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Cheesy Beef, Bacon & Spinach Hand Pies
Quick guide to make cheesy beef, bacon & spinach hand pies with homemade pastry—30 min prep, 35 min cook.
Why this recipe works
These cheesy beef, bacon & spinach hand pies are handheld savory pastries—crispy on the outside, meaty and cheesy inside. They suit weeknight dinners, packed lunches or casual entertaining. The recipe uses simple homemade pastry but works with store-bought pastry to save time.
- cheesy beef hand pies
- bacon and spinach hand pies
- hand pie recipe with pastry
- easy savory hand pies
Key takeaways
Prep ~30 minutes, bake ~35 minutes total.
Make-ahead: assemble and freeze unbaked.
Swap fillings easily for allergies or preferences.
Recipe guide
These cheesy beef, bacon & spinach hand pies are handheld savory pastries—crispy on the outside, meaty and cheesy inside. They suit weeknight dinners, packed lunches or casual entertaining. The recipe uses simple homemade pastry but works with store-bought pastry to save time.
Make handheld savory pies with simple pastry, a meaty filling and melty cheese in about an hour.
- Prep ~30 minutes, bake ~35 minutes total.
- Make-ahead: assemble and freeze unbaked.
- Swap fillings easily for allergies or preferences.
Ingredients and quick pastry
Makes ~8–10 hand pies. For pastry: 300 g plain flour, 150 g cold butter (or 100 g butter + 50 g lard), pinch salt, 60–90 ml cold water. For filling: 150 g streaky bacon (chopped), 500 g beef mince, 200 g cheese block (grated), 200 g bagged spinach (roughly chopped), 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 clove garlic minced, salt, pepper, 1 egg (for wash).
Prepare filling and assemble
Cook chopped bacon in a pan until crisp; drain briefly and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic in bacon fat, add beef mince and brown; season. Wilt spinach into the pan and squeeze out excess liquid. Stir bacon and most of the grated cheese into the mixture, reserve some cheese for topping. Roll pastry to ~3–4 mm, cut 12 circles (10 cm). Spoon ~2 tbsp filling onto each circle, top with a little reserved cheese, fold, seal edges with a fork, brush with beaten egg.
Bake, timing and serving
Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Place pies on a lined tray and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and cheese is melty (total cook time ~35 minutes including browning). Rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with mustard or chutney if desired.
Ingredients
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g streaky bacon
- 500 g beef mince
- 200 g cheese block
- 200 g bagged spinach
Instructions
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FAQs
Can I use ready-made pastry?
Yes — shortcrust or puff pastry both work; adjust baking time if using puff pastry (watch for quicker browning).
Can I freeze these hand pies?
Freeze unbaked on a tray until firm, then bag; bake from frozen adding ~8–12 minutes to the baking time.
What can I substitute for spinach or bacon?
Use kale, silverbeet, or frozen chopped greens for spinach; replace bacon with pancetta or omit and add smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.