Vegan Potpie — The Peas Are the Prayer, the Table Is Open

New Year's Eve 2023. Chloe's annual eulogy: "Goodbye, 2023. You gave us a restaurant and a television segment and a Nashville Scene article and a line around the building and forty-two turkeys and a Best of Nashville nomination we didn't need because we have cornbread. Goodbye." The most comprehensive Mitchell year-end audit yet. The girl is becoming the family historian. The girl is documenting the line in real time, standing at a window at midnight, narrating the years as they pass.

2024. The year of Kevin's wedding. The year Chloe turns twelve. The year Jayden turns nine. The year Elijah turns four. The year Sarah turns thirty-two. The year that Sarah's Table enters its second year as a storefront. The year that everything that's been built gets tested by the most reliable test in business: time. Can the restaurant survive Year 2? Can the momentum sustain? Can the cornbread remain the center when the city moves to the next new thing? The questions don't scare me anymore. The questions are just questions. The answers are in the kitchen. The kitchen has the answers. The kitchen has always had the answers.

Black-eyed peas. The tradition. At the restaurant this year. For the family AND for customers — Sarah's Table served black-eyed peas on New Year's Day as a special. Free with any order. Because the tradition is not just for Mitchells. The tradition is for everyone who walks through the door and sits at the table and believes that a pot of peas and a slab of cornbread can hold the future together. Everyone deserves the hope. Everyone gets the peas. The peas are the prayer. The cornbread is the amen. The table is open. Come eat. 2024. Here we go.

When we served those black-eyed peas free on New Year’s Day, I kept thinking about what it means to cook for everyone — not just family, not just regulars, but anyone who walks through the door carrying whatever the last year handed them. This vegan potpie holds that same intention: a golden crust over a pot full of peas and vegetables and warmth, built for a table that never runs out of room. It’s the kind of dish that answers questions without words. The kitchen has always had the answers.

Vegan Potpie

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
• 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 sheet vegan puff pastry (thawed if frozen), or 1 homemade vegan pie crust
• 1 tablespoon plant-based butter, melted (for brushing crust)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a deep 10-inch oven-safe skillet.
2. Build the base. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
3. Cook the vegetables. Add carrots, celery, and potato to the skillet. Stir to coat and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well so everything is evenly coated.
4. Make the filling. Pour in the vegetable broth gradually, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the oat milk, thyme, sage, and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until the filling thickens and the potato is just tender. Stir in the frozen peas and black-eyed peas. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat.
5. Assemble the potpie. Pour the filling into your prepared baking dish. Lay the puff pastry sheet (or pie crust) over the top, pressing the edges to seal. Trim any overhang and cut 3–4 small slits in the center to allow steam to escape. Brush the surface with melted plant-based butter.
6. Bake. Place on the center rack and bake 25–30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
7. Rest and serve. Let the potpie rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve with cornbread if you have it — you always should.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 520mg