This is a traditional Australian meat pie recipe – simply bursting with flavor. Made into individual servings, Aussies certainly love their meat pies!
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Meat pies are a delicious, filling, and they freeze well so it’s easy to keep them on hand. You can whip them out as after school snacks, or when hungry guests pop in unexpectedly.
Homemade VS Store-bought Meat Pies
You can buy meat pies in the store, but homemade pies just ALWAYS taste better. And the homemade versions are always a healthier option, too, because YOU control the ingredients.
(Or maybe you’d like to try my San Choy Bow appetizers – they never fail to bring a smile to the faces in my family!)
Store-bought goods are undoubtedly quick and convenient; I buy them, too, sometimes. But I worry about what’s in there. As an example, store bought ‘meat pies’ contain only 22% beef – I wonder what else could be in there?? Emulsifiers, thickening agents, colors, fat, salt, and water. Eeeek!
My Australian pies are made from lean ground beef, shortcrust pastry, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, peas, and garlic. And that’s about it! All natural and all healthy. And you can adjust the ratios to suit your family’s tastebuds, too.
This recipe is for individual, snack sized meat pies. However, the recipe is the same if you want to make slightly larger pies, or even a family sized pie. Find instructions below the recipe card for those meat pie variations.
Check out my individual Australian meat pie recipe below, and try my banana bread with self rising flour as a tasty treat to go with it!
See? 100% delicious! And definitely 100% Australian.
Options
I’m sure you know what I’m going to say next… I love to give you options! I truly believe that no one recipe is going to suit everyone, so recipes need options. For my Australian meat pie recipe, there are various things you can do to personalize the recipe:
- I always, always add diced carrot into my meat mixture. I like carrots, and I love to sneak extra vegetables into my family’s food. Cut & finely dice (or grate) 1 medium carrot and add it into the meat mixture.
- Australians & the people of Britain like peas in their pies. I don’t know why! In fact, the Brits like ‘mushy peas’ with their pies!?! I’m not a fan of mashing the peas, but I do like the added vegetable content. So, you can add 1 cup of peas to the meat mixture, if you like. It is a great way to increase the vegetable content, and I like the extra texture.
- I also add in 1 cup corn kernels to the ground beef mixture. A little extra vegetable never hurt anyone!
- Stir in 1 cup chopped mushrooms just 3 minutes before the beef mixture finishes cooking. I use a selection of mushrooms: white buttons, portobello, oyster mushrooms, and enoki.
- Five minutes before the meat pies have finished baking, sprinkle a tablespoon of grated cheddar over the top of each. Delicious! (But do be aware that it will add to the overall calorific content of each pie.)
- Stir in 1.5 teaspoonfuls of curry powder when adding the gravy powder.
- Replace pastry top with grated potato! Simply grate 1 large potato onto a microwave safe plate. Pat the grated potato with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Microwave, covered, on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add grated potato to the top of the meat mixture before baking.
- Alternatively, steam & mash sweet potato to use as the pie top instead of pastry.
- Use cubed steak instead of ground beef. It takes a little longer to brown the steak, but it’s certainly delicious.
- Alternatively, try lamb or chicken, depending on what your local butcher has on special.
My Australian meat pies are delicious on their own as a snack. However, you can pair them a crispy side salad (or a side of steamed or stir-fried vegetables) to turn them into a meal.
If you are wanting to make a family sized meat pie, use a pie dish. Line the bottom with thawed shortcrust pastry by lying a full sheet over the pie dish. Gently lift the pastry so that it falls to the bottom and around the sides of the dish. Trim the excess pastry. Fill the pie dish with your meat mixture, then cover with a large circle of shortcrust pastry. Alternatively, use mashed potato or mashed sweet potato to top the pie. Bake as per instructions above.
Sticking with the ‘Down Under’ theme, why not make some delicious air fryer lamb chops – Australians sure do love their lamb! Or the traditionally Australian chewy Anzac biscuits – made all year round but particularly poignant in late April.
I’d love to know how you go with my meat pies; please leave me a note in the comments!
Until next time…
Love & all things Australian, Bx
Australian Meat Pies
This Australian meat pie recipe is a modern version of an age old favourite.
4.60 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Servings 12 pies
Calories 341 kcal
Equipment
large pan
Oven
2 muffin pans
Ingredients
- 9 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, thawed
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef (beef mince) (750 grams)
- 14 oz diced tomatoes (tinned is fine) (400 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 medium egg, whisked
- ½ cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons gravy powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius).
Cut two x 6 inch (14cm) circles from each of 6 sheets of pasty. These will form the pie bases.
Cut four x 4 inch circles from each of 3 sheets of pastry. These will form the pie tops.
Line the base and sides of 12 x ¾ cup-capacity large muffin pan holes with the pastry bases.
Place the muffin pan in the freezer for approx 10 minutes.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over a medium heat, then add garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
Add in the tomato paste and cook – while stirring – for another minute.
Increase heat to high, then add the ground (minced) beef.
Remove the muffin pan from the freezer and pop into the oven for approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
Remove muffin pan from the oven and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 430 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celcius).
Add beef stock and diced tomatoes to the mixture on the stove, and bring mixture to the boil. Sprinkle in the gravy powder, and salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened slightly.
Fill each pastry case approx ¾ full with the ground (minced) beef mixture.
Place the round pastry pie tops onto the meat mixture. Pinch lightly in a few places around each pie to lightly secure the pastry top to the sides.
Brush each pie top lightly with whisked egg, then pierce the top so steam can escape while baking.
Bake for approx 12 minutes, or until the top of each pie is crisp and golden.
Serve immediately while hot. Australians always add tomato sauce to the top of their meat pies!
Video
Notes
There are many ways to personalize this recipe to make it suit yours and your family’s tastes. See ‘options’ heading below.
Wine tip: Serve meat pies with a full bodied Australian red wine, such as a cabernet merlot blend.
Keyword australian meat pie, meat pie
