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Who needs a pork pie when you can enjoy a pretty little kale pesto picnic pie instead? I certainly do. Even though picnic season feels far away, I love serving picnic-style finger food whenever friends join us for lunch — even in the depths of winter. I made these pies by chance during British Pie Week, which was a happy coincidence.
Most of the ingredients for these mini pies came from the freezer — yes, even the curly kale and parsley. I took up a challenge to create a recipe using frozen ingredients from a major frozen-goods retailer and discovered a surprising range in my local store.
While browsing the freezer section I found frozen curly kale, chopped chillis, garlic, herbs, bulgur wheat with lemon and mint, sweet potato mash, sliced mixed peppers, mushroom risotto, asparagus spears with salted butter, creamy spiced lentils and more. There are excellent ready-to-bake breads and tempting breakfast pastries too. My freezer is now groaning with useful staples, which is great for those just-back-from-holiday, empty-fridge emergencies.
There are many good reasons to choose frozen ingredients: they are often frozen soon after picking which helps lock in nutrients; they can offer better value and less waste; they provide convenience and variety; and they make it easy to keep a well-stocked kitchen. If you enjoy using frozen produce, explore the information available from the producers and retailers that promote frozen food benefits.
You can use bought shortcrust pastry for these pies, or try making your own pastry for added flavour — I have a vegan pastry recipe that works well. If you’d like a different pesto, you could swap in a basil or rocket pesto to change the character of the filling.
📖 Recipe
Kale Pesto & Cauliflower Picnic Pies
Kate Ford | The Veg Space
These pretty mini pies are perfect for picnics, with a juicy filling of cauliflower mixed with a bright kale pesto.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: British
Servings: 12 mini pies
Calories (per pie): 225 kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g shortcrust pastry
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
- 200 g cauliflower florets (frozen or fresh)
- 75 g curly kale
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 75 g almonds or pine nuts
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 75 ml dairy-free milk (or other plant milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Place the diced potato in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and diced onions, then cook for a further 3–4 minutes until the potato and cauliflower are just tender. Drain and set aside.
- Make the kale pesto: add the curly kale to a blender or food processor with the garlic, almonds (or pine nuts), olive oil, lemon juice and parsley. Pulse until finely chopped — for this filling I prefer the pesto to remain somewhat textured rather than completely smooth. Add the dairy-free milk and pulse once or twice to combine.
- In a large bowl, break up the cauliflower into smaller pieces and add the cooked potato. Pour over the kale pesto and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Grease a 12-hole muffin tin. On a floured surface roll out the pastry to about the thickness of a 1‑pound/one-euro coin. Cut 12 large circles to line each muffin cup. Re-roll the offcuts and cut 12 smaller circles for the lids.
- Pack the potato and cauliflower filling firmly into each pastry-lined cup — the filling won’t expand during baking, so pack it tightly. Brush the rim of each case with a little water, place the lid on top and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Make four small vents in the top of each lid with a sharp knife.
- Brush the lids with plant milk and, if desired, give a light spray of cooking oil. Bake the pies for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. Allow them to cool in the tin before removing carefully. These pies can be served hot or cold, making them ideal picnic fare.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 225 kcal
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 10 g (Saturated fat 1 g)
Fiber: 3 g
Vitamin A: 708 IU
Vitamin C: 25 mg
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or use #thevegspace when sharing.
For more vegetarian frozen-inspired recipes from contributors to the campaign there are ideas such as creamy mushroom and potato dauphinoise, spaghetti with kale, asparagus, chilli and lemon, and a Moroccan-style kale, carrot and hummus tart. These recipes demonstrate the versatility of frozen vegetables in creating quick, flavourful meals.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by a frozen-food retailer. There was no expectation of a positive review; all opinions are my own.