10 Types of Pie to Consider This Thanksgiving, From Sweet to Savory

Featured

Written by:

Pie is one of the most versatile dishes out there. While most often considered a dessert, savory types of pie have their place at the table. Fill a flaky, buttery crust with stewed meats or seasoned vegetables and you have yourself a meal. And when it comes to desserts, the varieties are endless: fruit pies, chocolate pies, nut pies, cream pies–the list goes on!

With so many different types of pie, it’s no wonder it’s is a year-round staple. From key lime or cherry pie in the summer, pumpkin and apple pie in the fall, or a cozy chicken pot pie in the depths of winter, there’s a pie for every season.

Image Credit: jatrax / istockphoto.

The Basics of Pie

While pie comes in many iterations, most have a few things in common. Generally, it’s made by lining a pan with a pastry crust. though there are some graham cracker crust exceptions. The crust is then filled with sweet or savory ingredients. Fruit typically gets tossed with sugar before going in the pie crust, while savory ingredients are often mixed with spices. Some pies have another layer of pastry on top, while others are exposed. Most pies are baked in the oven until the fillings are cooked through and the crust is a golden brown. (Learn more about Most Popular Pie Flavors & Where to Try Them.)

Image Credit: bhofack2/ iStock.

Sweet Pies

When you think of types of pie, you probably start listing sweet pies first. They are definitely more popular than savory. Recipes for sweet pies started appearing in the 15th century, starting with dates and other dried fruits. It wasn’t until the 16th century that the first fruit pie was recorded. It was a cherry pie served to Queen Elizabeth 1. Today, you have an array of options. Sweet pies can be filled with fruit, preserves, nuts, squash sweetened with brown sugar, custard, chocolate, and much more.

Image Credit: Rimma_Bondarenko /iStock.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is one of the most iconic fall pies out there, and practically synonymous with Thanksgiving. Americans have been eating some version of pumpkin pie since they first arrived in New England. The recipes for what we now considered pumpkin pie originated in France, but pumpkins are actually from Central America. Amelia Simmons’ cookbook “American Cookery,” which was the first cookbook written in what is now the U.S., was published in 1796 and included a recipe for pumpkin pie that’s very similar to what we eat today.

Image Credit: bhofack2/istockphoto.

Apple Pie

Is it even fall if you haven’t had an apple pie? There’s a reason ‘as American as apple pie’ is a saying, even if the pie didn’t actually originate in the U.S. Typically made with a flaky crust on top and bottom, lots of apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, this pie is a classic. Of course, even classics have variations, like this deep dish apple pie. In England and parts of the Midwest, people eat apple pie with cheddar cheese. A winning combination if you haven’t tried it!

Image Credit: MSPhotographic / iStock.

Pecan Pie

Here’s a pie that actually has roots in the U.S. Pecans come from the Southern United States, where this pie is most popular. As far as pie recipes go, pecan pie is fairly modern, as it uses corn syrup, which wasn’t invented until the late 1880s. Some pecan pies also use a custard, or chocolate filling, while others add bourbon or sweet potatoes.

Image Credit: AnnaPustynnikova / iStock.

Berry Pie

Berry pie is probably the most versatile of the sweet pies. You can mix almost any berry with a little sugar and lemon juice, and voila! You have a delicious pie filling. People have been making pie with local berries––bumbleberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, you name it—for at least 200 years. You can even mix the berries together for a multi-berry pie. If your berries are good, you pretty much can’t go wrong.

Image Credit: voltan1 / iStock.

Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie is most often associated with Key West, Florida, though the origins are a little murky. Food historians think it probably came around as an adaptation of a Magic Lemon Cream Pie recipe published in 1931 by condensed milk company Borden. Today, key lime pies are typically made with key limes, which are more tart than other limes, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs. This type of pie has a graham cracker crust, and some people add a meringue layer on top.

Image Credit: Shawna Fitzpatrick / iStock.

Savory Pies

Savory pies have been around a lot longer than sweet pies. They go all the way back to ancient Egyptians, who ate meat in an open pastry shell. Later, the Romans created a pie with both a top and bottom crust. Chicken pot pies are still popular across the U.S., and meat pies are a staple in the U.K. Other cultures also have different types of savory pies, like empanadas in South America or samosas in Southern Asia.

Image Credit: istetiana / iStock.

Chicken Pot Pie

Is there anything cozier than a chicken pot pie on a cold winter day? These pies typically have carrots, peas, milk, chicken and chicken broth baked in a pie shell or puff pastry. Hearty and delicious! They can be tricky to make at home, but luckily freeze well and can be delivered.

Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.

Meat Pie

Visit a British pub and you’ll likely see mincemeat or steak pie on the menu. But there are many variations of meat pies, from Cajun meat and seafood pies to quiche-like shepherd’s pie. Most commonly though, they’re made with beef and potatoes, some spices, ale, and a flaky pastry shell on top and bottom.

Image Credit: Depositphotos.com.

Hand Pies

Hand pies can be sweet or savory, but historically hand pies were savory and a way for railway workers and others to take their lunch with them on the go. Many countries have a version of hand pies. They can be filled with stewed beef or pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, potatoes…the list goes on and on.]

Image Credit: Leticia Senciani/istockphoto.

Mini Pot Pies

Sometimes, a whole pot pie is too much. If you’re looking for a single serving, go for a mini pot pie. This way, you get all the filling without any mess, and can sample multiple flavors, like chicken pot pie, a lobster pie, a cheesy pie, or a vegetable pie. 

Image Credit: bhofack2/ iStock.

Empanadas

An empanada is a baked turnover, very similar to a hand pie. Empanadas are made with dough folded over a meat or vegetable filling, and baked or fried. No one is certain exactly where empanadas originated, but historians think they probably came from northwest Spain. Today, they’re extremely popular in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and elsewhere across South and Central America. They come in all types of flavors, but beef, chicken, and pork are especially common, as are veggie empanadas, breakfast empanadas and sweet empanadas.

As you can see, pie is a broad category. If you can put ingredients in a pastry crust, you have a pie. No wonder it’s so popular around the world!

This article originally appeared on Goldbelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

Image Credit: Wirestock / iStock.

More from MediaFeed

Setting the Record Straight: Is Cheesecake a Pie, Cake or Tart?

Image Credit: Arx0nt/istockphoto.

AlertMe