This Easy Nigerian Meat Pie is a typical food found in West African countries. Today’s recipe is a Nigerian meat pie, which people all over enjoy. You will like this Ghana bofrot and cake if you like African dishes.
These homemade savory hand pies are easy to make and easy to grab-and-go snacks. They are great for picnics and school lunch and can be enjoyed any time of the day or year. These meat pies can be made ahead of time and freeze well.
I’m sharing my recipe for Nigerian meat pie with step-by-step photos and a video tutorial. I have included tricks and tips for baking success.
Ingredients For Making Meat Pie
The recipe card at the bottom of the page contains full ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
For the Pie Dough/Crust
Flour: all-purpose flour is used in the recipe. What you want for pie is flour that yields a tender, flaky crust, which means all-purpose flour or pastry flour is the ideal type to use.
Butter: unsalted butter is used in the recipe. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the dough ingredients. All other fat like shortening or margarine will work; the choice will depend on your flavor preferences and dietary needs. The butter should be cold; you can even put it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before using it.
Salt: added to bring all the flavors together in pie crust. When you leave out the salt, the crust will taste bland and tasteless unless you make a salt-free pie or use salted butter.
Baking powder: give the pie crust or dough a lift.
Nutmeg: add a nutty flavor to the dough.
Ice water is essential in this recipe to help the butter hold its shape. Ice water keeps the bits of fat in the dough cold and intact. This creates little pockets of fat so that, as the pie bakes, it gradually melt and forms tiny holes in the crust, making the crust flaky.
For the Beef Filling
Ground beef
Onion
Carrot
Potato
Olive Oil
Seasoning
Corn flour
Egg wash- egg and a dash of milk
Step By Step Instructions on How to Make Meat Pie
Below are the steps needed to make a meat pie like a pro.
Step One: Making the Pie Dough/ Crust
In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder and mix.
Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Mix the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until well mixed. You can also rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.
Add the cold water to the mixture slowly and mix to form a dough. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in a plastic bag or cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
STEP TWO: Making the Pie Filling
In a large pan, heat oil and add onion then cook until translucent. Add diced carrots and cook for a few minutes. Add the meat and cook, breaking it apart, until no traces of pink. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Add chopped potatoes then cook until potatoes are tender.
Mix the corn flour with water to form a paste, and add it to the filling to help thicken it. Allow the pie filling to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it thickens. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool completely.
STEP THREE: Rolling and Molding the Meat Pie
Roll the cold pie dough on a floured board into 1/8- ¼th inch thick. You are using your cookie cutter or pie mold to cut into circles. Re-roll any scraps and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
Add one tablespoon of filling to each circle, brush the edges with egg wash and fold and crimp edges to seal with the tip of a fork or the thongs.
STEP FOUR: Baking the Meat Pie
Transfer the meat pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place them 2 inches apart.
Poke the top of the pie with a fork to create a hole to help the steam escape when baking. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and under.
How to Serve these Hand Pies
These meat pies can be served warm or at room temperature. They can be served alone or with a cold drink, juice, or beverage.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
The pie crust dough: this dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
The Meat Pie Filling: the filling can also be made ahead of time. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Assembled and Unbaked Meat Pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, there is no need to thaw before baking; add extra minutes of bake time.
Baked Meat Pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until heated through.
Expert Tips
- Roll the cold pie dough starting from the center out. When rolling, rotate the dough as you go along, so it does not stick to the board.
- Allow the filling to cool completely before using.
- If the pie dough feels soft, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up before proceeding.
- Do not overfill the pies to prevent leaking of filling.
- Seal the edges well to prevent the edges from opening during baking. Make sure there is no filling on the edges, or it will break the seal, and the filling will leak through.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nigerian Meat Pies
Can I use self-rising flour?
I do not recommend using self-rising flour because it has more baking powder than is needed for the recipe.
Can I make these with puff pastry?
Yes! You can use puff pastry for more light and flaky meat pies! It reduces the time for making meat pies from scratch. The only downside is that puff pastry tends to be expensive compared to homemade pie crust. Just make sure the filling is cool before stuffing the pastry so the heat doesn’t melt the fat in the dough, and this advice also goes with homemade pie crust.
Why is my Nigerian Pie Hard?
The meat pie will be hard, depending on a couple of factors. If you overmix the pie dough or crust, the meat will end up hard. When the pie is over-baked will end up hard as well.
How Do You Make Nigerian Meat Pie Filling?
There is a step-by-step instruction in the recipe card and a video tutorial to show you how to make the filling.
Can I Freeze Nigerian Meat Pie?
Baked Meat Pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven until heated through.
Video on How to Make Meat Pies
Tools Needed for Making the Pies
Pastry cutter
Hand Pie mold
Circle cutter
More Recipes You’ll Love
Don’t Want to Miss a Thing?
Follow me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, to keep up to date with all the latest news from the Duchez Kitchen.
If you have any questions about this recipe, I would love to hear them in the comment section below. Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review and recipe rating below. Tag me @ #theduchezkitchen- on Instagram and Facebook?
Thanks for reading. As always, know that God loves you, and stay blessed!
Happy baking
Linda
Easy Nigerian Meat Pie
Equipment
- Pie cutter
- Pastry Cutter
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- Pie Crust/ Dough
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter (cut into pieces)
- ½ cup ice water / cold water
- Filling
- 1/2- pound ground beef
- 1 medium-size onion (chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (chopped)
- 1 medium potato (chopped)
- ½ beef bouillon cube
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons corn flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- Egg wash
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Making the Pie Dough/ Crust
- Add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder to a medium mixing bowl, and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Mix the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until well mixed. You can also rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.Add the cold water to the mixture slowly and mix to form a dough. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in a plastic bag or clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Making the Pie Filling
- in a medium pan on medium heat, add oil and allow to heat up. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add diced carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, for 4-5 minutes, until no traces of pink color. Season with salt, stock cube, and thyme. Add chopped potatoes and cover to cook for about 5-7 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Mix the corn flour with water to form a paste, and add it to the filling to help thicken it. Allow the pie filling to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it thickens. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool completely
- Rolling and Molding the Meat Pie
- Before rolling the pie dough, preheat the oven to 350°F OR 180°C.
- Whisk together the egg with a dash of milk or alone and set aside. Lined baking sheet or pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- Roll the cold pie dough on a floured board into 1/8- ¼th inch thick. Using your cookie cutter or pie mold, cut into circles. Re-roll any scraps and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
- Add 1 tablespoon of filling to each dough circle, brush the edges with egg wash and fold and crimp edges to seal with the tip of a fork or the thongs or mold.
- Baking the Meat Pie
- Transfer the meat pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place pies 2 inches apart from each other
- Poke the top of the pie with a fork to create a hole to help the steam escape when baking. Brush the top with egg wash.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and under.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
The pie crust dough: this dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
The Meat Pie Filling: the filling can also be made ahead of time. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Assembled and Unbaked Meat Pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to3 months. If frozen, there is no need to thaw before baking; add extra minutes of bake time.
Baked Meat Pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until heated through.
Dear Linda,
Let me start by congratulating you immensely for putting up this blog. I am impressed going through your recipes. They are classic and indeed look fantastic. I can’t wait to prepare and taste your sumptuous recipes.
Hello Eben, thanks so much for your kind words, and I hope you give the recipe a try and let me know how it turned out.
Can you use store bought pie dough instead of making your own dough?
Hi Sophie, yes, you can use store-bought pie dough, and puff pastry also works great with the meat filling.