Last Updated on January 2, 2023
Everyone can’t say no to pies. In this regard, every culture and cuisine has its version of a savory hand pie dough recipe. Savory pies are perfect for picnics, school lunches, and on-the-go food. You will surely enjoy this vegetarian savory hand pies recipe.
Moreover, a healthy and hearty recipe teaches you to make hand-pie dough from scratch. Besides, it has a savory filling spiced mildly with veggies like; carrots, peas, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, tomatoes, and jalapenos. So it is indeed simple to make, not to mention super healthy.
What You Will Need
Ingredients For the Hand Pie Dough
- 1 cup of flour
- 1/4 cup of cold vegan butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 3 tbsp of ice-cold water
For the Hand Pies Savory Filling
- 1/2 tbsp of oil
- 1/4 cup of chopped onions
- 1pc of jalapeno (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp of finely grated ginger
- 1pc of small tomato (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp of red chili powder/paprika
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp of garam masala
- Salt, depending on your taste
- 1/2 cup of chopped potato
- 1/2 cup of cauliflower florets (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup of green peas
- A squirt of lemon juice about one teaspoon
- Cilantro for garnish
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Cling wrap
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Food processor
- Pastry brush
- Non-stick pan
- Wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
Step-by-Step Instructions
For Making The Savory Hand Pie Dough Recipe
Step 1
Combine the flour with butter and salt in a food processor. Then, pulse a few times until the flour becomes crumbly or has a sand-like texture.
Step 2
While pulsing, add the ice-cold water to the flour mixture until all the ingredients combine.
Step 3
Afterward, remove the dough and transfer it to your work surface and knead it into a ball. After that, cover the pie dough with cling wrap or cling film. And make sure to put it inside the refrigerator for at least an hour.
For Making The Savory Filling
Step 1
Blanch the cauliflower, carrots, peas, and potatoes in a pot of boiling water until the vegetables cook thoroughly. Then, remove and drain the vegetables. After that, set them aside.
Step 2
Using a non-stick pan, put the oil in. Add the cumin once the pan is hot.
Step 3
Afterward, saute the onions, ginger, and jalapeno, and add a pinch of salt until everything becomes soft. Next, add in the tomatoes, and cover them until everything becomes mushy and cooked.
Step 4
Then, open the lid and season with red chili powder or paprika, turmeric, and more salt. When you have combined everything, add in the cooked vegetables.
Step 5
When all the water evaporates, add the garam masala. After that, squeeze in the lemon juice (about a teaspoon), and add the cilantro.
Step 6
Afterward, remove the cooked filling from the pan. Then, let it cool entirely before utilizing it for filling.
For Making The Savory Hand Pies
Step 1
Remove the vegetarian savory hand pie dough from the refrigerator and cut it into two. Then, set aside one half and refrigerate the other half.
Step 2
Flour your work surface. Then, make sure to roll out the dough into a rough circle with a 9-inch diameter. After that, thin out the edges using a small rolling pin. Be sure that the edge is thinner than the center.
Step 3
Then, do the same process on the remaining half. If you plan not to use the dough yet, you can cover it with a cling wrap or cling film. Afterward, stack the pie crust and refrigerate it until you are ready to fill it.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 5
After that, place one to two spoons of filling into the center of each pie dough. Remember, you can add more if you want. Then, cover and seal the edges of your pie.
Step 6
Afterward, using a pastry brush, brush the pie with milk or egg wash. Then, bake the pies for about thirty to forty minutes or until the pies are crispy and slightly brown.
Step 7
Finally, once the pies cook completely, take them out of the oven and rest for about five minutes before serving.
How Long Can You Keep Homemade Pie Crust Dough in the Refrigerator?
If you’re looking to make your homemade pie crust dough in advance and use it at a later date, you absolutely can. However, pies often taste best when they’re freshly baked soon after the dough is made. If you need to refrigerate your pie dough, you should ensure that it’s well-wrapped in plastic wrap. Stored this way, you can expect the dough to last around three days. After this point, it’s likely to turn gray, and then become unusable.
If you’re not refrigerating, you can freeze your pie crust dough instead. Again, it should be well-wrapped and kept in a freezer bag. This way, your dough will last up to three months in the freezer. Before you use your pie dough, it’s important to allow it to come to room temperature before rolling it out.
How Long Can Homemade Pie Crust Be Frozen?
Much like pie crust dough, pie crust itself can also be frozen until you need it. In fact, I’ve found that it’s easier to prepare your dough into pie crust before freezing. If your pie crust hasn’t been baked, you can freeze it for around 3 months. If it has been pre-baked, you should only freeze it for around one month. At this point, your pie crust will likely start to go bad. To store your pie crust, you should wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap, as well as one layer of foil. Once wrapped place in either an airtight container or a Ziplock bag for best results.
How Long is Homemade Pie Crust Good For?
The pie crust will last for around 2-3 days in the refrigerator or around 3 months in the freezer. Wherever you choose to store it, the way it’s stored is most important. It should be well-wrapped and kept in an airtight container.
How to Make a Fat-Free Pie Crust?
It’s worth noting that pie crust will never be “fat-free” but there are many healthier pie crusts that you can make. For this healthy pie crust (free from oil and butter), all you need is 1 1/2 cups of almond flour, 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 7-8 tablespoons of dairy-free milk, and for a sweet crust, 2 tablespoons of white sugar.
- Now all you need to do is add the flour and salt to a bowl and mix well.
- Slowly pour in the milk, mixing well as you go.
- You need just enough milk so that the dough keeps its shape.
- Once rollable, shape it into a ball.
- Using your hands, press the pastry into your baking dish.
- Trim around the edges, if needed.
- Using a fork, make prick marks on your crust.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and place parchment paper on top of your pie crust.
- Add baking beans or uncooked rice to the parchment paper and bake your crust for around 10 minutes.
- After this time, remove the parchment paper (and rice/beans) and cook for a further few minutes.
- Remove your pie crust from the oven and it’s ready to use!
How Long in Advance Can You Make Pie Dough?
You can absolutely make pie dough well in advance, depending on whether you freeze or refrigerate it. For refrigerated pie dough, you can make it up to 3 days in advance. For the frozen dough, you can make it up to 3 months in advance. Whichever you choose, it must be well-wrapped.
Tips and Tricks for Savory Hand Pies
To enhance the flavor of your pie crust, adding salt is important. You can also add some spices to your dough if you want. Moreover, adding vegetable shortening to your dough can add a good flaky texture. In addition to that, it makes the dough easier to handle as it holds its shape; however, it will not have a rich butter flavor.
Savory Hand Pie Dough Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Cling wrap
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Food processor
- Pastry brush
- Non-stick pan
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
For The Hand Pie Dough
For The Hand Pies Savory Filling
- 1/2 tbsp of oil
- 1/4 cup of chopped onions
- 1 pc of jalapeno finely chopped
- 2 tsp of finely grated ginger
- 1 pc of small tomato chopped
- 1/2 tsp of red chili powder/paprika
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp of garam masala
- Salt depending on your taste
- 1/2 cup of chopped potato
- 1/2 cup of cauliflower florets finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup of green peas
- A squirt of lemon juice about one teaspoon
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
For Making The Hand Pie Dough
- Combine the flour with butter and salt into a food processor. Then, pulse a few times until the flour becomes crumbly or has a sand-like texture.
- While pulsing, add the ice-cold water into the flour mixture until all the ingredients combine.
- Afterward, remove the dough and transfer it to your work surface and knead it into a ball. After that, cover the pie dough with cling wrap or cling film. And make sure to put it inside the refrigerator for at least an hour.
For Making The Savory Filling
- Blanch the cauliflower, carrots, peas, and potatoes in a pot of boiling water until the vegetables cook thoroughly. Then, remove and drain the vegetables. After that, set them aside.
- Using a non-stick pan, put the oil. Add the cumin once the pan is hot.
- Afterward, saute the onions, ginger, jalapeno, and add a pinch of salt until everything becomes soft. Next, add in the tomatoes, and cover it until everything becomes mushy and cooked.
- Then, open the lid and season with red chili powder or paprika, turmeric, and more salt. When you have combined everything, add in the cooked vegetables.
- When all the water evaporates, add the garam masala. After that, squeeze in the lemon juice (about a teaspoon), and add the cilantro.
- Afterward, remove the cooked filling from the pan. Then, let it cool entirely before utilizing it for filling.
For Making The Savory Hand Pies
- Remove the vegetarian savory hand pie dough from the refrigerator and cut it into two. Then, set aside one half and refrigerate the other half.
- Flour your work surface. Then, make sure to roll out the dough into a rough circle with a 9-inch diameter. After that, thin out the edges using a small rolling pin. Be sure that the edge is thinner than the center.
- Then, do the same process on the remaining half. If you plan not to use the dough yet, you can cover it with a cling wrap or cling film. Afterward, stack the pie crust and refrigerate it until you are ready to fill it.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After that, place one to two spoons of filling into the center of each pie dough. Remember, you can add more if you want. Then, cover and seal the edges of your pie.
- Afterward, using a pastry brush, brush the pie with milk or egg wash. Then, bake the pies for about thirty to forty minutes or until the pies are crispy and slightly brown.
- Finally, once the pies cook completely, take them out of the oven and rest for about five minutes before serving.
Notes
Zarah is an experienced pastry chef whose creations have delighted countless customers. With a passion for baking, Zarah has developed a unique style that combines classic techniques with modern flavors. Her desserts are consistently crafted with the finest ingredients, and her attention to detail is evident in the stunning and delectable results. Zarah has a wealth of experience in the pastry kitchen, and loves to share her knowledge with others. Whether it is teaching a class or creating a custom cake for a special occasion, Zarah is committed to making sure every customer is satisfied.
