When we think of Britain, our minds don’t wander too far away from food. Of course, Britain is well known for its rich history, bustling cities, and stunning landscapes, but it’s also famous for its food.
Whilst fish & chips are up there with the most popular, it is actually Britain’s pie scene that took the world by storm.
British pies are hearty, filling, comforting, scrumptious, and pretty easy to make. They’re also very versatile, coming in an array of different shapes, sizes, and styles.
Some of the most popular include fish pies, shepherd’s pies, and steak and ale pies. These are just three in a long list of tasty pie dishes though. Today, we want to show you just how many great British pies we can make at home.
To do so, we’ve listed 13 British pie recipes you need to try. In this post, we’ll take you through each one.
Let’s get started!
1. Steak And Kidney Pie
The first pie on our list is the steak and kidney pie. This is easily one of the heartiest British pies we can make. It comes loaded with a thick meaty filling and veggies.
Ready to eat in less than four hours, this beef chuck and kidney filling is covered by a decadent buttery, flaky puff pastry crust.
The vegetables and meat inside the pie are given extra flavor with the addition of beef stock. If possible, use calves’ kidney’s to make this pie as they taste the best.
2. Mushroom Pie
The British mushroom pie is a fantastic vegetarian pie recipe that can even be made vegan-friendly. It features a variety of different mushrooms flavored with 100% cacao and vermouth. This gives the pie a much deeper flavor.
The filling from this pie is often served as a stew too. However, this recipe covers the filling with a dairy-free puff pastry.
The natural flavor of the mushrooms in this pie is interesting because it helps create a pie that still tastes quite meaty despite it not being.
3. Vegetable Pie
Next up, we have another vegetarian pie. The vegetable pie has long been a staple in British cuisine.
There are a number of variations to the recipe, but it usually consists of red onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes, vegetable stock, a variety of herbs and spices, and a rich creamy sauce.
This recipe shows you how to make individual puff pastry pies full of savory goodness. The flaky crust hides the tender, well-seasoned vegetables that come packed with nutrients and vitamins.
4. Scotch Egg Pie
The Scotch egg is an iconic British food commonly eaten on its own. For those that don’t know, the Scotch egg is a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and then coated in breadcrumbs. It is then deep-fried or baked.
Interestingly, this British snack has now been turned into a British pie. Combining two picnic classics, this BBC Good Food recipe shows you how to make a Scotch egg pie in just over an hour.
When baked, the breadcrumbs on top of this pie go delightfully crunchy, whilst the filling is super savory.
5. Meat And Potato Pie
If you came here looking for a simple British pie recipe, you might just have found it with this meat and potato pie recipe. Meat and potato pie is a British institution. This traditional pie is a wholesome dinner that will warm your family’s belly and keep you full.
This particular recipe follows traditional methods and ingredients to recreate this British classic. It features a beef, potato, and vegetable filling and a shortcrust pastry top and bottom.
6. Pork Pie
The next British pie on our list is pork pie. This is another classic that you simply have to try. For us, this is one of the best pies you can make for a party. It is a great party food that your guests will love tucking into.
Traditional pork pie is made using hot water pastry that has been raised by hand using a jam jar. It can be served hot or cold and has a savory, meaty filling that consists of pork fat, pork, and jellied pork stock.
To give the pie more flavor, herbs and spices like salt and nutmeg are mixed in.
7. Cheese And Potato
In recent years, the cheese and potato pie has had a resurgence in popularity. In fact, it is now one of the most popular pies in the United Kingdom. Aside from its satisfying flavors and comforting nature, this could be in part down to how easy it is to make.
This pie only takes 40 minutes to make. As if that wasn’t enough, the recipe only calls for six basic pantry ingredients. Those ingredients are onion, garlic, cheddar cheese, pepper, potatoes, and milk.
Savory, creamy, crispy, and smooth, this pie doesn’t feature a pastry crust. Instead, it has a crispy cheddar cheese crust that’s to die for.
8. Steak Pie
Next, we have a gorgeous steak pie recipe. Meat lovers out there won’t be able to resist the tender, juicy steak that sits inside this pie. Smothered in rich gravy-like beef stock, the beef is salty, savory, super meaty, and mouthwatering.
Due to the thickness of this pie’s meaty filling, you’ll have to use a double pastry to keep everything in. The pie also contains onions which offer a slightly different flavor. This delicious pie is best served with some buttery mash and gravy.
9. Cornish Pasty
Britain loves pies so much that they made a handheld pie that workers could easily eat with their hands. Created for miners that wouldn’t leave the mine to eat their food, the Cornish pasty has been a British staple for hundreds of years.
Inside the crispy pastry, you’ll find a pocket filled with skirt steak, turnips, and potatoes. This filling is already delicious but you can also add some cayenne for a spicy kick.
10. Shepherd’s Pie
Next, we have the famous shepherd’s pie. Shepherd’s pie is easily one of our favorite pies to make. It can be easily made and serves as an excellent family dinner. Another great thing about shepherd’s pie is that we can use any veggies we like.
Most shepherd’s pie recipes include onions, carrots, potatoes, and peas. However, you could also use any celery, etc you have left over.
Shepherd’s pie consists of a layer of minced lamb and vegetables mixed with a broth and herbs and spices. This mixture is then topped with mashed potatoes.
11. Cottage Pie
We don’t have much to say about cottage pie as it is almost identical to shepherd’s pie. Cottage pie also consists of a layer of meat and vegetables mixed with a broth and herbs and spices. This filling is then topped with mashed potatoes.
The main difference between these traditional British pies is that cottage pie is made with beef mince instead of lamb. Like the shepherd’s pie, cottage pie is rich, hearty, and extremely comforting.
12. Fish Pie
The British fish pie is the first pie on our list that contains fish. This is a stunning pie that has a delicious topping and an even tastier filling.
Inside the pie, you’ll find a fish chowder-like filling. This filling is much thicker, richer, and creamier than normal fish chowder though.
On the outside, we are treated to a creamy, buttery, and cheesy mashed potato topping. The three types of fish needed to make a British fish pie are smoked salmon, salmon, and white fish. This semi-firm fish is used so that the fish doesn’t fall apart too easily.
13. Cheese And Onion Pie
Finally, we have a delicious cheese and onion pie recipe that you can quickly make for your family and friends. The gooey cheese and strong onion in this pie are incredibly satisfying.
This cheese and onion pie recipe is made with onions, cheddar cheese, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, puff pastry, salt, and pepper.
The end result is a rich, creamy, and savory pie that tastes great. For extra cheesiness, consider putting parmesan cheese in the crust.
Are There any Famous Texas Foods that Are Similar to British Pies?
Texans hold their famous texas culinary delights in high regard, but when it comes to pies, they might find some similarities with British cuisine. While Texas is renowned for its barbecue and Tex-Mex dishes, they also have a love for pies, including the beloved pecan pie. Like British pies, Texas pies offer a hearty and comforting experience, rich in flavors and traditions. Both cuisines showcase a wonderful blend of heritage and culinary creativity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Despite Britain’s love for pies, it is actually believed that the first pie was created by the Ancient Egyptians in the 5th century BC.
It is widely believed that the most popular and famous British pie is the steak and kidney pie. This is a British staple eaten all over the world.
The most traditional pie in the UK is the pork pie. This pie can be eaten cold or hot and is found in almost every grocery store across Britain.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our post looking at British pies. In this post, we showed you 13 British pies you should try. As you can see from our list, British pies are extremely varied. There are tasty meat pies, super cheesy pies, pies packed with fish, and healthy vegetarian pies.
Now you have this list at your fingertips, you should narrow down the options and pick out the pie recipe you want to try first. This could be hard because they are all delicious.
Good Luck!
13 British Pies You Should Try
Britain is famous for its pie scene. The hearty pie is a delicious feast the whole family can enjoy. In this post, we show you 13 British pies you should try.
Ingredients
Directions
- Pick a recipe from above
- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and the food
- Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
- 15 Traditional Greek Breads - July 31, 2023
- 30 Delicious And Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes - July 29, 2023
- 30 Of The Best European Desserts - July 29, 2023