with salt & pepper before covering them with the sauce.
- If you prefer smaller pieces of broccoli instead of whole florets, you can roughly chop the florets before mixing with potatoes.
Yes! In fact, I prefer to use frozen broccoli steamed in the microwave. Make sure to drain off any excess liquid before using the broccoli.
Choose 8-ounce ramekins that are oven-safe. It’s okay if they are a little bit bigger or smaller than 8 ounces.
I like to cook all of the pies at once even if I don’t plan on eating them the same day. You can cover cooked pies with foil and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Whisk together 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon flour in a small dish. Pour into the sauce and continue simmering until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The longer the sauce simmers, the thicker it becomes.
Looking for more vegetarian mains?
If you do want to make a full homemade pot pie, I recommend checking out this tofu veggie pot pie.
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Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pies with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 sheet (8.5 ounces) puff pastry see note #1
- 8 ounces Yukon gold potato
- 1 teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon salt divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 and ¼ cups cashew milk see note #2
- 3 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces steamed broccoli florets
Instructions
- Thaw puff pastry according to package instructions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, dice the potato into ½ inch pieces. Place in a medium stock pot and cover with one inch cold water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, boiling until potatoes are fork tender. This will take 10-12 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, start making the sauce in a large pan. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add butter and let it melt. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour. Use a silicon whisk to gently stir the flour and butter together. Continue stirring until the flour is cooked and golden, about 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking consistently to prevent lumps from forming. Once the milk is added, sprinkle in remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Let the sauce come to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to the coat the back of a spoon without falling off.
- Mix together the potatoes and broccoli, making sure to drain off any excess liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide between four 8 ounce ramekins (see note #3). Divide the sauce between the ramekins.
- Cut out ramekin-sized circles from the thawed puff pastry. You can do this by using a large biscuit cutter or by using the ramekin as a stencil. Place puff pastry on top of each ramekin.
- Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Puff pastry: I use Pepperidge Farm’s frozen puff pastry sheets. You will only need one sheet for this recipe. They take about 20 minutes to thaw at room temp which is the amount of time it takes to prep the other ingredients.
- Milk: I usually make this recipe with unsweetened, unflavored cashew milk but 2%, whole milk, skim and even soy or almond milk work.
- Ramekins: Choose 8 ounce ramekins that are oven safe. It’s okay if they are a little bit bigger or smaller than 8 ounces.
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