Nigerian Meat Pie prepared with the classic recipe that gets everyone asking for more
Nigerian Meat Pie is a delicious snack, filled with vegetables (usually potatoes&carrots) and minced meat. This is one of the sought after snack in any festive gathering.
The Nigerian meat pie is often confused with Enpanadas; even though these two snacks have similar shapes, they differ a lot in the process, preparation and fillings used.
The classic recipe only incorporated potatoes and carrots as the main vegetables, but it is now very common to see Nigerian meat pie prepared with a variety of veggies, which includes, but not limited to carrots, potatoes, green peas, sweet corn, runner beans, chillies and as far as your creativity runs.
But nonetheless, here’s a detailed recipe and video showing you how to make the perfect and classic Nigerian Meat pie. Feel free to get creative and make this recipe yours….enjoy.
Note: The process might look lengthy, but is really isn’t , so don’t be discouraged *wink, wink*
Nigerian Meat Pie Ingredients:
Nigerian Meat Pie Filling:
• 300g of minced meat (ground beef)
• 1 medium-sized onion or spring onions
• Quarter teaspoon garlic powder or a little minced garlic clove(optional)
• 3 medium-sized carrots
• 2 medium-sized Irish potatoes
• 1 cooking spoonful of Vegetable Oil
• Seasoning of choice (but preferably bouillon cubes(Maggi / Knorr
cubes), a teaspoon of thyme, a teaspoon of curry
• 2 tablespoons of plain flour(to make a binder)
• Cool water — 200ml(more or less)
• Salt — to taste
UPDATE: sometimes I add green peas to my filling
Nigerian Meat Pie Dough:
• 500 grams Plain Flour
• 250 grams Margarine
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder (leveled)
• 3/4 teaspoon(a big pinch) of Salt
• about 75 ml Cool Water (or as needed to get a stiff dough)
UPDATE: for most party meat pies, I add a bit of sugar, because most clients want the dough a bit sweet, but not too sweet. So if you are like that too, you can add about 1 tablespoonful of sugar to your dough, as I explained below
Preparing ingredients for the Nigerian Meat pie :
**Grind or mince the meat, if you haven’t done that yet.
**Chop or mince the onions and set aside
**Wash and scrape the carrots, peel the Irish potatoes, rinse these vegetables(carrot&potatoes) and cut into very tiny cubes.
Directions for making Nigerian Meat Pie
1. First step is to prepare the Meat Pie Filling:
a. Heat up the oil on medium heat. Then add the chopped onions and garlic (garlic is optional), stir fry a bit; add the minced meat to the pot and stir well till the minced meat looses its pink color.
b. Now, add 1 cup of water to the pot, add the stock cube, thyme and curry. Cover the pot and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
c. After 10 minutes, add the diced potatoes,carrots ,green peas if using and salt to taste; leave to cook until the vegetables are done.
Then, dissolve 2 tablespoonful of the plain flour in half cup of cold water .
Mix thoroughly and add the mixture to the meat pie filling in the pot, stir well until well incorporated, put off
the heat and leave to cool .
Tip: This flour mixture helps to bind the filling together and retain the moisture of the meat pie filling when baking. You can use cheese as an alternative or leave it out if you want to.
2. The second step is to prepare the dough and to do this;
a. First break an egg, beat it and set aside for later use.
b. Grease the oven tray that you’ll be using; do this by rubbing a little margarine inside the tray.
This helps to prevent the meat pies from burning. You can also make use of baking sheets.
c. Put the 500g of flour into a big bowl , add 1 tablespoonful of sugar(if using); add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a big pinch of salt. Mix well.
d. Add the margarine (you can melt the margarine, to make mixing easier) and mix thoroughly until the mixture looks more like bread crumbs or sifted garri.
e. Now, gradually add a little water and keep on mixing until you get a stiff dough.
f. Knead the dough until smooth and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then place on a lightly floured surface.
At this stage you can preheat the oven at 335°F or 170°C and continue with the meat pies.
g. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough on the table, it shouldn’t be too flat or too thick.
h. With a circular shaped cutter, cut out some circles; You can make use of any clean object you have, to get your desired size (I made use of a bowl *wink* ).
i. Remove the excess dough, and then scoop some of the meat pie filling and place in the center of the circular cut dough. Don’t add a lot of filling, so that your meatpie won’t look bumpy at the top.
j. Now rub the whisked egg, on the edges of the dough you are working with. In place of the egg, you can make
use of flour & water mix. This will prevent the meat pie from bursting open while in the oven.
k. The next step is to fold one side of the circular dough to join the other part, to form a semicircle. Use a fork to
press the edges tight and give the meat pie its unique design.
Now transfer unto the greased tray and repeat this process for the remaining circles.
l. When all the meat pies are folded, rub the whisked egg on the surface of the meat pies. The egg helps to
give the meat pie a golden sheen, but this is optional.
m. Place the Meat pies in the preheated oven and leave to bake for 35 minutes Or until the meat pies are lightly browned. You can check it from time to time, if you are not sure of the temperature of your oven.
The Nigerian Meat pies are ready when they are lightly brown..Enjoy.
Click here for Frequently asked Questions about the Nigerian Meat Pie
Check out our Nigerian Chicken Pie recipe
Here are other recipes you will surely love:
Thanks, it’s so helpful
Author
You are welcome Omowunmi
Pls can I use an already parboiled meat for this recipe
Author
Yes you can grind already parboiled meat and use it as filling
but honestly, using raw grinded meat is better for flavor and tastes better too
Thanks guys
Author
You’re welcome
I am going to be using a little bit suger
Author
Great
Thanks alot, your blog is really helpful
Author
you’re welcome
I want to make it dry with only pepper sauce within and having a crunchy taste can I still use the procedure above
Author
Yes you can, but reduce the liquid to get more crunch
Thanks for the amazing recipie
Author
You’re welcome Majesty
Thanks for the recipes
Author
My pleasure Musa
Thanks so much for this post.i love it and I will try how to make chicken pie.
Author
My pleasure Wumi, and I’ll be expecting your feedback
how do you change the grams to cups and ml to grams
Thanks for this wonderful recipe, I actually got it right following your recipe. Pls, can I add sugar to make it more tasty ? Then, I could taste the baking powder in the meat pie, why is it so ?
Author
Hi Estherrichard, I am so happy you nailed it on your first try.
And yes, yiu can add sugar to your dough if you want to.
As for the baking powder, make sure it is a leveled teaspoon as indicated in the recipe and not a full teaspoon.
Most people tend to use a lot, so watch it next time dear and great job 🙂
Hi Nky! Compliments of d season! Ur food blog is awesome and remains my no 1. Pls, can I add eggs when making my meatpie dough? If yes, how many will be ok for this recipe?
Author
Yes Esther, you can add egg and one is okay for this meat pie recipe.
Compliments of the season dearie.
Please how many meatpies can this recipe make
Author
It depends on the size of the cutter you are using.
Makes about 15 medium sizes(more or less)
please can I fry my meat pie if I don't have access to oven?
Author
No Felicia, you can’t fry it if what you want is the Nigerian meat pie 🙂
please I want to know if I can fry my meat pie in the absence of oven.
Author
You can bake meatpie in a pot just like I did with this cake here https://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/how-to-bake-cake-without-oven-and-on/
Thanks Sooo much for this. I just made mine and they turned out really nice. I used corned beef doh.
Author
No wahala Chris, corned beef is also a good filling for Nigerian meat pie and thanks for your feedback 🙂
Hi NkyI'm an ardent follower and have used several of your recipes over the past 3-4 years.Its great what you do but it'll be also nice if you could indicate how many servings the recipes make. For instance how many pieces of meat pie from above recipe. Course it can't be an exact science but will be a good indication. Thanks and keep up the good work
Thanks a million.I want to ask I'd there a way to add preservative to meat pie though or the filling because i saw someone selling some sort of meatpie with long lasting ability I'm guessing it's because of the preservative
Hi Nky! My meatpie burns at the bottom without being done on top. What could be the cause?
Author
You oven is too hot or you are baking on the lower part of the oven, try reducing the temperature next time Stella .
Hello Thabks for the recipe, can I use a microwave oven for the baking since I don't have an oven? Tnx
Hello Thabks for the recipe, can I use a microwave oven for the baking since I don't have an oven? Tnx
I love dis,but can you bake the meat pie without oven
wow! u really saved my day wit dis recipe;i tried it and it came out perfect,tnkx alot God bless u
Hi, please I have a problem with my dough .it is not forming well it keeps breaking.what should I do.please help
Please ma,to make about 100pieces of meatpie what quantity of flour do i need?
Nice Blog Post !
Pls Nk, can meatpie fillings be kept in the freezer for a long time before using it?
like how many days can a meat pie stay without getting spoiled
Thanks for this great lesson Nky,Please I would love to know;can meat pie be kept for more than a day without going bad?If yes,how.Asher Jocos
Thanks for this great lesson Nky,Please I would love to know;can meat pie be kept for more than a day without going bad?If yes,how.Asher Jocos
Is there alternative recipes for filling outside carrot, potatoes, onions etc?
Teniolacan i use stove to bake meat pie
Thanks for you post. Please I want to find out if it is in the ordinary fridge or in the freezer. Again how can you preseve dough that you did not finish using. Thanks n God bless you for the good work you r doing.
Thanks for the post. I appreciate the details, pictures, and expert delivery on the subject. I baked the meatpie and my family enjoyed a perfect first time trial meal for Thanksgiving :))) God bless!
Hello. can I make use of sweet potato in place of Irish?
You can , but it wont taste the same. You know irish and sweet potato do not taste the same.
Hello ma I want to know why you don't add sugar to the meat pie
Hello ma I want to know why you don't add sugar to the meat pie
Sugar is only added if you want a sweet pastry.
Ohh Nky please help me. My mixed meat pie dough isn't coming together rather scattering and not elastic at all upon I have try kneading all I can. The dough is like when u mix garri with cold water. I followed the correct measurements yet it's not yielding result. Please help. What do I do? How do I remedy it.The answer is not in frequently asked questions
You can add a little margarine to it
You can add drop of water until the consistency is achieved
y is my meatpie hard
You probably baked it for too long or the oven was too hot when you put it in.
why is my meatpie dough hard
For the filling, can I make use of cornflour instead of the all-purpose flour? Cause I read cornflour is also used to thickening food ingredients as such.
yes u can
Can i bake with a microwave oven and secondly can I use oat flour ?
Yes u can
Am pbaby.tks for dis,pls can a mini oven do dis meatpie n which of d tray shud i use,tks i await ur reply
yes it can. use the the middle tray
Hi I am making these for my daughter school she has a presentation on Nigeria and asked me to make them. So how do I adjust the recipe for 2.25 pounds of beef
Hi dear, quadruple the ingredients in the recipe
I don't have an oven yet.Can i bake the meatpie with the baking without an oven method? if yes, how? thanks
Already replied u above 🙂
i do not have an oven yet.Can i use the bake without an oven method for this meatpie? if yes, how. thanks
Yes you can, simply place a high rack in the hot pot and place the meat pies on it
Hi,Nky lily lete God bless ur good work.pls my meat pie comes out good after baking but strong wot do I do tanx.
You probably baked it for too long or the oven was too hot when you put it in.
Thanks for the recipe. I've made it 3 times and they were lovely, even though the first two were very thick. My family loves it. Even, my husband's friend comes visiting whenever I make it
I,m glad u enjoyed it, thanks for the feedback Olaide☺
Thank u for helping us, please, I need the recipes for bread and the type of doughnut that has white lining in between. Thanks.
You,re welcome.Check our bread recipes and snacks tab above
A first timer here, but I love what I've learned today. I don't have an oven. I want to practice the pie using electric or gas cooker. How do I go about it?
Hi Sharon, you can bake in a pot here's a method you can use https://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2015/03/how-to-bake-cake-without-oven-and-on.html
How do l make my pie dough crispy?
After it is fully done, put off the oven, and Let it sit in the hot oven until as crispy as you want it.
How do l make my pie dough crispy?
How do I make my pie dough crispy?
This is a delicious looking pie. i have subscribed, please send me notes on making a good meat-pie, puff puff, samosa.thank you.
welcome dearie 🙂
Enter your comment…wow this is looking good.Nice job
🙂
How do i make my meat pie rise, because mine don't increase so much in size and it is affecting the price at the retail outlet.
I use a meat pie cutter and after baking I.e when the meat pie has cooled it tend to be too thick, I tried to make the dough lighter but it still does not work out
Hi Nky just stumbled into u blog. Very happy with all I've read so far. I just started a catering sch. I've baked meat pies abt 3 times now. my issue is that I comes out very sweet but d body of d pie is always very strong. pls wat could be the problem.
Your oven must have been too hot, let it bake at a lower temperature.
PLEASE I LIKE THE GOOD WK U ARE DOING HERE ONLINE BUT PLEASE CAN I USE SHEA BUTTER INSTEAD OF MARGARINE AND CAN I USE CABBAGE N ONIONS AS MY FILL INS
It wont taste the same but you can use them.
PLEASE DEAR CAN I USE SHEA BUTTER INSTEAD OF MAGARINE OR OTHER BUTTERS?
yes you can use Unrefined shea butter if you don't want to use any lactose based butters.
Wow,its awesome. I just finished baking mine, it taste great. My hubby and kids are enjoying it and want me to be baking every weekend. Thanks so much. Am so happy I learnt something new for lunch
you're so welcome dearie, thanks for your lovely feedback
Like How many meat pies can this recipe make
Makes about 15 meat pies.
weldone pls like how many meatpies can this recipe make
Makes about 15 meat pies if you're using a small cutter, but less if making use of a wider cutter to cut the rolled dough.
Good nice does it need to add egg
U can add egg if u want but not more than 2 eggs. The last time i did it I add 2 egg and after wraping it I use egg to robe on the top as a finishing touch up . Look so attractive and shiny.
Pls,in my situation that I don't have oven, what is the next alternative?
I'll be posting how to do that soon.
crazy doe how dees not just like empanadas dey like cornish pasties too. I love me cornish pasties an dey also like de patties from de caribbean. nom nom chicken patties. my favrit is de crusty pastry. it taste like de dreams of freedom
Tnks for the recipe. Can it also be fry in hot oil without oven
No frying.
Help my meatpie dough taste bitterafter baking wat could av happened
Too much baking powder, a teaspoon means a leveled teaspoon not a heaping teaspoon.
Hi, thanks for this recipe however am having a few challenges. 1. My dough tends to break while am trying to roll it flat with the rolling pin. I've added water and more flour at different intervals and that didn't seems to help.2. After baking the crust seems to taste a lil bitter and am wondering if this might be bacause of the salt or (lack of enough of it). ?Please advice. Many thanks.
Hi dear , if you followed the recipe as it is, without substitutions and also measuring the ingredients right, you won't encounter any of these problems.
The problem you are experiencing is due to too much baking powder.@Nky Lily Pete,thanks for this great platform that helps me back on track whenever I'm stock.
Can I use an electric hand mixer for the mixing
If the mixer has a dough attachment you can fix it and use it for making the meat pie dough.
Ma, can I make d dough without baking Powder
The baking powder makes the dough fluffy and gives a softer pastry, so you need it.
Hello again, I just finished making meat pie and mini sausage rolls with ur recipes and they were absolutely delicious! I'm so proud of myself as this is my first time making them lol. How do I send pics or post them here? I would like to show them off lol
I'm proud of you too sweetie, keep it up.You can send me your pics by email.Send it to [email protected]'ll love to see them 🙂
I always fail selecting the right baking powder
Why is that and how can I help?
How many days will the meat pie stay before it get spoilt
If left on the table at room temperature it will stay good for 24 hrs, but in the fridge it will keep well for 3 to 7 days, but has to be heated up in the oven or microwave before eating.
How long will my nigeria meat stay before it get spoit
Can I skip using baking powder
No, you can't skip the baking powder.
New to this site and I love all these, looks well explained. Going to try them out and give some nigerians here in ghana who don't like the ghana hard type of meat pie. Well done maam.
Thanks dearie 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. I want to use cheese instead of flour to bind,how do I go about it and the type of cheese? Thanks
Thanks.Mozzarella or any creamy cheese would do just fine dearie
Love this recipe! i tried it last week and it turned out perfect, now i wanna make it today but i added too much flour&water mixture to the filing. The filing is watery and that is making it hard to close. What can i do to correct this? thanks
I'm glad you tried it before and it came out good.The flour and water mixture is supposed to make the filling stick together, not watery.You can transfer it back into the pot and let it cook a little longer, leave to cool completely before use.
love this recipe, i tried it last week and it turned out perfect. Am trying to make it today but i think i added too much flour&water mixture to the filing, now its watery and that is making it hard to close. what can i do to correct this?
I love dis already! I would try it one of dis days. Thanks a lot for dis and God bless.
You're welcome dear. God bless you too 🙂
I always use gravy, to make it stick together. I have a home made gravy recipe, and I tried it with this, and it was awesome. My problem has always been that, my meatpie don't look smooth and shiny like these ones here, don't know what to do.
To get them smooth, don't roll too flat and don't add too much filling.
haalf mudu of flour is hw many gramms
I don't know dearie, If you mean't half cup of derica, then it's 400grams.
U are doing a great job ma,may God continue to inspire u and give u all d strength u needed.weldone ma,pls ma what is chill peper and b4 I discover ur site I once try meatpie adding sugar&salt I didn't get realy mr bigg taste,I try only salt but d dough was not sweet wen bite.pls I wil like to make just 2 or 3 meatpie for practice with small cutter.I Hop to get it rite after I would have practicalize with d receip u wil give me,I wil like use 100 grm flour,I no d buter is 50grm,hop am rite, pls I wil like to get d measurement of oda receip like d baking powder,salt etc pls.
Thanks Onyi, chili pepper is the normal hot pepper we use in Nigeria.For the quantity you are making you only need a pinch or baking powder and salt. , and yes you are right about the butter.
My meat pie is always strong after baking. Please what could be the cause?
There are few reasons for that and I explained it on this page here http://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2012/11/nigerian-meat-pie-frequently-asked.html
I came across ur site snd this recipe 2wks b4 my daughter's birthday party. I wanted something yo entertain the few nigerian parents that'll stay behind. This meat pie was a winner and guess what it has now become part of my kids lunch pack. Every Monday
Aww dear, I'm so glad to be of help. Thanks for your lovely feedback, you made my day 🙂
Can i preserve meat pie like cake to have it for like 3 days or more?
Yes you can. It will keep well in the fridge for 3 days but you'll have to pre-heat it in the microwave or oven before eating.
Thank you for the recipe. ..Which part of the oven should i bake the pie #first shelf or the bottom and can i use corned beef in filling the pie?
Bake it in the first or middle shelf so that the bottom doesnt get burnt before the top is fully baked.
I asked two questionsOkay, what about the fillings…Can I use cornedbeef?Thanks dear
Corn beef is usually salty and you won't get the authentic Nigerian meat pie if you use it, but if that's what you have, you only need to boil the carrots and potatoes,add curry, thyme. When fully done put off the heat and add the corn beef.Let me know how it turns out.
Still waiting for d reply pls
I have replied dear. Do let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
I tried d meat pie, I got d vegetable filling perfectly but d dough was kinda hard, i don't know what went wrong, please help, any idea?
Hi dear, hope you baked it at the right temperature, because high temperature can harden the dough, You can also check out this frequently asked questions for more reasons http://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2012/11/nigerian-meat-pie-frequently-asked.html.
I tried ur doughnut recipe and it came out fabulous. My husband loved it, i made some for my friends and they loved it too. Thanks Nky. I'm going to try d meat pie right away.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe dear and do send me some pics to add you to the fan's wall of fame 🙂
thanks a lot my dear, pls must I add flour to the filling because I don't really like that yummy taste the flour use to give the filling
No problem dearie, you can leave out the flour in the filling if you don't like the taste 🙂 and thanks for coming by Hun.
how many does ur recipe make thanxs
Makes about 15 meat pies if you're using a small cutter, but less if making use of a wider cutter to cut the rolled dough.
Thanks my dear. You are helping many that love to be counted among sophisticated ladies in the kitchen. Am one of them
You're welcome sweetie 🙂
Hi. Thanks for your recipe. Mine's in the oven right now. I have 2 issues. 1. Its been there for about an hour but not yet brown but at 170 degrees C.2. I had problems with my dough. It was cracking when i was kneading it but i managed to put it together. Now the meat pie tops are cracked open in the oven 🙁
Hi dear, I answered the ''dough cracking'' question here https://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2012/11/nigerian-meat-pie-frequently-asked.html. Don't worry when you read it , you'll become an expert in your next try dear 🙂
Pls if u melt d butter or magarine,won't it turn into oil and won't give wot u desire. Also can I put milk in d batter and pepper in d filling.
If you melt the butter or margarine , it will still give you the same result, and yes dear, you can add milk to the batter and pepper to the filling if you like to 🙂
Pls if u melt d butter or magarine,won't it turn into oil and won't give wot u desire. Also can I put milk in d batter and pepper in d filling.
Pls if u melt d butter or magarine,won't it turn into oil and won't give wot u desire. Also can I put milk in d batter and pepper in d filling.
Pls if u melt d butter or magarine,won't it turn into oil and won't give wot u desire. Also can I put milk in d batter and pepper in d filling.
My my my!!! Your explanations really make a lot of sense. I just made mine and it came out so well&delicious. I'd send my pic to your email now. Nice job ma'am.
Hi dear, I saw those yummy looking meat pies, you sure did a great job Hun,keep it up, I'll share it on facebook for all to see 🙂
Tanx! Mine came out great… Tough I used fresh meat…parboiled it with salt and pounded it…dey re diced!! TanxHow do I send d pix
That is nice dear, I'm so glad it turned out really well. You can send me a pic by posting on Nigerianfoodtv facebook page or send as an email to [email protected] . Thanks for your feedback 🙂
Nice job u re doing here. Am really glad I stumbled on ds. Pls, by mince meat, do u mean a grounded beef? Or the normal mincemeat sealed inside jars at supermarts? I really don't get it. Thanks
Hi dear, the minced meat used here is the same as ground raw beef. You can make it yourself by grinding boneless beef in a dry mill (after cutting to smaller sizes). You can also use a meat grinder or mincer…hope this helps 🙂
going to try this out but surely looks good
You'll love it dear 🙂
nice stuff I love this
Thanks Kayode, well appreciated 🙂
Nice stuffs I love this
nice stuff I love this
how do i get the recipe in my inbox?
Hi dear, above the page you'll see a box ''Get Recipes in your inbox'', put your email address and click on ''subscribe''
Nice to see you've added pictures.
Thanks for the follow up dear, you know a picture is worth a thousand words 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. I was wondering if I can use butter instead of margarine?
Yes dear, you can use butter, but make sure you melt or leave it out at room temperature before use.
Awesome! This works.
I'm glad it did 🙂
Hi dear, there is no special tray for baking meat pie .I had the same problem when my oven was bad; so first check that the oven heats up well. You should also try baking in preheated oven at 335°F or 170°C to give the meat pies the chance to bake at the same rate. High temperature makes one part bake faster than the other. Another cause might be in the filling; if the filling was hot or ''dripping'' when you added it to the dough, it might make the bottom soggy, and take more time to bake. If all these fails, then try turning it over, remember that the heat within a gas oven varies from top (which is the hottest part) to the bottom (which is the coolest part)…as the hot air rises to the top..so you can turn it over so that it can bake well like the top. Hope this helps 🙂
I am quite gud with making meat pie , however I still hv problems with underneath the meat pie. That is the part placed on the tray, it always comes out quite soft like it isn't done, while the top bit is ready and no matter hw long I leave the meat pie in, they always comes out the same.Do I need to turn this bottom bit up during baking? I use the normal baking tray , is there a particular tray that I need to use?
This is good. Pls can I see the one for sharwama
Shawarma recipe coming soon dearie, hope you are part of our facebook team , so that you can be one of the first to know 🙂
This is the shawarma recipe http://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2013/09/nigerian-chicken-shawarma-shawama.html
Pls I would like u to add me on ur Facebook page. Tnx
I wish I had one right now…
Lol.. 🙂
please I will like to know, a full peak milk cup is how many grammes precisely? and also that green pea/yellow maize can full will be approximately what gramm? I am having issues with converting these grammes into the conventional measuring bowls.thanks.
Hi dear,The small peak milk evaporated milk can is about 170 grams, while the medium sized sweet corn(yellow maize) is about 34o grams