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Six cosy pie recipes for winter

ABC Lifestyle
By Sonya Gee
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A home-cooked chicken pie being served onto two plates with a knife and serving spoon
Using an all-butter puff pastry will give you the best results in terms of flavour and texture.(Supplied: Heidi Sze)

You'll want to bookmark this list of homemade pies to get you through the colder months.

There are classic pastry-based pies, such as chicken pot pie, and plenty of potato-topped options too, whether you're craving beef, lamb or lentils. If you're vegetarian, we have two delicious options just for you.

Pastry-based pies

Chicken pot pie

This creamy chicken pie feeds 6–8, making it great for leftovers. The filling is rich and veggie-filled, with nutritionist Heidi Sze including leek, carrot, turnip and peas. The pie can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight before baking.

Meat pie with beef, pepper and onion

A slice of meat pie on a plate with tomato sauce, from a larger family beef pie.
For the most delicious results, Chan recommends baking this pie twice.(ABC Everyday: Sonya Gee/Juliette Steen)

This recipe comes from Chan Khun, a pastry chef in regional Victoria, whose beef pepper pie won Australia's best pie in 2020. It uses frozen puff-pastry and beef mince with celery salt, beef stock powder and gravy powder key to its nostalgic flavour. 

Broccoli, feta and halloumi pie

A freeform pie, made with filo pastry, sits on a baking tray with a slice removed. It has a broccoli, feta and halloumi filling.
Filled with plenty of broccoli and cheese, this pie is perfect for colder days.(ABC Everyday: Annika Kafcaloudis)

You won't need a pie dish to make this freeform pie by Julia Busuttil Nishimura. Instead, she uses frozen sheets of filo pastry as a base for a two-cheese and broccoli filling. 

Potato-topped pies

Cottage pie with hidden veg

Three bowls of beef cottage pie alongside a tray of the finished meal, comfort food for the cooler seasons.
Bake one pie that feeds eight or split it into two and stash the other half in the freezer.(ABC Everyday: Tim Grey)

Cottage pie is made with beef mince and this recipe by Heidi Sze is flexible, allowing you to use a combination of meat and lentils if you choose. Swapping out some of the mince for lentils can be a great way to save money and increase the veggie content.

Shepherd's pie with peas and carrot

Picture of a tray of Shepherd's Pie, and slices on a plate.
A shepherd's pie should simply be made with lamb mince and have a mashed potato topping. It is also a great dish to make ahead of time. (Supplied: Annika Kafcaloudis)

Julia Busuttil Nishimura puts her spin on Shepherd's pie, which uses lamb mince. She adds diced vegetables for additional colour and flavour. If you're one for meal prepping on weekends, this is a good option as the filling benefits from cooling slightly before the mashed potato is added. 

Cauliflower, pea and curry pie

An aerial photo of a black dutch oven with a layer of brown potato, a spoon scooping out some veggies
This recipe is inspired by both aloo gobi mater and shepherd's pie.(ABC Everyday: Hetty Lui McKinnon)

Vegetarians will love Hetty Lui McKinnon's curry pie. It was inspired by the flavours of the beloved North Indian dish aloo gobi matar: a potato, cauliflower and pea curry. Spices help amplify the flavour of the vegetables included in this warming dish.

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