33 Savory Pie Recipes You've Never Tried Before

When you think of pie, you probably have something sweet in mind, right? Maybe you just thought of a whipped cream-topped pumpkin pie served at Thanksgiving, a light and airy custard-based pie, or a classic apple pie full of wonderful autumn spices like cinnamon. But pies aren't just for satisfying a sweet tooth. They can be savory, too, and can even be a complete meal. Savory pies often bring together protein, vegetables, and pie crust for a complete package. Some of them are even portable, like empanadas and pasties.

This round-up of savory pie recipes features familiar favorites like shepherd's pie, pot pie, and quiche, but you might also find types of crusts and fillings you haven't tried before. We have breakfast hand pies, crawfish mini pies, and even a copycat KFC Chicken Pie to try. 

Give these humble recipes a shot and rethink your definition of pie. It could mean eating a slice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — not just dessert. And don't we all deserve pie sometimes?

Shepherd's pie is a satisfying and hearty dish that's great for cool weather or family dinners any time of year. Cook the vegetables first, then brown ground meat like beef or lamb. Make mashed potatoes and layer all of these ingredients together, topping the meat and veggies with mashed potatoes, cheese, and breadcrumbs before baking. The potato layer forms a crust that resembles a pie, while the cheese and breadcrumbs get wonderfully bubbly and crispy. This is a perfect meal for cool nights or anytime you'd like some classic comfort food.

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie

This simple, popular pot pie features protein-rich chicken, a wide variety of vegetables, thick sauce, and buttery crust. It's a delicious comfort food. This chicken pot pie recipe takes some shortcuts compared to other recipes, meaning that you'll need just 10 ingredients, 15 minutes of prep, and a baking time of about a half hour. The pie is topped with a store-bought puff pastry crust that becomes wonderfully flaky in the oven, and an egg wash gives it an extra hit of color during baking.

Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

Want a twist on the classic shepherd's pie? Spice things up with this Mexican version that gives a whole lot of flavor to an old culinary standby. This recipe still features ground meat (your choice of beef, turkey, or pork) but also includes peppers, corn, black beans, and pepper jack cheese. Red bell peppers add color and finely-chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add smoky heat. If you want a milder version, skip the chipotle and use mild taco seasoning on the ground meat instead.

Recipe: Mexican Shepherd's Pie

Pasties are portable meat pies, originally enjoyed by 19th-century Cornish miners who were looking for a portable, filling, and warming lunch as they worked beneath the ground, according to NPR. As they and their families emigrated to the United States, many brought this tradition of lunchtime pasties over to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and other regions. Today, they're still a popular, portable, and delicious meal typically featuring meat, vegetables, and bread. This recipe walks you through making the dough, steak, and vegetable filling, and putting it all together to bake them. 

Recipe: Pasties

Cottage pie, a classic British food, typically features ground beef, while shepherd's pie features lamb. But ground lamb isn't as easy to come by as ground beef, so many shepherd's pie recipes swap in beef for lamb interchangeably. This shepherd's pie recipe based on one from Gordon Ramsay has a twist to it: It's made with venison. There's also rutabaga in the mashed potatoes to add a little earthiness and interest to this new take on a savory pie.

Recipe: Gordon Ramsay's Shepherd's Pie

Empanadas can be sweet or savory, and a classic variety features ground beef, onion, and red bell pepper with cheese in a pie crust wrapper. Empanadas are simple, making them an incredibly accessible addition to your meal rotation. And if you're working with a pre-made pie crust, you can have them ready in as little as 30 minutes. They're great on their own or served with rice, beans, and guacamole.

Recipe: Empanadas

A tomato pie is an end-of-summer favorite dish, a fantastic way to show off fresh tomatoes from your garden or the farmer's market. Layer sliced tomatoes and onions in a pie shell and add a mixture of mayonnaise, cheese, spices, and seasonings. It bakes up into a cheesy, bubbly pie with a golden crust that's heavenly for lunch or brunch. Add another summertime favorite to the top of the baked pie: Strips of fresh basil. 

Recipe: Tomato Pie

Whether you're making an impressive breakfast or brunch spread, quiche can wow guests with simple ingredients that bring big, big flavor and real visual impact. Paired with salad or fruit, quiche can make a well-rounded dinner or lunch, too. Quiche Lorraine has a few basic ingredients, including a time-saving frozen pie crust, bacon, chives, and Gruyère cheese. (Or swap Gruyère for Swiss or Emmental.) The mixture sets up nicely with eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, milk, and heavy cream, all of which lend a savory depth and richness to the finished pie.

Recipe: Quiche Lorraine

These little savory pies are unique and really delicious! They're small in size, but brimming with sautéed vegetables and crawfish meat. They also have plenty of Cajun seasoning for flavor and a spicy kick. The 12 mini pies bake up in about 35 minutes. You can set them out as an appetizer, or have them for dinner with a side of pasta, white rice, or green salad. 

Recipe: Mini Crawfish Pies

Quiche brings together a variety of ingredients in one delectable pie. This quiche recipe features bacon and caramelized onion, which offer rich flavor with a relatively slight ingredient list. You can make your own crust, but feel free to use a store-bought one if you want to save on time. Caramelize some onions, add bacon, and place inside the pie crust, then pour over the mixture made with eggs, half and half, nutmeg, and grated cheddar cheese before popping it in the oven.

Recipe: Quiche

There are so many reasons to keep a package of puff pastry on hand in your freezer — and this tart is just one of them. It's a great appetizer that you can whip up on short notice to bring to a party or to set out for friends who stop by. Spread a sheet of rolled out puff pastry with softened Boursin cheese, and top it with asparagus spears. The tart bakes up in only 15 minutes. 

Recipe: Asparagus Tart

Bake a savory pie that's packed with Tex-mex flavor, one that's big enough to feed the whole family for dinner. The bottom layer is a blend of ground beef, onions, peppers, corn, olives, and seasonings. A thick layer of cornbread batter and cheddar cheese is spread over the top and baked until golden and bubbly. Serve tamale pie with green salad, tortilla chips, sour cream, and salsa.  

Recipe: Beef And Cornbread Tamale Pie

Try this tasty twist on a chicken pot pie by swapping the chicken for tuna! It's so easy to make the filling: Sauté some onions until they're soft, then add a little flour, some milk, and vegetable stock. Once the sauce thickens a bit, add in the vegetables and tuna. Top the mixture with biscuits from a tube — they make an excellent, shortcut biscuit topping. This casserole feeds six people and it's easy enough to make any night of the week. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Tuna Pot Pie Casserole

A simple spinach quiche is a versatile recipe to keep on hand. Make one on a Sunday, then bring slices to work for lunch the next week. Bake one if you've got friends coming over for brunch, or if you need breakfast for overnight guests. It's also nice as a light dinner. The filling is a blend of fresh spinach, Gruyère cheese, eggs, milk, and seasonings. Use your favorite pie crust recipe or pick up a premade pie shell to save time. 

Recipe: Spinach Quiche

Everyone loves making homemade versions of sweet Pop-Tarts, and now, here's a chance to make your own savory Toaster Scrambles, too. A golden puff pastry base gets topped with scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast, and melted cheese. They're fun to make and can be customized with spices, different types of cheese, plant-based meats, hot sauce, pesto, or whatever you like. The recipe makes eight servings that bake up in about 25 minutes.

Recipe: Breakfast Hand Pies

Not only can you make chicken pot pies at home that are as good as the pies from KFC, you can make pies that taste even better. The filling is a simple blend of canned cream of chicken soup and diced vegetables. Make it more interesting by adding extras like your favorite spice blend, shredded cheese, or bacon bits. The pies are topped with puff pastry and then baked. The recipe makes six mini pot pies: Keep them in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze the pies for up to three months. 

Recipe: Copycat KFC Chicken Pot Pies

Because this easy quiche has no crust, it's fast to assemble and leaves you free to get other stuff done while it bakes. The frittata-esque creation is made with healthful, shredded zucchini, two cheeses, and a little seasoning. Other herbs can be added too, like an Italian spice blend, dried thyme, or red pepper flakes. Cream and eggs hold everything together. Serve it warm or at room temperature; it's wonderful for breakfast or as a light lunch or dinner.

Recipe: Crustless Zucchini Quiche

Change up Taco Tuesdays by swapping the tortillas for this pie that's stuffed full of all your favorite taco fillings. To make the crust, use store-bought pie dough or your own recipe for pie crust. Fill the shell with taco-spiced, cooked ground beef (ground turkey or plant-based meat crumbles can be used, too) along with salsa, sour cream, and scallions. The pie bakes through in just 15 minutes, enough time to melt a thick layer of shredded cheese over the top.  

Recipe: Baked Taco Pie

If you're a "Great British Baking Show" fan, you may be familiar with meat pies made with a hot water crust, as versions of this pie have appeared in "GBBO" technical and showstopper challenges. Here's a chance to try them at home — make the sturdy, hot-water pastry and use it to line the wells in a muffin pan. Fill these with a seasoned pork mixture, seal, and bake. The finished pies get extra moisture from a chicken stock "jelly." It's a very tasty, very British treat. 

Recipe: Hot Water Crust Meat Pies

A shepherd's pie made with lamb and beef is off-limits, of course, for folks who don't eat meat. That's why we love this vegan take on the classic savory pie: It's packed full of lentils, canned chickpeas, and vegetables for a hearty, filling texture. Sautéed onions, garlic, and tomato paste give the filling gorgeous color and a deep, caramelized flavor. The pie is topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes that get golden and crispy in the oven.

Recipe: Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Miniature ham and tomato quiches are easy to make, but what can you do with them? Stash them in the fridge for easy grab-and-go breakfast treats. Since they bake up in only 15 minutes, make a batch to feed overnight guests or kids at a slumber party. Bring them to the office to surprise your co-workers, or to the next potluck brunch gathering. Try other ingredients to change them up, like bacon instead of ham or sautéed asparagus instead of tomatoes.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Mini Quiches

Rich, gravy-filled steak and kidney pie is an old British culinary classic: Literary references to the meat pie can be found in classic Charles Dickens novels and as recently as the "Harry Potter" books. Make one at home and see why it's a favorite of pubs and homes across the U.K. The filling includes chunks of beef, lamb kidneys, onions, mustard, and beef stock under a layer of puff pastry. It's a hearty pie that serves six. 

Recipe: Steak And Kidney Pie

Recipe developer Kristen Carli says that tamale pie is a favorite comfort food dish in the Southwest, and consists of a chili-like filling baked under a layer of cornbread. Though tamale pie is often made with beef, this lighter version is made with shredded chicken along with black beans, chiles, and tomatoes. Boxed cornbread mix makes this dish easy to assemble, and since the pie needs only 30 minutes to bake, it's perfect for a filling weeknight meal.

Recipe: Chicken Tamale Pie

This versatile pie has the flavor of a quiche but is lighter thanks to cottage cheese in the mixture. Puff pastry forms the base and chopped spinach gives the filling lots of color and nutrition. Because this pie is baked in a baking sheet, it makes several thin slices that can be served for breakfast or lunch. You can even make smaller-sized slices or squares to serve as an easy appetizer. 

Recipe: Spinach And Cottage Cheese Pie

This recipe has the perfect mix of from-scratch components and short-cut ingredients; the combination gives you a family-size chicken pot pie that has old fashioned flavor, but doesn't take too long to put together. Save time by using leftover, shredded chicken and frozen vegetables. Diced potatoes cook up quickly, and the recipe shows you how to make an easy, creamy gravy that pulls everything together. The filling is topped with a store bought pie crust and baked until golden. 

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

If you love quiche and frittatas, you will really enjoy this recipe — especially because it's so quick and easy to prepare. This pie is chock full of chopped veggies (asparagus, peppers, and onions,) and together they create a colorful, flavorful filling. Bisquick mix blended with eggs, milk, and cheese is poured over the vegetables, and as it bakes turns into this beautiful, golden-brown pie. It serves eight people for brunch or a light dinner.

Recipe: 35-Minute Vegetable Pie

The smoky flavor of diced ham is unbelievably delicious when combined with vegetables and gravy under a crispy, golden pie crust. It's a comfort food that's perfect to bake up on cold, wintery days or as a supper in autumn. Frozen veggies and puff pastry sheets make the pie easy to assemble, and diced ham needs only a quick sauté. The gravy is made with milk, butter, chicken stock, and Dijon mustard. This big pie is ready in less than 45 minutes from start to finish. 

Recipe: Ham Pot Pie

Make a delicious, savory pie without the fuss of a crust. Tomatoes, eggs, seasonings, and cheese are layered in a casserole and baked until set and golden brown. The versatile pie can be served at brunch or lunch as a main dish, or as a side dish to go with roast chicken, braised meats, or grilled sausages. Our recipe calls for feta, mozzarella, and Italian seasonings, but you can always experiment with other spices and cheese varieties, too.  

Recipe: Crustless Tomato Pie

What to do with that leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas? Bake into a turkey pot pie! Simmer up a mixture of carrots, onion, and celery (also known as mirepoix) in butter to create a flavorful base, then add in herbs, chicken stock, and flour to create a gravy. Shredded, cooked turkey and peas make the filling thick and hearty. Roll out a pie crust over the filling right in the oven-proof skillet, then bake until the crust is browned and the mixture is bubbling. Voila: A scrumptious pot pie.

Recipe: Turkey Pot Pie

This recipe is great for anyone who loves a project in the kitchen, especially on a chilly weekend when a slice of beef pot pie will be a really hearty and comforting meal to serve up for dinner. This recipe shows you how to make an all-butter crust from scratch — which will taste as good as the filling it holds. Chunks of beef round get flavorful by being simmered with carrots, onions, celery, and beef stock to create a rich mixture that will finish cooking in the pie crust. 

Recipe: Beef Pot Pie

Frozen puff pastry and rotisserie chicken make this pot pie come together so easily. The only step that takes a few minutes is making the flour and butter roux, which creates a rich gravy for the meat and vegetables. Squares of puff pastry are baked separately in the oven, and the filling is simmered together on the stovetop. Ladle chicken filling into bowls and add a golden-brown pastry to the top to complete this delightful twist on a classic. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Chicken Pot Pie

This shepherd's pie is rich and hearty, but replaces the usual ground meat filling with vegetables and lentils. It's a great option for vegetarians and for anyone who wants more meat-free dishes in their dinner rotation. The lentils are simmered in a flavorful base of tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, red wine, and vegetable stock. Once spooned into a casserole dish, a thick layer of mashed potatoes goes over the top alongside herbs and grated cheese. 

Recipe: Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Gruyère is a type of Swiss cheese with a light flavor, and it's an exceptional cheese to use in baked egg dishes like this quiche. Sliced onions and baby spinach are gently sautéed in butter and olive oil, and add flavor to the egg and milk mixture. Add grated Gruyère and Parmesan, pour into a pie dish, and bake until golden brown. The cooled quiche keeps for several days in the fridge and can even be frozen for an easy meal down the road. 

Recipe: Crustless Spinach Quiche