Sausage & Vegetable Pot Pies with Cornbread Topping

There’s something so comforting about pot pies. This one’s my favorite by far! Corn bread is one of my favorites, especially with a little cheddar cheese (and jalapeños, too)!

INGREDIENTS 

2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt & pepper
1/4 scant cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups veggie broth
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 cups diced fall vegetables (such as carrot, parsnip, potato, kale, etc)
2 whole bay leaves
1 box jiffy cornbread (prepared following the directions on the box + 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, unbaked)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Then add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt – stir. Cook until soft – about 7 minutes.

• Add the flour and stir with a whisk, then slowly whisk in the broth.

• Add almond milk (optional), potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and bay leaves and stir. Simmer until the mixture is thickened (about 10 minutes). If it still appears too thin, scoop out (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) 1/2 cup of the broth and add 2-3 tsp more flour and whisk. Add back into the pot to thicken. Wait a few minutes and then repeat if necessary.

• While the sauce is thickening, prepare corn bread mixture with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and set aside.

• Once the sauce is thickened, add the kale and cook for 3 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt and pepper if desired.

• Discard the bay leaves and divide the mixture evenly between 5-6 lightly greased ramekins or an 8×8 baking dish (as original recipe is written // adjust number or size of dish(es) if altering batch size).

• Top with cornbread mixture, divided evenly on each pot pie. Set your ramekins on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake until the cornbread topping is cooked and golden brown and the filling is bubbly (about 14-18 minutes). Let cool slightly before serving.