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How Do U Make Cheese and Onion Pie

Buttery shortcrust pastry stuffed with a beautiful gooey cheese, potato and onion filling.
Full of flavour (no blandness over here thank you!) it's a comforting, meat-free dinner reminiscent of those yummy chip shop pies!

Close up of a cheese and onion pie on a plate with a forkful taken out.
Jump to:
  • 📋 What do we need?
  • 🔪 How to make Cheese and Onion Pies
  • 🍽️ What to serve them with
  • 📺 Watch how to make it
  • 🍲 More fantastic recipes with pastry
  • Individual Cheese and Onion Pies
  • 💬 Reviews

Being a Northern lass pies are very important to me.

Now that we've moved to Devon, most of the chippies near us don't sell cheese and onion pies.
Fortunately they all sell the most amazing fish and chips, but I do miss a cheese and onion pie every now and then.

So this is my homemade version - full of rich, cheesy, comforting goodness.

📋 What do we need?

Ingredients for individual cheese and onion pies on a wooden table
  • Pastry - use shortcrust pastry - you can use shop bought or make your own. If you want to make your own, take a look at my Cornish pasty recipe - where I make the pastry from scratch.
  • Cheese - we want lots of flavour, so go for a mature/strong cheddar.

🔪 How to make Cheese and Onion Pies

***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.***

  • Line individual pie dishes (I use the foil ones (<--affiliate link)) with pastry and prick the base with a fork. Line with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile boil a medium potato that's been cut into small chunks. Then drain. Whilst the potato is cooking, soften sliced onion in a pan with butter.
  • Stir in flour, then stir in milk and cream. Add grated strong cheddar, mustard powder, salt, pepper and those cooked chunks of potato.
6 image collage showing initial process steps for making individual cheese and onion pies.
  • Remove the parchment and baking beans from the pie cases and spoon in the cheesy sauce.
  • Trim off the cooked pastry with scissors.
  • Top the pies with pastry, trim again, then crimp the edges of the pastry and brush with egg wash.
  • Pierce the top with a sharp knife then place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
6 image collage showing final process steps for making individual cheese and onion pies.

👩‍🍳 PRO TIP Use the back of a fork to crimp the pastry for that classic edging.

Serve the pies warm from the oven.

Overhead image of 4 cheese and onion pies on a cooling rack on a blue surface.

🍽️ What to serve them with

  • Crispy Chips (who says you can't have potato with potato!!)
  • If you wanted a British classic, serve with mushy peas! (do you want me to post a recipe for them? Let me know in the comments).
  • If you want to go with a classic London East end combination, you've got to serve pie with mash!

Or just serve them up on their own. They make a pretty filling meal without the need for side dishes 😁

4 individual cheese and onion pies on a blue surface. Piece taken out of the pie at the front of the image.

📺 Watch how to make it

🍲 More fantastic recipes with pastry

  • Rich and Tasty Slow-Cooked Steak Pie

  • Chicken and Mushroom Pie with Bacon

  • Vegetarian Sausage Rolls That Meat Eaters Love Too!

  • Easy Sausage Rolls Recipe

  • Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

  • Traditional Cornish Pasty

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Square image of a small cheese and onion pie on a plate with a piece taken out.

Individual Cheese and Onion Pies

Buttery shortcrust pastry stuffed with a beautiful gooey cheese, potato and onion filling. A fantastic meat-free pie and comforting dinner.

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine British

Servings 4 pies

Calories 778 kcal

  • 2 x 320g (2 x 11oz) packs ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
  • 1 medium potato (about 200g/7oz) - peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion - peeled and finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour
  • 180 ml (¾ cup) whole (full-fat) milk
  • 50 ml (2 tbsp +1 tsp) double (heavy) cream
  • 150 g (1 ½ packed cups) mature/strong cheddar cheese - , grated
  • ¼ tsp mustard powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg - lightly whisked
  • Preheat the oven to 200C

  • Unroll one of the rolls of pastry and slice into four squares (you'll have pastry leftover - we'll use this to fill any gaps)

  • Line 4 individual pie dishes (measuring approx. 11cm diameter x 3.5cm deep - I use these ones (<-affiliate link)) with the pastry squares, so the pastry covers the base and sides and overhangs slightly. Use the leftover pastry from the roll you just cut to cover any gaps.

  • Use a fork to prick several holes in the base section of the pastry.

  • Cover each pie case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (or use dried beans or rice).

  • Place the pies on a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes to par-cook the base of the pies.

  • Remove the pie bases from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and baking beans.

  • While the pastry bases are cooking, make the filling.

  • Add the diced potato to a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes – until the potato is very tender and starting to break apart. Drain and put to one side.

  • Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a second pan and add the sliced onion. Stir and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onion softens.

  • Sprinkle on the 2 tbsp of flour and stir to coat the onions. Cook for a further minute.

  • Add the 180ml (¾ cup) of milk a splash at a time, whilst stirring, until the milk is fully incorporated.

  • Add in the 50ml (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) cream, 150g (1 ½ packed cups) cheese, ¼ tsp mustard powder, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper and the cooked potatoes.

  • Stir together until the cheese has melted and the potatoes break down. The filling should be thick and only just pourable. You can stir in an extra splash of milk if the filling looks too thick.

  • Divide the filling between the four pie cases.

  • Trim the overhanging edges of the cooked pastry using a pair of scissors.

  • Brush a little of the egg wash onto the edges of the pastry.

  • Unroll the second roll of pastry. Slice into four squares and place a square on top of each pie dish.

  • Cut off any excess pastry with scissors, then crimp the edges of the pastry together using a fork.

  • Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and pierce two holes in the top of each pie using a sharp knife.

  • Place the pies on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Can I make them ahead?

Yes - make the pies, cool, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Reheat, uncovered, on a tray, in the oven at 180C/375F for 20-25 minutes, until piping hot throughout.

Can I freeze them?

Yes - make the pies, cool, place in an airtight container and freeze.

Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat, uncovered, on a tray, in the oven at 180C/375F for 20-25 minutes, until piping hot throughout.

Nutritional information is per pie.

Calories: 778 kcal Carbohydrates: 94 g Protein: 24 g Fat: 34 g Saturated Fat: 18 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 97 mg Sodium: 1165 mg Potassium: 481 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 4 g Vitamin A: 842 IU Vitamin C: 12 mg Calcium: 365 mg Iron: 6 mg

Keywords chip shop, shortcrust pastry

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That's what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

Hi I'm Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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How Do U Make Cheese and Onion Pie

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