How to Make Flaky Ghanaian Meat Pie Recipe

Try this easy Ghanaian meat pie recipe that features a flaky crust and delicious beef filling. Your guests will love this perfectly seasoned appetizer!

If you love savory pies, try this easy Ghanaian meat pie recipe. You only need simple ingredients for the best flaky pastry and rich meat filling.

This Ghanaian meat pie uses beef with onions and green peppers as its filling.

I’ve also included some tips for creating the perfect flaky pie crust, even for beginners!

Make these delicious crowd-pleasing appetizers and enjoy the comforting flavors of Ghana at home.

What Is Ghanaian Meat Pie?

The Ghanaian meat pie is a savory delight composed of a rich beef filling inside a flaky pastry.

This recipe uses ground beef, tomato puree, and common spices, so you can easily make Ghana’s meat pies at home with supermarket ingredients. Another variation of the Ghanaian meat pie is the corned beef pie which uses canned corned beef, veggies, and seasonings.

Regardless of the Ghanaian meat pie recipe you choose, I can guarantee you’ll love them, especially after trying the pastry.

As proven by a successful Dallas-based Ghanaian baker’s pie shop, Ghana’s flaky pie crust is a sure crowd-pleaser.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Thanks to this easy recipe, you can enjoy this Ghanaian snack wherever you are. So don’t miss out on these:

• Simple Ingredients: This Ghanaian meat pie uses common supermarket ingredients that won’t break your budget. Some of these might even be already in your pantry!
• Easy Recipe: You shouldn’t get intimidated making savory pies at home. This Ghanaian meat pie recipe is easy, and you don’t even need a food processor to create the perfect flaky crust.
• Delicious Appetizers: The simple seasonings bring out the natural flavors of beef, onions, and green peppers. Kids and adults will love the pie’s savory and hearty flavor.

What Does A Ghanaian Meat Pie Taste Like?

The Ghanaian meat pie features a meaty filling inside a flaky crust that almost melts in your mouth. The ground beef filling is cooked with onions until it turns brown, caramelizing the fat and highlighting the rich, umami flavor of the meat.

The sweetness of the onions and crisp green peppers also add to the experience when you bite on Ghana’s meat pie.

And let’s not forget the flaky pastry!

Have you had a pie and thought, “The filling is delicious, but I’m not loving this crust”? You won’t have that experience with this Ghanaian meat pie recipe because I’m sharing tips to ensure a perfectly flaky and buttery crust!

Are Ghanaian Meat Pies Healthy?

Savory pies, like this Ghanaian meat pie recipe, are a good source of protein. Beef is also packed with B vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc.

And while these savory pies make delicious appetizers, you can also enjoy them as a meal because they’re filling.

Instead of munching on unhealthy chips, boost your energy with a hearty Ghanaian meat pie.

You can also pair these savory pies with refreshing drinks made from fresh ingredients!

Want to experience more tastes of Africa? I recommend these delicious drinks:

• Zobo Drink: The Best Hibiscus Drink Recipe Ever
• Nigerian Chapman Cocktail: Nigeria’s National Drink

What Are The Benefits Of Ghanaian Meat Pie?

You don’t need to go to Ghana to enjoy their famous Ghanaian meat pie. This recipe only needs common ingredients you can easily get at your supermarket; some might already be in your kitchen.

It’s also a quick and easy recipe; you can make the dough the night before.

And, of course, the flaky crust filled with rich ground beef, onions, and green peppers is a guaranteed crowd-pleasing combination!

Every bite is packed with the comforting flavors of West Africa’s homecooked meals!

Ingredients For Ghanaian Meat Pie

GHANAIAN MEAT PIE FILLING INGREDIENTS:

• Cooking oil – We’re using sunflower oil to brown the beef because of its neutral flavor, allowing us to highlight the natural taste of the meat.
• Onion – The sweetness of caramelized onions balances the richness of the beef.
• Ground beef – I like 80/20 ground beef because this ratio is flavorful with just the right amount of fat.
• Tomato puree – The tangy taste brings out the umami flavor of the meat filling for this Ghanaian meat pie.
• Salt – We don’t need to go overboard with salt because we’ll also add other seasonings.
• All-purpose seasoning – An easy way to boost the aroma and taste of minced beef without breaking your budget.
• Bouillon cube – This Ghanaian meat pie recipe features a deep beefy flavor without requiring you to spend hours making beef stock. Use a chopped bouillon cube in the meat filling!
• Green pepper – The combination of ground beef with the sweetness and crunch of chopped peppers will always be a crowd favorite.

GHANAIAN MEAT PIE DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

• Self-rising flour – Thanks to self-rising flour, you don’t have to stress about getting the right baking powder-flour ratio to perfect your meat pie dough as a beginner.
• Salt – Enhances the flavor of the rich pie crust, which means you don’t need to use salted butter.
• Butter – You can use margarine or butter for the fat in this flaky Ghanaian meat pie dough. Just remember that it should be cold when you make the crust pastry.
• Water – If you want to know the secret behind a flaky pastry dough, it’s cold water! It keeps the butter from melting into the flour until the dough cooks in the oven.
• Egg – Don’t forget to make an egg wash for the Ghanaian meat pies to help them get their mouthwatering shiny golden crust.

Tools Needed To Prepare The Ghanaian Meat Pie Recipe

• Frying pan for cooking the ground beef mixture
• Strainer for sifting the flour and salt
• Mixing bowl for mixing the crust ingredients
• Cooking spoon for mixing the beef while cooking
• Plastic wrap for wrapping the dough before chilling
• Rolling pin for rolling out the dough
• Parchment paper for lining the baking tray
• Pastry brush for brushing the Ghanaian meat pies with egg wash

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Ghanaian Meat Pie

Butter

There are different variations of the Ghanaian meat pie recipe; some prefer margarine for their crust. But like my tip about cold butter, you also want your margarine cold so the fat will remain solid in the dough.

Cameroon pepper

Add some kick to your homemade Ghanaian meat pie with some Cameroon pepper. You can also use cayenne pepper for a spicy beef filling. 

Curry powder

Mix and match different spices to customize this delicious Ghanaian meat pie. For example, you might like the warm flavor of curry powder with beef.

How to Make Ghanaian Meat Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

FOR THE GHANAIAN MEAT PIE FILLING:

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 300 g ground beef
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp all-purpose seasoning
• 1 bouillon cube, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped

FOR THE GHANAIAN MEAT PIE DOUGH:

• 3 ⅓ cups self-rising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup and 1 tbsp cold butter
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 egg, whisked 

Tools you need:

• Frying pan
• Strainer
• Mixing bowl
• Cooking spoon
• Plastic wrap
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush

Instructions:

Start by gathering and measuring all the ingredients for the Ghanaian meat pie. 

GHANAIAN MEAT PIE FILLING:

STEP 1: Heat some oil in a frying pan.

STEP 2: Add the chopped onion and ground beef and cook over medium heat. Remember to stir in between, and cook until the mixture browns. 

STEP 3: Stir in the tomato puree and cook for two more minutes. Season with salt, all-purpose seasoning, and chopped bouillon cube.

STEP 4: Remove the meat filling from the heat and add the chopped green peppers. 

GHANAIAN MEAT PIE DOUGH:

STEP 1: Sift flour and salt over a large mixing bowl and add the cold unsalted butter. Mix with your fingers.

STEP 2: Add the cold water to the flour mixture.

STEP 3: Work the dough by hand and transfer it over a work surface with a bit of flour.

STEP 4: Knead the dough gently and form it into a disc. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour or overnight.

ASSEMBLING THE GHANAian MEAT PIE:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2: Roll out the chilled dough and cut circles on it. You can use a saucer and trace it around with a knife. 

STEP 3: Place some filling in the center of each dough circle.

STEP 4: Bring the dough to one side, creating a semi-circle. 

STEP 5: Moisten the edges of the dough with a wet pastry brush. 

STEP 6: Press and secure the sides of each delicious meat pie with a fork.

STEP 7: Using the same fork, poke holes on the top of the meat pies.

STEP 8: Arrange the Ghanaian meat pies over the lined baking sheet.

STEP 9: Brush the top of the pies with the beaten egg.

STEP 10: Bake the Ghanaian meat pies for 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

What To Serve With Ghanaian Meat Pie

There are many side dishes to choose from for this easy Ghanaian meat pie recipe. Maybe you’ll love pickled cabbage, green beans, or sweet potato fries with these savory pies.

You might also enjoy something warm like a creamy cauliflower soup for a more filling meal.

Or, why not offer a pie table with different varieties for the party? Wow your guests with these easy pie recipes:

• Air Fryer Hand Pies
• Mini Whiskey Oatmeal Cream Pies

Tips About Making Ghanaian Meat Pie Recipe

This Ghanaian meat pie recipe is beginner-friendly! So if you’re afraid of tough and unappetizing crust, here are some tips for the perfectly tender and flaky meat pie pastry:

• Unlike when making other baked goods, you want to use cold butter and not room temperature for your Ghanaian meat pie dough. This way, you’ll still have solid pieces during baking and create a super flaky crust.
• Your water for the dough should also be cold to keep the fat from melting into the flour. Again, keeping the fat solid is the secret to a flaky and tender pie crust.
• You can use your hands to work the dough for your Ghanaian meat pie. It’s more convenient, and you’ll avoid overmixing, which can overdevelop the gluten.
• Another tip to avoid the overdevelopment of gluten that makes the crust tough is to chill the dough for an hour or overnight before rolling.

How To Store Ghanaian Meat Pies

Can you make African meat pies in advance? What if you have leftovers?

Here are some storage tips for enjoying your Ghanaian meat pies longer:

Fridge: Store your cooled Ghanaian meat pies inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Freezer: Tightly wrap your cooled meat pies in plastic wrap individually and arrange them in a freezer bag. For the best quality, consume the meat pies within 1 to 2 months.

Reheating: Thaw the Ghanaian meat pies in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours before reheating. I prefer heating pies in the oven for 15 minutes at 375°F because microwaving sometimes makes the pastry soggy.

What Is A Meat Pie Called?

Different countries have their own versions of meat pies, from British shepherd’s pies to American pot pies, Latin empanadas, and Indian samosas!

What Country Is Known For Meat Pie?

Meat pies are found in cuisines worldwide, but their origin can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Greek and Roman texts. African countries like Ghana and Nigeria are also known for their crescent-shaped meat pies.

What Is The Meat In A Meat Pie?

Depending on the cuisine, meat pies use different types of meat. Beef and pork are the most popular because they don’t dry out easily, but chicken and fish also make delicious meat filling. 

FAQ About Ghanaian Meat Pie Recipe

Conclusion

This easy Ghanaian meat pie recipe will satisfy your cravings for a savory pie with a flaky crust and a rich, meaty filling!

You only need simple supermarket ingredients to taste the delicious flavors of the famous Ghanaian meat pie.

But to ensure the perfect crust, avoid overmixing the dough and only use cold butter and water!

Now that you’ve experienced the sights and flavors of Ghana’s meat pie, why not take a journey to its neighbor, Nigeria, and try their version?

Nigerian meat pies incorporate similar ingredients but combine them freshly and unexpectedly. Trust me, this Nigerian meat pie recipe is a delectable delight — you won’t regret taking a culinary foray into Nigeria!