Autumn Veggie Pot Pie with Herby Parmesan Biscuits
For some reason I don’t like pie crust (weird, I know) and I’m trying to eat less meat (save the planet, ya dig) but I was craving chicken pot pie on cold Colorado week night and had to get creative. And thus, this creation was born — and better than any pot pie I’ve had if I do say so myself! Roasty, savory filling made up of fresh fall veggies nestled under pillowy parmesan-y biscuits…. all the YAS. So, let’s get into it:
What You Need:
For the Filling
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 butternut squash
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 minced shallot
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2.5 cups of vegetable broth (or apple cider)
Olive oil
Salt & pepp
Smoked paprika & cayenne
Garlic salt
For the Biscuits:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
5-finger pinch of salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 stick of cold grated butter
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh or dried parsley - finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup whole milk
Make It Happen:
Preheat the oven to 400.
Chop ALL the veggies. For the butternut squash, slice it in half long-ways, thoroughly peel all the skin off, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and dice into little cubes.
Add cubed squash to a medium-sized bowl with about 1 tbsp olive oil, 5-finger pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Toss to coat.
Transfer squash to a foil-lined baking sheet drizzled with olive oil and add to the oven for 10-12 minutes, or just starting to sizzle and slightly brown (they do not need to be cooked all the way through).
While the squash is roasting, add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add onions, parsnips, celery, and shallots to the pan and cook until fragrant — about 10 minutes — stirring frequently.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes more. Then mix in the roasted squash.
Scoot veggie mixture to the outsides of the pan creating an empty “hole” in the middle. Add the butter - let it melt down - then add the flour and mix to combine. This is forming a roux.
Once the roux is formed (the crumbly, doughy flour/butter mixture) stir in the veggies and evenly coat in the roux. Let it cook for one more minute, then add the veggie broth.
Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the veggie mixture is simmering, heat another small pan over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp butter. Once melted and foaming, add the chopped mushrooms, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, and cook until slightly crispy - about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms to the simmering veggies with 1 tsp garlic salt and fresh cracked pepper and begin to prep your drop biscuit dough!
Combine all biscuit ingredients in a large bowl and mix until just combined with a wooden spoon or your hands. The dough will be shaggy.
Spoon veggie mixture into individual oven-safe bowls (if you have them) or a small casserole dish (9x11 will be too large, you want a smaller casserole dish so the filling isn’t spread too thin). Then sprinkle more fresh grated parm over the whole thing.
Top with dollops of the biscuit dough until completely covered. And bake at 400 (your oven should already be there from the butternut squash) for 20 minutes. Be sure to place a baking sheet or large sheet of foil underneath the dish in case it spills over.
Carefully remove and let cool for at LEAST 5 minutes. That filling is molten lava under those biscuits so be careful — and ENJOY!!!
