14 Hacks To Make Store-Bought Pot Pies Even Better

Homemade pot pies aren't all that complicated to make, but sometimes it's just easier to buy one from the store, especially if you want a personal-size portion. While many brands make decent frozen pot pies, there are several ways to improve the flavor and texture overall. From better baking results to more delicious crust to remedying dry filling, there's a lot that can be done to make store-bought pot pies taste better. Whether you prefer a chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, veggie pot pie, or a hearty meat pie, you may never view them the same after discovering our easy-to-execute tips.

I love a good pie, homemade or store-bought, so many of the tricks in this article come from my personal experience making and heating them at home. To come up with a list of the best, most valuable tips, I also considered chef recommendations and forums where fellow pot pie lovers shared their expertise. Keep reading to learn some hacks to make store-bought pot pies even better so you never have to settle for ordinary again.

Without herbs and spices, all of our food would be bland and, some might even say, relatively flavorless. However, with the simple addition of a few seasonings, you can turn virtually any dish into a drool-worthy delight, pot pies included. Store-bought pies definitely hit the spot under the right circumstances, but they are not really known for overflowing with flavor. Fortunately, that's an easy fix, though. All that is needed is a dash or sprinkle of some of your favorite herbs and spices, and your store-bought pot pie transforms into a rich, tasty dish packed with yummy goodness.

Aside from it being incredibly easy to add herbs and spices to the top of store-bought pies, their savory ingredients make this tip extremely versatile. You can add a broad range of flavors based on your preferences and are unlikely to mess it up. For most pot pies, savory spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano, tarragon, onion powder, and garlic make phenomenal choices. Even so, if the mood strikes, you can add more creative seasonings like curry powder, chili flakes, cumin, or coriander. Of course, a little bit of extra salt and pepper never hurts, either.

Frozen pot pies aren't always proportioned the way you want. Often, the upper crust is much thicker than the bottom crust. Additionally, they don't necessarily have enough filling to ensure a gooey texture with every bite. Fortunately, there's an easy way to remedy these issues. Instead of cooking your pot pie like normal in the tin pan it comes in, flip it out of the pan and cook it upside down. While baking, the filling will sink into the thicker upper crust, resulting in a more consistent texture throughout. Since the lower crust is thinner and the filling has been soaking in from the start, you won't have to worry about it being too dry.

Cooking your store-bought pot pie upside down also ensures the bottom crust gets extra crispy. When you cook a frozen pot pie the regular way, the lower crust doesn't always crisp up the way you want because of condensation from freezing combined with the tin pan it comes in. If you flip it over, your crust has a better chance of achieving the desired crunch you seek. You don't have to put it in another pan, either. It should hold its shape as is. It might even cook faster due to the inverted shape, so make sure to keep an eye on it while it is baking to prevent burning.

Another way to ensure a perfectly crispy crust all around is to brush melted butter across the top or spray it with cooking oil. Just like when you are frying foods, the added fat helps the crust develop a good amount of crunch. You don't need much, either. A thin layer of melted butter or a fine spray of oil will more than suffice. If you add too much, it may actually have the opposite effect. So, avoid saturating the frozen crust to get the desired results.

We strongly recommend removing your store-bought pot pie from its tin and spraying or brushing butter on the bottom side as well. While achieving a crispy bottom layer isn't always that easy with frozen pies, a touch of added oil or butter goes a long way. After applying, simply put it back in the foil pan and proceed according to the directions on the box. In addition to an extra crispy finish, this trick also leads to a more golden-colored finish that many find appealing.

Technically, shepherd's pie and pot pie are not the same thing, but they're pretty darn close. They are both savory, typically meat-filled pies with a few veggies. One of the main differences between the two is the crust, or in shepherd's pie's case, lack thereof. Either way, you can easily take one of the best elements of shepherd's pies, mashed potato topping, and bring it to your store-bought pot pie. Whether it's a chicken pot pie, a vegetarian pot pie with tofu, or something totally different, mashed potatoes come in for the win. They add a creamy, buttery taste and perfectly complement the crunchy crust below.

For the most straightforward application, you can simply spoon a few dollops of mashed potatoes right on top of your store-bought pot pie after it cooks and before you serve it. Or, if you're feeling fancy, take it a step further and put your mashed potatoes in a frosting bag and pipe them on the top the same way you would with an elaborate shepherd's pie. Mix some savory herbs and spices into your mashed potatoes before topping your pot pie with it for an even more flavorful punch.

Similar to cheese or creamed soup, smothering store-bought pot pies with gravy is another fantastic way to make them taste even better. Gravies are essentially rich, buttery sauces packed with savory flavors, so you can see why they are perfect for pot pies. They share many of the same flavors and spices, so it won't change the taste a ton. However, gravy adds a moist, creamy element that ensures the crust isn't too dry. It also seeps into the filling, leading to enhanced flavor throughout.

The type of gravy you smother a pot pie with must pair well with its filling. Otherwise, you may wind up with contrasting flavors that don't blend together super well. You're unlikely to ruin a store-bought pot pie if you make the wrong gravy choice, but we want to set the bar higher than simply not destroying it, right? So, if you are heating up a chicken pot pie, chicken gravy is the obvious choice. Along these same lines, turkey pot pies go best with turkey gravy, and beef pot pies go best with brown gravy. Veggie pot pies are excellent with vegetable or mushroom gravy. Many pot pies also taste yummy with a sausage gravy. Paired with the right crust, it'll remind you of biscuits and gravy, just with way more ingredients and flavor.

The broil setting on your oven is perfect for melting cheese, toasting bread, and, you guessed it, putting the finishing touches on store-bought pot pie. While you still want to bake it like normal, setting it under the broiler for the last couple of minutes is just what you need to give the upper crust a delectable golden brown color. We recommend using the low broil setting and moving your pot pie up to the top rack while you do.

The broil function on an oven is great and all, but it is scorching and works at rapid speeds. Additionally, considering the close proximity at which you cook items underneath it, you must watch food very closely to prevent burning. Whatever you do, don't put your pot pie under the broiler and forget about it, or it will quickly burn and become virtually inedible. Actually, setting a timer for two or three minutes is best. Then, you can reevaluate and either take it out or broil it for another minute or so until it is ready.

Air fryers are pretty popular these days, and for good reason. Not only are they compact and versatile, but they are highly efficient and convenient. They cook foods in a fraction of the time required by the oven and don't require lengthy preheat times. In fact, preheating isn't really necessary at all, even though some recipes still recommend it. Air fryers also produce crispier foods without the need for additional oil, and this includes store-bought pot pies, so they are viewed as a healthier alternative. All this being said, frozen pot pies are a shoo-in for air fryer cooking. They develop the sought-after golden brown-hued crust we all crave with minimal effort when put in an air fryer.

Unlike the oven, which has hot spots and takes upwards of 30 minutes to bake a frozen pot pie plus time to preheat, an air fryer can have one ready in just about 20 to 25 minutes total. You don't have to take it out of the foil pan it comes in, either. Simply cook at 350 F for 20 minutes, check its progress, and determine if it needs a couple more minutes or not. Most air fryers can also cook two personal pot pies at a time; if you are, they will likely need a couple more minutes.