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nigerian meat pie recipe
- Total Time: 185 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 pies 1x
- Diet: General
Description
This Nigerian meat pie recipe offers a comforting, savory experience with a golden, flaky crust and a rich beef filling, perfect for a family-friendly weeknight meal or a hearty snack. It is an easy-to-master classic that always pleases a crowd.
Ingredients
- 450 g (3.5 cups) all-purpose flour
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt (for pastry)
- 225 g (1 cup) cold vegetable shortening, cubed (cold unsalted butter also works for richness)
- 120–180 ml (0.5–0.75 cup) ice water
- 450 g (1 lb) lean ground beef (ground chicken or turkey work too)
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium potato, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) smoked paprika
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) curry powder
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) sumac
- 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) black pepper
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt (for filling), or to taste
- 120 ml (0.5 cup) vegetable stock (chicken broth also works)
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour (for filling)
- 15 g (0.25 cup) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 15 g (0.25 cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (for filling)
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) water (for egg wash)
- 50 g (0.5 cup) unsalted pistachios, shelled, roughly chopped
- 30 g (0.5 cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (for gremolata)
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1 small clove garlic, minced very fine
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of fine sea salt (for gremolata)
- Pinch of smoked paprika (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare Flaky Dough: Combine flour and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add ice water, mixing until dough forms. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook Savory Filling: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Brown ground beef, breaking it up; drain fat. Add diced onion, carrots, potato; cook 8-10 minutes until softening. Stir in smoked paprika, curry powder, sumac, black pepper, 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle in 15 g (1 tablespoon) flour; add vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer until thickened. Reduce heat, cover, cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove, stir in fresh mint and parsley. Let cool completely.
- Assemble the Pies: Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F). Roll chilled dough to 3 mm (0.125 inch) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 10-12 cm (4-5 inch) rounds. Place 30-45 g (2-3 tablespoons) cooled filling on one half. Moisten edges with a little water, fold over, and crimp with a fork for a neat seal.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Whisk 1 large egg with 5 ml (1 teaspoon) water for egg wash. Brush pies generously. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. While cooling, prepare the gremolata: combine pistachios, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
Notes
Ensure filling is completely cooled before assembling to prevent soggy bottom. Use very cold shortening and avoid overworking dough for a flaky, non-cracking crust. For dry filling, add 15-30 ml (1-2 tablespoons) extra vegetable stock or a cornstarch slurry. Consider variations like ground chicken or turkey, mixed vegetables, or a gluten-free flour blend. Fresh ingredients significantly improve flavor.
- Prep Time: 160 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Savory Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Calories: 380 calories
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg