In the UK, pies are categorised into various types based on their filling and style. Here are some common categories and Explore our comprehensive list of recipes, featuring delicious dishes for every occasion. From classic roast beef and vegetarian shepherd’s pie to Italian Margherita pizza and zesty lemon drizzle cake, find easy-to-follow instructions and helpful tips to inspire your next meal. Perfect for home cooks and food enthusiasts alike!
- Meat Pies:
- Steak and Ale Pie: Typically made with chunks of beef steak cooked in ale with vegetables like onions and carrots, topped with pastry.
- Steak and Kidney Pie: Contains diced beef steak and kidneys, often in a rich gravy.
- Chicken and Mushroom Pie: Filled with chicken pieces and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
- Pork Pie: A traditional pie made with pork meat, often served cold and with a hot water crust pastry.
- Savoury Pies:
- Cornish Pasty: Not technically a pie, but a pastry filled with meat (often beef), potatoes, swede, and onion, folded over and baked.
- Shepherd’s Pie: A dish with a layer of minced lamb or beef, topped with mashed potatoes.
- Fish Pie: A pie filled with fish (such as cod or haddock), often in a creamy sauce, topped with mashed potatoes or pastry.
- Vegetarian and Vegan Pies:
- Vegetable Pie: Typically filled with a variety of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, peas, and onions in a sauce.
- Spinach and Ricotta Pie: A vegetarian pie with a filling of spinach and ricotta cheese.
- Mushroom Pie: Filled with different types of mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
- Sweet Pies:
- Apple Pie: Sliced apples mixed with sugar and spices, baked in a pastry crust.
- Cherry Pie: Filled with cherries in syrup, often with a lattice crust.
- Banoffee Pie: A dessert pie made from bananas, cream, and toffee on a pastry base.
- Regional and Specialty Pies:
- Scotch Pie: A double-crust meat pie filled with minced meat (such as mutton or beef).
- Pork Pie: A cold meat pie containing pork and pork jelly in a hot water crust pastry.
- Stargazy Pie: A Cornish dish made of baked pilchards (sardines), eggs, and potatoes, with fish heads protruding through the crust.
- Game Pies:
- Game Pie: Made with a mixture of game meats such as venison, pheasant, and rabbit, often in a rich gravy or jelly, and encased in pastry.
- Venison Pie: Specifically filled with venison meat, which is lean and flavorful.
- Regional Pies:
- Melton Mowbray Pork Pie: A specific type of pork pie with a hand-formed crust, named after the town of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
- Bedfordshire Clanger: A pastry with a savory filling at one end (typically meat) and a sweet filling (such as jam or fruit) at the other end.
- Bakewell Pudding: Not a pie in the traditional sense, but a dessert with a pastry base, layered with jam and almond filling, originating from Bakewell in Derbyshire.
- Pastry Types:
- Shortcrust Pastry: A traditional British pie crust made with flour, fat (such as butter), and water, rolled thinly and used for both sweet and savory pies.
- Hot Water Crust Pastry: Used for pies that need a strong, sturdy crust that can support dense fillings like meat, typically made with flour, water, lard, and sometimes an egg.
- Celebration and Seasonal Pies:
- Christmas Pie: A festive pie traditionally made with a mixture of meats (such as turkey, goose, and game), spices, fruits, and nuts.
- Eccles Cake: A small, round pastry filled with currants and spices, named after the town of Eccles in Greater Manchester.
- Modern Variations and Innovations:
- Quiche: While originally French, quiche has become popular in the UK with various fillings such as cheese, bacon, and vegetables.
- Gourmet Pies: Restaurants and bakeries often create innovative pies with unconventional fillings like seafood, exotic meats, or unusual combinations of ingredients.
- Pot Pies:
- Chicken and Leek Pie: Filled with tender chunks of chicken and leeks in a creamy sauce, topped with pastry.
- Beef and Guinness Pie: A hearty pie filled with beef stewed in Guinness beer, often with root vegetables and topped with pastry.
- Individual and Mini Pies:
- Mini Pork Pies: Small-sized pork pies, often served cold as a snack or part of a ploughman’s lunch.
- Individual Steak Pies: Single-serving pies filled with steak and gravy, ideal for a quick meal.
- Pie Variations by Region:
- London Pie: A traditional pie with a filling of eel, sometimes combined with other ingredients like parsley sauce, popular in London’s East End.
- Lancashire Butter Pie: A pie filled with a mixture of potatoes, onions, and butter, associated with Lancashire cuisine.
- Pies with Unique Fillings:
- Haggis Pie: Incorporates haggis (a Scottish dish made of sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, and spices) as the main filling.
- Black Pudding Pie: Filled with slices of black pudding (a type of blood sausage), often combined with other ingredients like apple or bacon.
- Sweet Pies and Tarts:
- Treacle Tart: A dessert tart filled with a mixture of golden syrup, breadcrumbs, and lemon juice.
- Bakewell Tart: Similar to Bakewell Pudding, but in tart form with a layer of jam, frangipane (almond filling), and flaked almonds on top.
- Street Food and Snack Pies:
- Scotch Pie: A small, double-crust pie filled with minced meat (usually mutton or beef) and spices, popular as a snack or at football matches.
- Pasty: While traditionally Cornish, pasties are popular across the UK, filled with meat, vegetables, and sometimes cheese, wrapped in pastry and baked.
- Traditional Regional Pies:
- Yorkshire Curd Tart: A sweet tart made with curd cheese, eggs, sugar, and sometimes currants, originating from Yorkshire.
- Lancashire Meat and Potato Pie: A hearty pie filled with chunks of meat (often beef or lamb) and potatoes, typically in a thick gravy.
- Historical and Traditional Pies:
- Gamekeeper’s Pie: A historical pie made with game birds (such as pheasant or partridge), sometimes combined with bacon or mushrooms.
- Forfar Bridie: Originating from Forfar in Scotland, a pastry filled with minced beef and onions, shaped into a semi-circular parcel.
- Modern and Fusion Pies:
- Chicken Tikka Masala Pie: A fusion pie combining the flavors of chicken tikka masala with a pie crust, blending British and Indian cuisines.
- Thai Green Curry Pie: Inspired by Thai cuisine, filled with chicken or vegetables in a creamy green curry sauce, encased in pastry.
- Pie with Local Ingredients:
- Welsh Lamb Pie: Filled with tender Welsh lamb, often combined with leeks (a national symbol of Wales) and potatoes.
- Kentish Cherry Pie: A traditional pie from Kent filled with cherries, showcasing the region’s abundant fruit orchards.
- Vegan and Plant-Based Pies:
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie: Made with lentils, vegetables, and a vegan gravy, topped with mashed potatoes or a pastry crust.
- Spinach and Potato Pasty: A vegan-friendly version of the traditional Cornish pasty, filled with spinach, potatoes, and onions.
- Pie as a Dessert:
- Banoffee Pie: A popular dessert pie made with bananas, toffee, and whipped cream on a biscuit or pastry base.
- Apple and Blackberry Pie: A classic British dessert pie filled with a combination of apples and blackberries, often with a hint of cinnamon.
- Seasonal Pies:
- Mince Pie: A small, sweet pie filled with mincemeat (a mixture of dried fruits, spices, and brandy), traditionally enjoyed during Christmas.
- Pumpkin Pie: Though more commonly associated with American cuisine, pumpkin pie has gained popularity in the UK, especially around Halloween and Thanksgiving.
- Pie with Cheese:
- Cheese and Onion Pie: A savory pie filled with a mixture of cheese (such as Cheddar) and onions, often in a creamy sauce.
- Leek and Cheese Pie: Combines leeks with cheese (like Stilton or Cheddar) in a pastry crust, sometimes with added herbs.
- Game and Wild Meat Pies:
- Pheasant and Mushroom Pie: Filled with pheasant meat and mushrooms in a rich gravy or sauce, sometimes with added herbs or wine.
- Wild Rabbit Pie: Features rabbit meat, which is lean and flavorful, often cooked with bacon or root vegetables.
- Pie Varieties by Pastry Style:
- Puff Pastry Pie: Features layers of light, flaky puff pastry, used for both sweet and savory fillings.
- Filo Pastry Pie: Made with thin layers of filo pastry, providing a crispy texture, often used for lighter pies with vegetables or seafood.
- Regional Pies Continued:
- Bedfordshire Clanger: A unique pastry originating from Bedfordshire, with a savory filling at one end (typically meat and potatoes) and a sweet filling at the other end (like jam or apple).
- Cumberland Rum Nicky: A pie from Cumberland made with dried fruit, rum, and pastry.
- Savory Tarts and Flans:
- Quiche Lorraine: Though originally French, it’s popular in the UK, filled with bacon, eggs, cream, and cheese in a shortcrust pastry.
- Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Tart: A luxurious tart with smoked salmon, asparagus spears, and a creamy filling in a pastry case.
- Specialty Pies from Historic Establishments:
- Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe (Melton Mowbray): Known for traditional Melton Mowbray pork pies, with a distinctive hand-formed crust and pork filling.
- Ginger Pig (Yorkshire): Famous for its range of pies made with quality meats, often incorporating local Yorkshire ingredients.
- Pie Varieties for Festivals and Holidays:
- Easter Pie: Traditionally filled with lamb, eggs, and seasonal vegetables, enjoyed during Easter celebrations.
- Summer Fruit Pie: Filled with a variety of fresh summer fruits like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, highlighting seasonal produce.
- Pie Varieties with Seafood:
- Fisherman’s Pie: A hearty pie filled with a mixture of fish (such as cod, haddock, and salmon) and sometimes shellfish, in a creamy sauce, topped with mashed potatoes or pastry.
- Seafood Pie: Variations include pies filled with a combination of seafood like prawns, scallops, and mussels, often in a white wine or creamy sauce.
- Regional Pies with Local Flavors:
- Norfolk Plough Pudding: A traditional pudding-like pie from Norfolk filled with sausage meat and served with gravy.
- Cheshire Pork and Apple Pie: Combines locally sourced Cheshire pork with apples, often with a hint of sage or other herbs.
- Specialty Pies from Historical Events:
- Lord Mayor’s Banquet Pie: Dating back to medieval times, this pie was traditionally served at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, often with a luxurious filling of game meats and fruits.
- Victory Pie: Historically, pies were often named to commemorate significant events, such as military victories or royal celebrations, and would feature symbolic ingredients.
- Pie Varieties from Ethnic Communities:
- Jamaican Patty: Though more of a turnover, it’s a popular savory pastry in the UK filled with spicy meat (like beef or chicken) or vegetables, influenced by Jamaican cuisine.
- Indian Samosa Pie: A fusion creation combining the flavors of a traditional Indian samosa with a pie crust, often filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes minced meat.
- Pie Varieties for Dietary Preferences:
- Gluten-Free Pie: With increasing dietary awareness, many bakeries and restaurants offer gluten-free pie options using alternative flours for the pastry, suitable for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
- Low-Fat Pie: Some recipes adapt traditional pies to reduce fat content by using lean meats, less pastry, or healthier cooking methods.
- Pie-Inspired Desserts:
- Pecan Pie: Though originating from North America, pecan pie has gained popularity in the UK, featuring a filling of pecans mixed with a sweet syrup, often served with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Chocolate Tart: While not a traditional pie, chocolate tarts filled with rich chocolate ganache or mousse are popular dessert choices in the UK.
- Pie Innovations and Trends:
- Gourmet Pie Shops: Increasingly, specialized pie shops offer a wide range of gourmet pies with unique fillings, artisanal pastry, and creative presentations.
- Pie Festivals and Competitions: Across the UK, pie festivals celebrate the diversity of pies with tastings, competitions for best pies, and demonstrations by chefs.
- Pie Varieties for Picnics and Outdoor Eating:
- Hand Pies: Small, portable pies filled with savory or sweet fillings, perfect for picnics and packed lunches.
- Picnic Pie: Larger pies designed to be sliced and shared outdoors, often filled with a combination of meats, eggs, and vegetables.
- Pie-Making Traditions in Rural Communities:
- Farmhouse Pie: Reflecting rural traditions, farmhouse pies are often made with ingredients sourced locally from the farm, such as game meats, fresh vegetables, and herbs.
- Pie Varieties Celebrating Local Produce:
- Lincolnshire Plum Bread Pie: A unique pie from Lincolnshire, filled with a sweet mixture of locally grown plums and spices, encased in pastry.
- Pie Varieties with Unique Fillings:
- Stilton and Walnut Pie: A savory pie filled with Stilton cheese and chopped walnuts, often in a creamy sauce or with added herbs.
- Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart: Though more of a tart, it’s a popular choice in British cuisine, featuring sweet caramelized onions paired with tangy goat cheese.
- Pies with Exotic Flavors and Ingredients:
- Moroccan Lamb Pie: Inspired by Moroccan cuisine, filled with tender lamb stewed with spices like cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, often with dried fruits like apricots or dates.
- Thai Red Curry Chicken Pie: A fusion creation combining Thai flavors, filled with chicken in a spicy red curry sauce, coconut milk, and Thai herbs.
- Pies for Festive Occasions:
- Hogmanay Pie: A traditional pie served in Scotland to celebrate Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve), often filled with minced meat and rich gravy.
- Twelfth Night Pie: Historically eaten on Twelfth Night (January 5th), filled with a mixture of meats, fruits, and spices, sometimes with a hidden bean or trinket for luck.
- Pies with Root Vegetables:
- Swede and Potato Pie: A hearty pie filled with chunks of swede (rutabaga) and potatoes, sometimes with added carrots or parsnips, in a creamy sauce or gravy.
- Jersey Royal Potato Pie: Celebrating Jersey Royal potatoes, often combined with other seasonal vegetables and herbs in a buttery pastry crust.
- Pies for Afternoon Tea:
- Miniature Quiches: Served as part of afternoon tea, these small quiches are filled with various combinations such as cheese and spinach or ham and mushroom.
- Sausage Rolls: Though not technically a pie, sausage rolls (flaky pastry filled with seasoned sausage meat) are a staple at afternoon tea and picnics across the UK.
- Pie Varieties with Exotic Meats:
- Ostrich and Red Wine Pie: An adventurous pie featuring lean ostrich meat cooked in a rich red wine sauce, often paired with mushrooms or root vegetables.
- Wild Boar and Apple Pie: Filled with wild boar meat and chunks of apple, providing a balance of savory and sweet flavors.
- Pies Celebrating British Cheese:
- Wensleydale and Cranberry Pie: Filled with crumbled Wensleydale cheese and tart cranberries, encapsulated in a buttery pastry crust.
- Cheddar and Ale Pie: Combines sharp Cheddar cheese with hearty ale in a creamy sauce, encased in a robust pastry shell.
- Pies Inspired by British TV and Literature:
- Sherlock Holmes’ Steak Pie: A fictional favorite of Sherlock Holmes, typically depicted as a hearty steak pie with a rich gravy, enjoyed in the literary world and recreated by fans.
- Harry Potter’s Shepherd’s Pie: Inspired by the famous dish mentioned in the Harry Potter series, a comforting pie filled with minced lamb or beef topped with mashed potatoes.
- Pies for Charity and Community Events:
- Pie and Pea Supper: A traditional fundraising event across northern England, where attendees enjoy savory meat pies served with mushy peas.
- Pie-Eating Contests: Held at various events and festivals, challenging participants to consume pies in the shortest amount of time, often in support of charitable causes.
- Personalized and Customized Pies:
- DIY Pie Bars: Increasingly popular at weddings and events, where guests can customize their own pies with a selection of fillings, sauces, and toppings.
- Personalized Pie Orders: Many bakeries and restaurants offer bespoke pie-making services, allowing customers to request specific fillings, pastry types, and sizes tailored to their preferences.