Individual Vegetarian Pot Pies are easy to make in ramekins. The filling is bursting with both fresh and frozen vegetables and topped with puff pastry. Made with soul-warming herbs, this vegetarian recipe is cozy and comforting!
Pre-heat oven to 400°F and place 6, 8-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet for later (you can grease if desired, but I don't find it necessary). Remove puff pastry from freezer and let thaw while preparing the filling.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat butter and heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and diced potato; cook for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and mushroom. Let cook for another 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in red pepper flake, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Whisk in flour, continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in vegetable stock until flour is mixed in thoroughly; add bay leaf. Simmer the mixture for approximately 8 minutes. Add frozen vegetables and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remember to taste test for salt and pepper levels (or herbs if you want more!). Remove bay leaf before transferring the filling.
Prepare egg wash by whisking together egg and water. Fill ramekins with pot pie filling, filling about 3/4ths of the way full, leaving some room for expansion during baking.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each puff pastry sheets into four squares. Score the tops by making two small cuts so air can escape. Place each square on top of each ramekin, pressing down and folding the edges over the ramekin. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle flakey sea salt if desired.
Bake the ramekins on the baking sheet (to catch any overflow) for 20-22 minutes until puff pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly and hot. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Frozen Vegetable Update (1/2022): the original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups frozen pea and carrot blend, along with 1 cup frozen corn. I've updated the recipe to 2 1/2 cups of any mix of frozen vegetables. I now tend to use a frozen vegetable mix (that includes peas, carrots, corn, and green beans).
Serving size may vary depending on the size of your ramekins. If you use 6 8-ounce ramekins, you will have some puff pastry leftover. If you use smaller ramekins (and therefore have more individual pot pies), cut the puff pastry smaller and/or you may use it all.
Leftovers: the ramekins store wonderfully in the fridge, covered. To reheat, I place the ramekin in the oven while it preheats; once the puff pastry is warm and peels off easily from the ramekin, I pry it off, place it back in the oven, and put the ramekin in the microwave to heat up. This leaves the puff pastry crispy and flaky while heating up the pot pie filling much more quickly! You can heat the entire ramekin in the microwave, too, and place the top in the air fryer or toaster oven.