Hand pies are a great way to get your favorite foods in bite-sized pieces. They’re easy to carry around for lunch and can be made ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about cooking.
Here are some of most favorite types of savory hand pies:
Australian Meat Pie
Shepherd’s Hand Pie
Chicken Pot Hand Pies
Spanakopita
Calzones
Tampa Cuban Hand Pies
Cornish Pasties
Samosas
Feta Cheese Foldovers
Piroshki
Aussie Hand Pie. Credit: canva
We tried our hand at making a list of the 34 types. Here’s what we came up with.
We included pies popular in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Some can be made using store-bought dough, while others call for homemade crusts. Either way, they’re delicious.
Aussie Hand Pie
Aussie Hand Pie or Australian Meat Pie is a pie filled with beef mince (ground meat), onions, and gravy. It’s a staple in Australian cuisine and is often eaten as an appetizer before dinner at home or in pubs during happy hour.
Shepherd’s Hand Pie
Shepherd’s pie usually contains beef but can also be made with lamb. It has a crust on top and is filled with mashed potatoes (and sometimes cheese).
Chicken Pot Hand Pies
Chicken Pot pies are just like the traditional chicken pot pie you’d get in America or Canada, except they’re smaller so they fit into your hand!
Spanakopita
Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made with phyllo dough, spinach, feta cheese, and onion. It’s traditionally eaten as an appetizer or snack during the Carnival season in February or March.
Calzones
Calzones are Italian hand pies filled with tomato sauce (and sometimes mozzarella) before being baked. They’re the Italian version of the American pizza pocket!
Meat Pies
Meat Pies are a staple in South Africa and India but can be found worldwide. These pies have meat (usually beef or lamb) and vegetables like carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and peas.
Chili Hand Pies
They are typically found in North America and Europe. They’re similar to empanadas that you’d find throughout South America, except they have a more flaky crust thanks to egg yolks added into the dough!
Tampa Cuban Pies
Pork lovers won’t get enough of these Cuban sandwich-inspired pies stuffed with ham, Genoa salami, and pork loin.
Taco Pies
Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot less messy. Empanada wrappers contain the ingredients, so more food gets in your mouth than on the table.
Cornish Pasties
Here’s a classic British dish everyone at your table will love. This recipe calls for pork and beef, but you can add or substitute chicken.
Loaded Potato Mini Pies
According to recipe creator Kim’s Cooking Now, these hearty pies are like loaded baked potatoes encased in a buttery, flaky crust.
Samosas
These savory pastries are filled with ground lamb and flavorful spices like turmeric, ginger, garam masala, and chili powder.
Feta Cheese Foldovers
You need five ingredients to make these super simple foldovers: feta cheese, green onions, a beaten egg, frozen puff pastry, and egg yolk.
Piroshki
You don’t want to miss this traditional take on popular Russian street food. These hearty pies are filled with beef or cabbage and onion.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pies
These cheesy, flavorful dishes will be the star of your next party. They’re filled with cheddar cheese sauce, shredded chicken breast, pre-cooked bacon pieces (you can find them in the freezer aisle), green onions, and ranch dressing.
Cheese Bourekas
Cheese Bourekas will taste as if they came straight from the bakery at your local Jewish deli. It is recommended to serve these cheesy pies for breakfast with salad, olives, cheese, and plain yogurt.
Roasted Vegetable Hand Pies
These are easy to get your family to eat more vegetables! They’re filled with roasted butternut squash, zucchini, carrots, onion, and garlic before being
Easy Veggie Samosas
A curried chickpea filling gives these simple samosas a protein-packed kick that vegetarians will love. They come together quickly in under an hour.
Cornish Finnish Michigan Pasties
They are filled with beef, potatoes, onion, rutabaga (or turnip), carrots, and seasonings before being baked.
Phyllo Turnovers with Shrimp and Ricotta Filling
This impressive, surprisingly simple shrimp and ricotta appetizer starts with a package of frozen phyllo dough.
Chicken Curry Moon Pies
These pies are a fun twist on the classic soul food dish. They have an Indian flair thanks to curry powder and coconut milk, but they’re filled with chicken so that you won’t miss out on flavor!
Ropa Vieja Empanadas
Ropa Vieja is a classic Cuban dish of braised beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro, typically served with rice. These empanadas are filled with this flavorful meat before being baked in the oven.
Halloween Ham and Cheese Pies
These adorable pies are perfect for the kid in all of us. The dough is filled with ham, sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, and seasonings before being baked to golden brown perfection.
This Asian-inspired dish will surely be a hit in the lunch box of any kid (or adult) who loves teriyaki chicken. The dough is filled with ground chicken, ginger root, soy sauce, and more before being baked to golden brown perfection.
Big & Tasty Cheeseburger Hand Pies
With a name like this, you know these cuties will be delicious! They’re crescent dinner rolls filled with ground beef, onion, and seasonings.
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Hand Pies
This delicious take on the classic shepherd’s pie is vegetarian-friendly thanks to a meatless filling of root vegetables and corn. It’s seasoned with thyme, salt, and pepper before baking in a pie crust.
Shrimp Scampi Turnovers
They are filled with shrimp, garlic, and other seasonings before being baked to flaky perfection.
Chicken Pesto Hand Pies
This delicious dish is ready in under 30 minutes! The dough is filled with ground chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, pesto sauce, and more before being baked until golden brown.
Mini Mushroom Pie
For a delicious handheld pie for breakfast or brunch, add thyme, gouda, and mushrooms to the buttery, flaky pie crust. Every day should begin with a tasty, buttery, flaky pie crust-filled cracker.
Beef Hand Pies with Middle Eastern Spices
They are a fun twist on the traditional Middle Eastern dish—the recipe is filled with a spiced beef mixture and baked until golden brown.
Lamb Hand Pies
For an easy weeknight meal, they have ground lamb meat inside seasoned with coriander, cumin, and garlic.
Pizza Pie Hand Pies
This simple recipe has Italian sausage inside an easy homemade dough topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese, and more. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
Savory Vegan Cajun Chicken Hand Pies
It’s a flaky puff pastry stuffed with cajun-seasoned “chicken,” caramelized onions and peppers, and melty vegan cheese baked to golden brown perfection. These are the ideal comfort food snack for when you’re feeling down.
What is a Savory Hand Pie?
What is a Hand Pie?
Itis a simple pastry that can be folded into a semicircle or triangle. They’re similar to the empanadas found in Latin American countries and usually contain meat (or some protein) and vegetables like onions and peppers. The dough for these pies has egg yolks added to make it flaky and tender.
What is a Savory Pie?
Savory pies are a traditional British dish that often contains meat, vegetables, and gravy in the crust. Pies like these were commonly eaten for lunch or dinner by working-class people because they could be easily transported to work without fear of spilling out (and didn’t require utensils).
What is a Savory Hand Pie?
It is a handheld version of the savory pie. It can be filled with meat and vegetables, but they often include cheese to add extra flavor.
FAQs
What are hand pies called?
Hand pies, often known as meat pies or pasties (PAS-ties), are popular in many countries. They were originally designed for Cornish tin miners, who ate them as a quick lunch.
What are the different kinds of meat pies?
The most common types of meat pie are chicken, beef, and lamb. Other varieties can include pork or even venison.
What is the definition of a savory pie?
A pie is considered savory when it does not have a sweet filling. Instead, the main ingredient in most kinds of meat pies is beef or pork.
Are hand pies the same as empanadas?
They have a few things in common. Both are made from dough folded over to create a half-moon shape before the filling is added, then baked or fried until golden brown.
What can I use instead of puff pastry?
You could also make your pie crust if you don’t have puff pastry or buy pre-made pie crust from the grocery store.
