Ahhh, spring in New England. March was in like a lion but definitely not out like a lamb this year. As the cold lingers, I find myself wanting to make all the comfort food recipes I didn’t have a chance to get to over this past winter.
Savory pies seem like something that fits the bill perfectly. This vegan kidney bean pie recipe is inspired by traditional kidney pie flavors - tomato paste, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce - but swaps out the meat for kidney beans. It also adds in all the “hearty” vegetables - mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, and onion. Instead of just, you know, a pie full of meat (or in this case, beans).If we still had root cellars, this would a good way to finish off the store from winter.
If you’ve ever had chicken pot pie, this is similar in construction, but even more rich and savory. The kidney beans are a lovely, dark red color and the tomato paste adds depth while the Worcestershire brings the flavor profile up a few more notches.
The pie crust is homemade and simple to make - vegan butter, flour, and ice water (but of course, if you’re vegetarian, feel free to sub in real butter - the recipe is the exact same). The secret to browning the crust is to brush it with oat milk, a sweeter non-dairy milk that works well in vegan baking. (If you’re vegetarian, brush the crust with an egg yolk instead).
This is also a fun party dish - it’s easy to make ahead and it’s something different. It’s easy to just pop in the oven when you get there to reheat, or it can definitely be served at room temperature. It’s also perfect for your own dinner party - it can all be assembled up to a day in advance (just let the filling cool completely before rolling the pie crust over it) and popped in the oven about an hour prior to dinner time. Serve with a salad (definitely balsamic dressing with this dish, I think) and you have a lovely meal. It also looks fancy - savory pies aren’t super common so it’s something different, and you can make the pie crust look fancy with cutouts or braiding or any technique you like. Especially in a beautiful large pie hand painted dish - thanks Mom!
Since this pie is hearty enough to serve with just some dressed greens, I’ve also shared my favorite balsamic dressing recipe as a bonus at the end. I hope you give this a try, and if you do, please share your thoughts in the comments! Even if you don’t, let me know if it looks good and if you would try it :)
Servings: 4
Time: 2 hours (One hour is in the oven unattended)
This can be made up to a few days ahead, wrapped in saran wrap and stored in the fridge. You can freeze pie crust too and just take it out to thaw when you want!
This is excellent served with a spiced vegetable that can stand up to the heartiness of the savory kidney bean pie. Sautee up a hearty green like spinach and add a pinch of nutmeg, or boil and drain some peas and then toss with some olive oil and a generous amount of pepper. And a salad is perfect as well- you don’t need more than some mixed greens tossed with balsamic to pair nicely with this pie.
Since I suggested greens tossed with balsamic as a side, I thought I’d share my absolute favorite balsamic dressing recipe. This is one you’ll make again and again!
This freezes nicely and reheats well, so freeze any leftovers you want for work lunches later.
Will you make this? Will you check out other kidney bean recipes? Seem like a good party dish? Let me know in the comments!