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Murielle Banackissa
Potato Onion Hand Pies in a tray

Potato Onion Hand Pies

Print recipe
Fall, Winter, Christmas/Thanksgiving, Canadian inspired, Puff Pastry
GF NF RSF
1 hour Prep: 15 mins Cook: 45 mins
Serves 12

These dainty, flaky, and buttery hand pies are stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes, caramelized onion and festive herbs. They are wonderful eaten as appetizers or served during any holiday celebration!

Ingredients Prepare the Potato Filling Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Prepare the Puff Pastry & Assemble Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Common Questions & Swaps

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp unsalted vegan butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion , finely diced
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt , divided plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp finely chopped thyme
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 250 g Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled and cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 1/2 rosemary sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove , peeled
  • 2 tbsp sliced green onion
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened soy milk , divived
  • 400 g puff pastry , thawed (I like Tenderflake)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • Sesame seeds , for garnish

Prepare the Potato Filling

  1. Step 1

    Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt vegan butter and add diced onion. 

  2. Step 2

    Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is golden and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. 

  3. Step 3

    Season with rosemary, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, thyme, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from the heat to prepare the potatoes.

  4. Step 4

    To a saucepan, add cubed potatoes, rosemary sprig, bay leaf, garlic clove, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Cover with water. Put the lid on and bring to a boil.

  5. Step 5

    Decrease heat to medium and continue cooking, with the lid partially covering the saucepan for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

  6. Step 6

    Drain, remove the bay leaf and as much rosemary as possible, and return to the saucepan. Mash until smooth to your desired consistency.

  7. Step 7

    Add in the cooled caramelized onion mixture, sliced green onion and 1 tablespoon of soy milk. Taste and adjust salt and pepper levels to your liking, if desired.

  8. Step 8

    Let cool while you prepare the puff pastry.

Prepare the Puff Pastry & Assemble

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Dust a clean work surface with flour. 

  3. Step 3

    Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle of about 1-2 millimeters thick.

  4. Step 4

    Using a cookie cutter, cut 24 puff pastry circles of 8 centimeters wide. You might need to gather the excess pieces of puff pastry to roll out the dough again and cut out a few extra circles.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer 12 of the circles onto your parchment-lined baking sheet. These will be the base of your hand pies.

  6. Step 6

    Divide the potato mixture between the puff pastry rounds, leaving about 1 centimeter of space all around the filling. 

  7. Step 7

    Use your finger to brush the outside rim with water. 

  8. Step 8

    Cover the potato filling with another round of puff pastry, gently pressing on the edges to help them stick together. Use a fork to crimp the edges.

  9. Step 9

    Poke a small hole in the middle of each hand pie. 

  10. Step 10

    Mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy milk with the maple syrup.

  11. Step 11

    Brush this mixture onto each pie and garnish with sesame seeds.

  12. Step 12

    Bake for 15 minutes. Increase the heat to 500ºF and broil for 1-2 minutes to add some color to your hand pies. Enjoy immediately.

  13. Step 13

    Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 400ºF for 5 minutes.

Common Questions & Swaps

  • Can I use salted vegan butter? Yes, absolutely, just make sure to taste your mashed potatoes before seasoning them some more with salt and season gradually.

  • Can I use another variety of potato? Yes, I would recommend Russet potatoes in this recipe. They are more starchy than Yukon Gold but mash very well. If you find that your filling is a little too dry for your taste, add an extra tablespoon of vegan butter.

  • Can I use another milk instead of soy? Yes any unsweetened dairy free milk will do.

Potato Onion Hand Pies in a tray
Potato Onion Hand Pies in a tray
Potato Onion Hand Pies sliced in half
Potato Onion Hand Pies sliced in half with filling shown