Skip to content
Open menu Close menu

Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

penguin logo

10 comforting pie recipes for colder days

by Jessica Lockyer-Palmer

published on 29 September 2017

As the nights draw in and the temperature plummets, there’s nothing we crave more than a classic warming pie. With buttery pastry or fluffy potato giving way to a melt in the mouth filling, what could be more comforting? Here we have rounded up 10 of our favourite recipes to see you through the colder months, with fillings to suit all tastes. Just add a brisk winter walk to work up an appetite while your pie finishes off in the oven.

Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Pot Pie

Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Pot Pie

Jamie’s one-pan chicken-based recipe is like a pie fast lane, using just 5 ingredients and 30 minutes of your time to whip up.

My Mother’s Lancashire Cheese & Onion Pie

My Mother’s Lancashire Cheese & Onion Pie

A celebration of one of the greatest flavour combinations of all time, this vegetarian pie brings together the sweet tang of caramelised onions with creamy Lancashire cheese.

Jamie Oliver’s Allotment Cottage Pie with Root Veg, Porcini Mushrooms, Marmite and Crispy Rosemary

Jamie Oliver’s Allotment Cottage Pie with Root Veg, Porcini Mushrooms, Marmite and Crispy Rosemary

Another great meat-free option, Jamie’s allotment cottage pie is packed with starchy veg, porcini mushrooms and a fluffy potato topping.

Sausage, Cider & Potato Pie

Sausage, Cider & Potato Pie

by Tristan Hogg, Jon Simon

Herbed sausage meets crisp cider, tender potato and sweet apple in this autumnal pie.

From the book

Cheek and Tail Pie

Cheek and Tail Pie

by Huw Gott, Richard Turner, Will Beckett

Made using cheaper cuts of meat tenderised until butter-soft, this zero-waste recipe promises a decidely classic meat pie.

Dublin Bay Prawn and Chicken Pie

Dublin Bay Prawn and Chicken Pie

by Tim Hughes

Delivering both on impactful presentation and unusual flavours, this is the pie for those who think they’ve tried it all.

Ainsley Harriott's Mushroom, Kale and Chestnut Pies

Ainsley Harriott’s Mushroom, Kale and Chestnut Pies

Ainsley’s rich mushroom-based pie is topped with clouds of mashed potato. A great comfort pie if you’re following a plant-based diet, it’s totally vegan.

Curried Cauliflower Cheese Filo Pie

The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s Curried Cauliflower Cheese Filo Pie

by The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Team

For a pie with a difference, try the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s curried cauliflower number featuring a crisp filo case and plenty of melted cheese.

Chunky Shepherd’s Pie

Chunky Shepherd’s Pie

from Comfort

No winter pie collection would be complete without a classic shepherd’s pie. Candice Brown’s recipe promises an extra chunky texture and is a veritable festival of umami with Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and porcini all joining the party.

Rick Stein’s Duck Cottage Pie

Rick Stein’s Duck Cottage Pie

Rick’s French-inspired take on a cottage pie uses confit duck legs and plenty of Comté cheese grated over the mashed potato topping.

Share

You might also like


View all

Features

Our favourite fakeaways: easy homemade takeaway recipes

Whether you fancy Friday night fish and chips or a weekend curry feast, make it cheaper, healthier and tastier by ditching the takeaway menu and making your own fakeaways at home.

Features

Melissa Hemsley’s tips for healthy working lunches

Soggy salads and unsatisfying sandwiches be gone: 2025 is the year you give yourself the lunches you deserve. Most of us eat five lunches al desko or in the office...

Recipe Collections

Budget-friendly Christmas recipes

Christmas cooking doesn’t have to break the bank. This selection of budget-friendly recipes, from slow-cooked ham to tasty sides and delicious puds, will help you save on much needed cash without compromising on flavour.

newsletter

Subscribe to The Happy Foodie email newsletter

Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week