Creamy White Bean Biscuit Pot Pie
This creamy white bean biscuit pot pie pairs tender vegetables and a savory dairy-free sauce with golden drop biscuits for a cozy, satisfying dinner.
By Nora Bellweather ·
Recipe
Creamy White Bean Biscuit Pot Pie
By Nora Bellweather · American
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp fine salt, for the filling
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for the filling
- 2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¾ cup plain unsweetened soy or oat milk, for the filling
- 2 can white beans, 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, for the biscuits
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt, for the biscuits
- 4 tbsp cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup cold plain unsweetened soy or oat milk, for the biscuits
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a deep, 12-inch oven-safe skillet with a 3- to 4-quart capacity over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrots are nearly tender.
- 3
Stir in the garlic, thyme, filling salt, and black pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- 4
Sprinkle the filling flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, until no dry flour remains.
- 5
Gradually stir in the broth and filling plant milk, scraping the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- 6
Stir in the white beans, frozen peas, and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat; the filling should be hot and creamy with sauce visible around the beans.
- 7
Whisk the biscuit flour, baking powder, and biscuit salt together in a medium bowl.
- 8
Cut the cold vegan butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size butter pieces.
- 9
Fold the cold biscuit plant milk into the flour mixture with a spatula just until a sticky, shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains; do not beat or knead.
- 10
Drop the dough in six equal mounds over the hot filling, leaving space between them and keeping each mound about 1 inch thick. Set the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet.
- 11
Bake for 23–28 minutes, until the filling bubbles around the edges and the biscuits are golden brown. A center biscuit should have no wet dough inside and register about 200–205°F in its center; loosely cover with foil if the tops brown before the centers finish.
- 12
Let the pot pie stand for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley before serving.
The story behind it
This white bean pot pie has a creamy vegetable filling and a golden biscuit topping, all baked in one skillet. Canned beans keep the prep manageable, and the drop biscuits need no rolling or cutting. It's a comforting dinner made with everyday grocery-store ingredients.
A Creamy Filling With a Golden Biscuit Top
White beans give this pot pie a substantial filling without needing a separate protein substitute. Cannellini beans are especially creamy, while great northern beans hold their shape a little more firmly. Both work well with the carrots, celery, peas, and thyme.
The sauce starts with a small amount of flour cooked into the vegetables. Broth and unsweetened plant milk turn it into a light gravy that thickens further in the oven. The filling should look creamy and spoonable before the biscuits go on, not stiff like mashed potatoes. A little visible sauce around the beans is exactly what you want.
Helpful Ingredient Choices
- Plant milk: Choose plain, unsweetened soy or oat milk. Avoid vanilla-flavored milk and sweetened varieties, which can make the sauce noticeably sweet.
- Vegan butter: A firm stick-style vegan butter is easiest to cut into the biscuit flour. Keep it refrigerated until needed so the dough retains small pieces of fat.
- Vegetables: Replace the peas with frozen corn or chopped green beans. Cut fresh vegetables into small, even pieces so they soften before baking.
- Broth: Low-sodium vegetable broth gives you more control over the seasoning. If using regular broth, reduce the filling's added salt at first.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
You can prepare the filling a day ahead. Cool it promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat it on the stovetop until bubbling, adding a splash of broth if it has become thick, then make and add the fresh biscuit dough. Starting with hot filling helps the undersides of the biscuits bake through.
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within four days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot throughout. For a firmer biscuit top, reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350°F, loosely covered, for 20–30 minutes; uncover toward the end. The biscuits will soften somewhat during storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a baking dish instead of a skillet?
Yes. Cook the filling in a saucepan, then transfer it while hot to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the biscuit dough and bake as directed. Set the dish on a rimmed sheet pan to catch any drips.
Why are my biscuits doughy underneath?
Cold filling, oversized dough mounds, or crowded biscuits can leave the bottoms underbaked. Use hot filling, divide the dough into six equal mounds, and leave space between them. Check a center biscuit rather than relying on color alone.
Can I leave out the Dijon mustard?
Yes. It adds a subtle sharpness rather than a strong mustard flavor, but the filling still works without it. Taste the sauce before topping and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
Can I freeze this pot pie?
The filling freezes better than the assembled pie. Freeze it separately for up to three months, thaw in the refrigerator, and reheat thoroughly before adding freshly mixed biscuit dough.
Spoon a biscuit and plenty of creamy filling into each bowl. A crisp green salad makes a nice contrast to the warm, saucy pot pie.
