Irish Pasties are a tradition in our family every St. Patrick’s Day. The Donovans introduced pasties to us about 20 years ago and we have been making them ever since, even when it’s not St. Patrick’s Day!
Irish Pasties are a flaky pastry filled with shredded roast beef and potatoes. They are drizzled with or dipped in a savory roast beef gravy. Every bite is hearty and flavorful.
Our sister Elise married into the Donovan family years ago and learned some amazing Irish traditions and recipes that she has generously shared with all of us. These Irish Pasties quickly became a traditional recipe that we all love to make on St. Patrick’s Day. Although, I have to admit, these are WAY too good to make only once a year and we end up making them almost every time we cook up a roast.
I like to prep for these by cooking up a big beef roast the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day and saving a bunch of the roast and drippings. That way I get two meals out of one roast! You can even throw in some diced potatoes to cook along side the roast to save for the pasties as well. Then you can make up the pasties and the gravy fresh on St. Patrick’s Day and you are all set!
How to make Irish Pasties
The Donovan's Irish Pasties
- 1 lb. roast beef cooked and cubed (if you aren't using leftover roast, just cook the roast in the crock pot with some water and onion soup mix and whatever seasonings you like)
- 3-4 potatoes cooked and cut in small cubes. (You can also use the frozen hashbrown cubes. Throw them in while still frozen. They will cook in the oven. It tastes JUST as good as using fresh potatoes.. it's just a lot easier)
- salt and pepper
- 1 box pie crusts can be found by the butter in the grocery store
- beef gravy prepared
- drippings from beef roast
- 1 to 2 cups water
- 2 tsp beef bouillon
- 2 Tbsp corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
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Mix the roast, potatoes, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Unroll the pie crusts and cut in half.
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Put a good amount of filling in each crust, fold over, and seal.
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Place each pastry on a greased cookie sheet. Make a couple of small slits in the top of each crust.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
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Remove from oven and brush with some melted butter.
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Serve with gravy, or if you are my Dad - ketchup.
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For Beef Gravy: Bring ingredients to a boil to thicken, stirring constantly with a whisk.
More St. Patrick’s Day Favorites
We have some other fun recipes that are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. You can make it a week full of yummy Irish recipes instead of just one day. Try a loaf of Irish Soda Bread with our savory Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew. Or make up one of our delicious Corned Beef Sandwiches with homemade Russian Dressing with a green Mint Julep to drink. Looking for some green treats? You will love our copycat Shamrock Shakes or Mini Grasshopper Cheesecakes.
Lisa Davis says
Lol! Hashbrowns aren’t REAL potatoes?!?!? Who knew?!?
p.s. They look delicious! 🙂
Emily says
Haha, thanks! Fixed it!
Sheila Roland says
I made thees and they are amazing! I am going to try adding rutabaga and caramelized carrots next time. Thees are perfect the way they are though, so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Gwen Morris says
This is much like my families. We use leftover beef roast, raw onions and thin sliced potatoes baking at 375 for 30 min. Also, we are Welsh not Irish. I was told the miners would take them to lunch with a bottle of ketchup. My family worked mines in Penn. What great memories food brings. Thanks for the share.
Cindy Gilman says
I was told miners would wrap them in foil and put them on the machines to cook while they worked. I never heard that until my sister in law told me that. I’m Italian and never heard of this recipe before.
Kathie udd says
in Michigan traditional pasties are the best. If you ever go to the U. p. Of Michigan you need to try some. There are pasty shops everywhere. And yes, we eat them with ketch-up and pickles!
Natasha says
I came just to read the comments to see if anyone knew of or would have mentioned the original Pasties from the U.P. Born and raised there I may be a little biased but they are definitely the best! This is an interesting spin on it.
Rebecca LeFevre says
My grandmother, whose parents come to New Jersey from Hungary and worked in the zinc mine, also said the miners would take pasties to work and heat them up on their shovels over a fire.
Michael Soileau says
I lived in England for a few years and one of the foods I miss most is pasties. Haven’t seen any here in the states but they go really well with brown sauce, maybe a steak sauce would work.
Cindy says
Love these. My sister in law gave me the recipe last month. I do put carrots and green beans in mine and serve them with gravy and a green salad.
Jan P says
Our Nana made them with Pepperidge farm puff pastry. She called them Briedies, but she was from Glasgow, not Ireland.
Sue B. says
How many servings does this recipe make. I would like to make some and then freeze some. Thanks
Echo says
This recipe makes 4 servings. Thank you for asking!
jackie says
pasties are huge in Northern Michigan’s Upper Penninsula! Most people up there add the rutabaga.
Echo says
Yum! Adding rutabaga sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing how pasties are made in your neck of the woods. It’s interesting to hear how recipes are adapted to different regions of the world.
luanne nystrom says
True pasties are meat, potatoes,onion and lard crust Pasties are everywhere in the upper peninsula, especially Iron Mountain
maureen says
Yes that’s how my mom made them. And now my son and I make them. My grandparents were from Ireland. Seem there are many recipes.
luanne nystrom says
Michael,
Go to the upper peninsula of Michigan. Pasties(real pastors) are everywhere.
Iron Mountain girl
Linda says
Personally, I make the pasties from the Cornish Pasty Assn. Lard is used in the pastry, and it makes all the difference. I replace the swedes woth turnips.
Kathleen says
So sorry.. I need detailed instructions. If I’m cooking a 2.5 pound roast (doubling your recipe), how would I do that in the crock pot? Measurements, time, etc. Thank you!!!
Echo says
Detailed instructions for the roast: Pour 1/4 cup water in the bottom of your crock pot. Rinse the roast and place it in the crock pot. Salt and pepper the roast. Sprinkle one package of Lipton onion dry soup mix over the roast. Cook the roast on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 8 hours. That should do it! Enjoy your pasties!
Karen Howard says
Oh-these look sooo delicious! I an definitely going to try these. I have never heard of these before. Thanks so much for sharing these with us all. I’ve a feeling they’ll be another favorite with everyone.
CAROL BYRD says
This recipe sounds yummy! I’ll certainly be trying this one out. Thanks so much for sharing!
sally m long says
Years ago this is what miners would carry in their lunch boxes in place of sandwiches.
how do i know this was told by my Grandmother & i am 86
Erica says
That is awesome! I know they loved having these as lunches because they could just be eaten with their hands– no utensils needed!
Sherry Angel says
My mother used to make these all the time! She would add broth in the slits while cooking. It was a whole day project!! One of my dads favorite! I am going to have to make some, my son is very proud of his Irish heritage!!
Laura says
I love pasties!! My Grammy was Irish and taught my mom these. But instead of using roast beef, she would use ground beef. She made the lard pastry rolled out, and they were huge. One would feed 4 of us! She would later the ground beef, salt , pepper, 2 pads of butter, sliced thin potatoes, salt pepper butter, finely chopped onions and lastly salt pepper and butter. Fold over the crust and crimp edges. Three slits on top and put in the oven! Never tried with gravy tho!! Will this fall!!! Loved these!!! Taught my Hungarian/polish mother in law my gram’s recipe!!!
Vickie says
I have been making these tasty Irish dumplings (Pasties) for years. I do mine with stew meat cut into bite size
Pieces or using a round steak cut into small bites. Mix raw meat with diced up potatoes, season to taste, place on pie dough with a dollop of butter, wrap in pie dough in the shape of dumplings. Then I bake them for about 45 to 60 mins. until potatoes are cooked. My family loves homemade cheddar cheese sauce over theirs. Some add ketchup to it as well. It’s a favorite of my families. I’ve made these every St. Paddy’s day for the last 43yrs.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Oh yum! Thank you for sharing how your family makes these. What a fun tradition. I have never tried it with cheddar cheese sauce. That sounds tasty! Almost like an Irish Cheesesteak. Sounds delicious!
Colleen says
Can I freeze these for a later date? How would I heat them up? I want to try them but I live alone and this is too much for 1 person.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Absolutely! They freeze great– you would re-heat them by thawing completely and then popping them in to oven (you can lightly cover with foil if the crust seems to be getting too brown) at 350-degrees for 30 minutes or so (or until it is hot all the way through). Hope this helps!