There’s so much to love about these simple yet flavorful meat hand-pies. I love Cornish pasties for the same reason I love Argentine Empanadas and Mexican Taquitos; the ingredients are simple, and they’re fun to eat with your hands!
True Story: This easy Cornish Pasties recipe is inspired from one of my favorite cooking shows, “The Great British Baking Show.” My husband and I were watching an episode where they were tasked with making a traditional Cornish pasty and they looked so delicious that I decided right then I had to make them myself.
Take care to pronounce pasties correctly, pronounced “past”-ee, not to be confused with pastie or pastis (pronounce “paste”-ee”) meaning something different entirely…which could be embarrassing!
How to make Cornish Pasties:
This is an overview. Find more specific instructions below in the recipe card. Make Pasties Dough Recipe: Cut in shortening and butter with the flour and salt. Stir in water until dough binds together. Divide the dough into two balls, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Prep Filling: Cut the steak into bite size cubes, chop the potatoes, rutabaga, onion. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. Roll Dough: Divide each dough disc into 4 equal sized pieces and roll the dough into a thin circle. Fill the Dough: Place beef pasties filling into the center with a sliver of butter. Lightly moisten the edges of the dough then fold one edge over the filling, laying it on top of the dough on the other side. Crimp: Push down on the edge of the pasty and using your index finger and thumb twist the edge of the pastry over to form a crimped edge. Repeat this process along the edge of the pasty. When you’ve crimped along the edge, tuck the end corners underneath. Bake pasties at 350ºF for 40-50 minutes until golden. Cool the best Cornish Pasties for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations:
Rutabaga Substitute: Use parsnips or turnips instead. Meat Substitutes: The recipe calls for sirloin steak but you can substitute other cuts of beef. Try to choose a tender cut, like shortloin, rib, or skirt steak. Traditional Cornish pasties are made with steak, but feel free to substitute chicken. Vegetarian Pasties: Add chickpeas or beans and chopped bell pepper in place of steak.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Cornish pasties are best baked fresh, but you can make the dough 1-2 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the filling 1-2 days in advance (depending on the freshness of your steak) then store it in the refrigerator. To Freeze: Freeze cooled beef pasties in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. To use, reheat pasties on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated 375° oven until heated through. I originally shared this recipe March 2021. Updated March 2024.
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