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Mom’s Vegetarian Pot Pie Soup is easy and delicious comfort food with no baking required, just some stove-top work. Vegetables in a creamy sauce with a perfect traditional pot pie flavor, make a budget friendly and family friendly meal.
This veggie pot pie soup is a spin-off from my Vegetarian Pot Pie recipe, it’s one of the most popular recipes I have (and for good reason!)! Want to make this soup in the crock pot? Grab the slow cooker vegetarian pot pie recipe.
We appreciate your support
Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Comfort food
I love this pot pie soup, and make it all the time when I need some healthy vegetarian comfort food. It’s the kind of recipe I really wanted when I turned vegetarian all those years ago (more than 30 years ago!!). Serve this soup with some Gruyere Herb Biscuits for an amazing meal!
It’s a kid friendly veggie pot pie that’s easy to make and will make your family happy.
I’ve gotten tons of comments here on the blog and on Pinterest about how much people love this recipe! It’s comfort food that reminds me of being a kid.
Cream of Mushroom Soup is another meal from my childhood that’s perfect comfort food! And if you want a super impressive soup to serve at a dinner party, try my Onion and Garlic Soup Recipe or Creamy Noodle Soup.
Serving suggestion
Serve this soup with some yummy no-knead bread, homemade Buttermilk Biscuits , skillet butter biscuits, or dinner rolls.
Can I make this into a vegan vegetable pot pie soup?
Yes, absolutely this can easily be made into a vegan pot pie soup!
Just substitute plant based vegan butter or oil for dairy butter.
And use a neutral flavored plant-based milk like soy, cashew, or almond. Skip anything that’s vanilla flavored. You could go with coconut milk, but it will change the flavor profile of the soup a bit.
Which milk should I use?
As with most of my recipes, use the milk that makes you happy.
I prefer whole milk for this soup, as it makes a nice rich soup.
If you want to use a lower fat milk it’ll be thinner but lower in calories.
Also (like I said above), I’ve made this many times with neutral flavor plant-based milk and it’s great.
If you want to make it thicker and richer, you could use a diary cream. I wouldn’t suggest anything heavier than half & half, it might get too rich and thick if you used a heavy cream. Hop over here to read more about different creams and how to use cream.
What kind of broth to use?
If I’m not using homemade broth, most of my cooking is made with {affiliate link} Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base. It’s delicious and inexpensive for how much you get out of a small jar. And, they aren’t paying me to say that, it really is my preferred broth that I love and use all the time.
You can follow the instructions on the package for how much to use, or if you want even lower sodium cut the broth paste amount in half, and it still has great flavor.
Heck, if you wanted to make a plant-based vegetarian chicken pot pie soup recipe you could make it with {affiliate links} vegetarian chicken broth and veggie chicken pieces (there are many brands of veg chicken besides Quorn, I just wanted to give an example).
Can I use something other than wine?
Not a wine drinker? Feel free to use vegetable or chicken broth instead.
I’m fond of the story that when I was a kid my mom always used 7-up in place of wine in her cooking. It makes me chuckle. I don’t think I’d go for that now, probably too sweet, but it is an option.
What kind of white wine should I use?
I like a nice dry white wine. I always use sauvignon blanc because that’s my favorite to drink. Chardonnay would give you a richer buttery flavor. Be sure to use one that you like to drink – not a cooking wine that’s bitter.
Frozen Veggies as a time saver
As I was making the Pot Pie Soup one time, it occurred to me that frozen peas and carrots, you know the bag with the carrots and peas mixed together, would be a great time saver so you don’t have to peel and slice the carrots.
If you go the frozen carrots & peas way, just add them all at the end where I say to add the peas. Since the carrots are already cooked in that bag, no need to add them right after the onions have cooked.
Leftovers
This recipe makes a nice thick soup.
As the soup sits it will thicken, so if you have leftovers, you may want to thin it a little more with some more milk or broth.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup, but… As with most cream or milk based soups, there’s a really good chance that the soup will have texture changes after being frozen and defrosted. Most likely, it’ll look clumpy or curdled.
Now, in all reality, that lumpy look won’t affect the flavor, and it is most likely that if you reheat the soup on the stove and add a little more milk or broth to it, that lumpy texture will go away.
So, really, it’s up to you. It may change the texture a bit, but it really doesn’t affect it too badly.
How to make
Here’s a nice easy step-by-step guide on how to make this vegetarian comfort food soup.
Be sure to scroll down for the printable recipe card with all the instructions and ingredient amounts.
First, you’ll want to cook the potatoes. The easiest way is to pre-cook them in the microwave.
Once cooked, cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces, and place them in a large bowl. Leave them chunky or in smaller pieces, your choice.
I suggest boiling the potatoes on the stove top.
Chop the potatoes into pieces about 1-2 inches. Roughly uniform so they all cook at the same time.
Toss them into a big pot and cover with water, and some salt, maybe 1/2 teaspoon or so.
Bring the pot to a boil (you can cover the pot to help it boil faster), then uncover the pot, and turn down the heat to a simmer.
Simmer for 10 minutes and check the potatoes for doneness by piercing with a fork. If they’re tender, then drain the water. If not done, check every couple minutes or so until they are tender. Drain the water, and use in the recipe.
You can also cook potatoes in the Instant Pot. Just follow the instructions for cooking the potatoes as in my Instant Pot Potato Salad.
Next up, cook the onion and add in the carrot.
Place the cooked veggies in a bowl with the cooked and cubed potatoes.
Start making the roux.
Add the butter and 2 tablespoons oil to the same pot. When the butter has melted, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly and gradually stir the broth, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper into the flour mixture. Continue to stir constantly as the sauce thickens. Stir in the white wine, and cook for an additional minute.
Add the cooked veggies back into the sauce, and toss in the peas. Heat though, taste for seasonings, and serve it up!
Low oil/butter amount in the roux
I’ve had a couple of readers comment on the amount of fat in the roux. Yes, I did cut back on the fat in the roux in the recipe. I did it to keep the calorie content a bit lower overall in the soup. It has always worked for me, and I’ve never had a problem with it.
But, if you are a purest (I get it!), and want the fat to flour amounts to be equal, use 4 additional tablespoons of butter or oil when making the roux (that’s the beginning of cooking the sauce part where you melt the butter, and add in the flour).
Switch up the recipe and make it something different each time
As some of my readers have suggested, they like to play around with this recipe.
I love the idea of adding in some chickpeas for a plant-based protein.
Add in some real shredded chicken for a chicken pot pie soup. Or, make a vegan chicken pot pie soup.
Toss in some garlic or different herbs like basil and parsley.
Try thinking about different cuisines for a fusion flavor- like adding corn and chili powder for a Tex-Mex type of flair. Or how about a Thai flavored pot pie with coconut milk and bean sprouts?
Add in some butternut squash for a little fall flavor. Or, saute some mushrooms and add those to the soup.
Bake up some biscuits, puff pastry, or pie crust separately for a fun twist on pot pie.
This soup makes a nice traditional old-fashioned pot pie soup base. Feel free to play around with the recipe.
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Recipe
Mom’s Vegetarian Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 6 medium carrots peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay
- 3/4 cup frozen peas thawed
Instructions
- Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork or knife, and microwave until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and the power of the microwave. Allow potatoes to cool slightly so that you can handle them, and chop into ½-inch to 1-inch dice. Transfer cubed potatoes to a large bowl, and set aside.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the onions until starting to brown and caramelize, about 15-20 minutes. Add the carrots to the onions, and continue to cook, and until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer cooked vegetables to the large bowl with the potatoes, and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add the butter and 2 tablespoons oil to the same pot. When the butter has melted, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly and gradually stir the broth, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper into the flour mixture. Continue to stir constantly as the sauce thickens. Stir in the white wine, and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir the cooked vegetables and the peas into the sauce, and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
Lisa, I haven’t tested it in the IP yet, but I bet it could work. I did work on a slow cooker version (I’d think the IP would be similar): https://lifecurrentsblog.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-pot-pie/ . Here are all my IP recipes For the pot pie in the IP, I’d start the onion on the saute setting until starting to brown. Then I’d add in the veggies (including the potatoes but I’d add in the peas at the very end), broth, wine, spices and pressure cook until the potatoes are tender. I’d mix the butter flour and milk in a small bowl and add in after all the veggies had cooked, then finish it on the saute setting until it had thickened. Just stir in the peas until they are heated through. Probably make biscuits on the side instead of a puff pastry topping. Hopefully you can go with those basic instructions, as I haven’t had time to test it yet.
I’ll definitely work on an IP version! I love the idea.
Let me know if you try it; I’ll add your thoughts to my testing.
Vicki Blake
We were pretty happy with this recipe however I should have researched the # of T flour in a 1/2 c.
It’s 8 and only 4T of fat to make the roux. Should be equal parts. It came out way too thick. Will add more broth when heating up leftovers. Pleased with the taste though. Thanks
Donna Reeves
When I want to make a low fat roux I brown my flour in a dry pan and use that for the roux. That way you can have a low fat roux and it still has a lot of flavor. Use care because splashed flour burns just like splashed oil.
Michelle Appleby
Wonderful recipe! I added mushrooms, celery, and used 1/2 C. (Double batch) of cornstarch to make it gluten free. I’m new to vegetarian, but this is just great! Thanks so much for this recipe!!!
Sarah
Do you have to use white wine
Debi
Sarah, no, you can use veggie broth or chicken broth instead of wine. When I was a kid my mom always used 7up instead of wine. I don’t recommend that now, but I liked it as a kid! LOL
Stephanie
This was made completely vegan, using unsweetened almond milk and vegan butter. I put mixed frozen veggies in there bc I like more variety than just onions, peas, potatoes and some carrots. I also cut up some celery for flavor. I’d cut back on some salt by a dash. I made fresh biscuits to go with this! Perfect!
Oli
Hi Debi, this soup sounds absolutely amazing, I’m so excited to make it!
I scrolled through the comment section to see if anyone had asked this before me and couldn’t see it anywhere so please forgive me if my question is a bit silly but I’m a bit of a beginner and I have a lot to learn left. I unfortunately don’t have a microwave in my kitchen so I was wondering what the final result on the potatoes was supposed to be – would I be better off boiling my potatoes in their own pot, no salt no nothing, or would putting them in the oven until they’re cooked through be best?
Thanks so much for the recipe (your pics look so delicious, I wish I hadn’t already cooked tonight’s dinner!) and your help! 🙂 xx
Debi
Olivia, that’s a great question, and one that I’ll add to the post to help other people. I’d suggest boiling the potatoes. And, I usually add a bit of salt to the water when I boil them. You may already know how to, but just in case. I chop my potatoes into pieces about 1-2inches. Roughly uniform so they all cook at the same time. Toss them into your big pot and cover with water, and some salt, maybe 1/2 teaspoon or so. Bring the pot to a boil (you can cover the pot to help it boil faster), then uncover the pot, and turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and check the potatoes for doneness by piercing with a fork. If they are tender, then drain the water. If not done, check every couple minutes or so. Enjoy your soup!
Oli
Hi again Debi, thanks so much for your thorough & super quick answer! I was very happy to find out I’m cooking my potatoes generally right but I’ll definitely try your measurements as far as salt goes, I’m unfortunately a chronic under-salter, much to my boyfriend’s dismay. Oops! Thank you again for your kind suggestion, I’m super excited to make this! xxx
Caroline
Could I use sweet potato’s?
Debi
Caroline, yes, you can use sweet potatoes. They will change the flavor of the soup.
oharabear
Made it exactly as written and it was so good!
Barb
I made this for dinner and they loved it !! It’s a keeper.
Rachel
Yummy! Added about two sticks of celery chopped very small and some left over rotisserie chicken.
Lexi
Didn’t follow the recipe exactly, just threw al the ingredients together and some extra vegtables I had on hand. Super yummy (:
nana
This was so good!! I used a bay leaf instead of thyme, coconut milk and added italian seasoning, peas, okra and shrimp.
Natalie
Absolutely delicious! The wine and thyme make it so tasty.
heart
I added a few additional herbs including rosemary, Italian herbs, and sage and I’d like to add some more protein next time, maybe chickpeas or some fake chik’n. As is, this recipe was pretty good and thickens up very nicely. It’s exactly what you’d expect in terms of taste with a traditional pot pie flavor. It seems like it would be a hearty, filling recipe but it really isn’t! I think a little celery and maybe a few more veggies would be good to add next time.
Kacey
This recipe is delicious! So full of flavor my family loved it!