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Cheese and Onion Plate Pie with Potatoes and mustard

Cheese and onion pie, a true British institution, my version adds potato & wholegrain mustard to sharp Cheddar and onions cooked two ways.

Portrait image of a slice of cheese and onion pie with wholegrain mustard with the whole pie in the background

Cheesy Plate Pie with Mustard

Growing up in the UK you just kind of assume that pies are savoury.

Of course, we have sweet pies but hands down the most common pies are stuffed with savoury goodness.

This plate pie follows hot on the heels of my meat and potato pie and I have offerings as diverse as corned beef pie, chicken and bacon pie, ham fidget pie, chicken and leek pie, lamb Scotch pie to rabbit pie.

This recipe is stonkingly good!

It features two types of onions, some deeply caramelised and then some just “steamed” in the pie.

It is rounded out with just a few potatoes and then lots of glorious wholegrain mustard.

If you want something a little “smaller” or something to put in a picnic or lunch box, then check out my cheese and onion pasty recipe!

Portrait image of a cheese and onion plate pie

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought pastry?

Yes absolutely! There are some that claim that if your pastry has not been lovingly made with hands then you ain’t a cook.

I have words for those people and those words you would not share with your gran, your priest or your kids!

I usually use my foolproof shortcrust pastry that relies on a food processor. Variants of it appear in everything from my traditional Cornish pasties to my corned beef and potato pies.

Can I use puff pastry?

I’m honestly not that keen on puff pastry as a pie casing, weird huh? You could use it to top this pie but you really should not use puff pastry as the base pastry.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, this pie both reheats well in a moderate oven and can be eaten at room temperature.

Why do you let the pie sit for 20 minutes before cutting it?

For the same reason you do something similar with lasagna, it allows the cheese to firm up a little and it means you get a slice of pie that hangs together.

Failing to do so will lead to some pastry with the filling pouring out all over the plate.

Portrait close up image of a slice of cheese and onion pie with wholegrain mustard

Serving Suggestions

As a kid growing up my Mom would have served cheese and onion pie with baked beans and I would have licked the plate clean!

But I am older now and more grown up apparently and prefer this served at room temperature.

It is stunning to take on a picnic and it works well with everything from my apple chutney to my red cabbage chutney.

Add a nice simple garden salad on the side and you have my idea of food perfection.

Landscape image of a cheese and onion plate pie

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Oven.
  • Food processor, you could also make the pastry by hand in a mixing bowl.
  • Cling film.
  • Chopping board.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Paring knife.
  • Grater.
  • 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
  • 28cm or 11″ frying pan, not nonstick if possible.
  • Stirring and serving spoons.
  • Rolling pin.
  • 22cm or 9″ pie plate, I use an enamel plate from Ikea.
  • Pastry brush.
Square image of a slice of cheese and onion pie with wholegrain mustard
Yield: 4 Servings

Cheese and Onion Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Cheese, potato and onion pie, a true British classic, great as the centre of an evening meal or sliced and packed into a lunchbox or picnic!

Ingredients

For the Pastry:

  • 200g (1¾ Cups + 2 Tbsp) Flour
  • 50g (3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Lard
  • 50g (3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Butter
  • 3-4 Tbsp Water
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 Egg

For the Filling

  • 350g (2⅓ Cup) Onions
  • 100g (¾ Cup) Floury Potatoes
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 100g (1 Cup) Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
  • 15g (¼-⅓ Cup) Chopped Parsley
  • 1 Tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

  1. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Dice in the cold lard and butter.
  3. Pulse to form a breadcrumb texture.
  4. Add the water to the pastry pulsing until it just comes together.
  5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and just bring it together to form a ball.
  6. Wrap with cling film and place in the fridge for an hour.
  7. Peel and slice the onions into 5mm (¼") thick half-moon shapes.
  8. Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan (not nonstick) over a medium-low heat and add the cooking oil.
  9. Add half of the sliced onions and allow them to caramelise for 45-60 minutes stirring occasionally, then cool.
  10. Bring a separate 20cm or 8" saucepan of water to the boil.
  11. Peel and cut the potatoes into a 7-10mm (¼-½") dice.
  12. Add a good ½-¾ teaspoon of salt to the water and throw in the potatoes.
  13. Boil for 10 minutes before draining and cooling.
  14. Grate the cheese and place it in a bowl and when cooled add the remaining ingredients for the filling.
  15. Mix well and set aside.
  16. Take just over half of the pastry and roll out until 2-3mm (⅛") thick and large enough to fit your pie plate.
  17. Dust the plate lightly with flour.
  18. Add the pastry to the pie gently pushing into the shape of the pie.
  19. Add the pie filling then roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness.
  20. Use a finger to apply a ring of water around the exposed pastry on the bottom of the pie.
  21. Add the lid, then use the prongs of a fork to seal, add any decoration you like and then brush with beaten egg.
  22. Bake in the oven at 180°C or 350°F for 45-50 minutes and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 602Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 344mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 15g

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

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