Shepherd's Pie Hand Pies

Prep Time: 20 Mins

Cook Time: 40 Mins

Total Time: 60 Mins

Serves: 6

Hand pies are a food truck favorite that's surprisingly easy to make at home. These single-serving savory pastries are hearty, filling, and portable, too! Empanada dough makes a tender crust, stuffed full of sautéed lamb, seasonings and vegetables, and a dollop of mashed potatoes, of course, for that classic Shepherd's Pie flavor. We love the bold flavor of lamb in this recipe, but any ground meat will work. You can also switch up the filling to make Greek-inspired Spanakopita or Moroccan hand pies- just see the tips below!

Ingredients

Swap Protein

Thomas Farms Ground Lamb

1 pound Thomas Farms®Ground Lamb
½ cup diced onion
3 tablespoons steak sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup thawed frozen peas and carrots
All-purpose flour
1 package frozen empanada discos (5-inch size) (12 dough rounds), thawed
¾ cup mashed potatoes

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and onion and cook until the meat is browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
Stir in the steak sauce, tomato paste and peas and carrots and cook until hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle flour on the work surface. Coat the discos with the flour, then roll into 6-inch circles (you'll need 2 circles for each pie). Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of 6 (4-inch) mini tart pans. Spoon about ½ cup lamb mixture into each pan and top each with about 2 tablespoons mashed potato. Top with the remaining dough and fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Crimp the edge to seal (use a fork to crimp, then to poke holes in the top to vent).
Bake for 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown. Let the pies cool in the pans for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the pies from the pans and serve.

For Spanakopita Hand Pie filling, season the lamb and onion with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 ½ cups chopped fresh baby spinach and 1 cup crumbled feta and cook until the spinach is wilted. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.

For Moroccan Hand Pie filling, season the lamb and onion with 2 teaspoons shawarma seasoning and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir in 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes and cook until the liquid is evaporated. Stir in ½ cup thin strips dried apricots. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.

Substitution Tip: Use any of your favorite Thomas Farms® Ground Meats (Beef, Meatloaf Mix, Pork, or Veal).

Tip: For a golden brown, shiny crust, brush the tops of the pies with a beaten mixture of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water before baking.

Ingredients

Swap Protein

Thomas Farms Ground Beef

1 pound Thomas Farms® Ground Beef
½ cup diced onion
3 tablespoons steak sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup thawed frozen peas and carrots
All-purpose flour
1 package frozen empanada discos (5-inch size) (12 dough rounds), thawed
¾ cup mashed potatoes

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook until the meat is browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
Stir in the steak sauce, tomato paste and peas and carrots and cook until hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle flour on the work surface. Coat the discos with the flour, then roll into 6-inch circles (you'll need 2 circles for each pie). Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of 6 (4-inch) mini tart pans. Spoon about ½ cup beef mixture into each pan and top each with about 2 tablespoons mashed potato. Top with the remaining dough and fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Crimp the edge to seal (use a fork to crimp, then to poke holes in the top to vent).
Bake for 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown. Let the pies cool in the pans for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the pies from the pans and serve.

For Spanakopita Hand Pie filling, season the beef and onion with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 ½ cups chopped fresh baby spinach and 1 cup crumbled feta and cook until the spinach is wilted. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.

For Moroccan Hand Pie filling, season the beef and onion with 2 teaspoons shawarma seasoning and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir in 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes and cook until the liquid is evaporated. Stir in ½ cup thin strips dried apricots. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.

Substitution Tip: Use any of your favorite Thomas Farms® Ground Meats (Beef, Meatloaf Mix, Pork, or Veal).

Tip: For a golden brown, shiny crust, brush the tops of the pies with a beaten mixture of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water before baking.