Donovan’s Irish Pasties Recipe

4.97 from 27 votes
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This Irish Pasties Recipe is 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! 

Hand holding a fork cutting into a Donovan's Irish Pastie with gravy.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in this Irish Pasties Recipe
  2. Frequently Asked Questions about Irish Pasties
  3. More Irish Inspired Recipes
  4. How to Make this Irish Pasties Recipe
  5. The Donovan’s Irish Pasties Recipe

Our sister Elise married into the Donovan family years ago and learned some amazing Irish traditions and recipes that she 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, this beef and potato mixture baked into pillowy pastry dough is WAY too good to make only once a year and we end up making them almost every time we cook up a roast. Every bite is hearty and flavorful. You don’t have to wait until St. Patrick’s Day to serve these Irish Pasties. They are delicious way to use up leftover roast beef all year long. We like to serve these with a big green salad or a side of green peas.

Ingredients in this Irish Pasties Recipe

You can make these hearty pasties with just a few pantry staples. They’re the perfect thing to whip up for dinner when you just don’t know what to make. They’ve saved our dinnertime many times! Here’s all you need:

  • Pot roast beef – Cut it into small inch cubes, chopped into small pieces or shredded with a fork. Terrific time to use up those Sunday leftovers, or you can make a fresh roast just for this recipe. 
  • Potatoes – russet, golden, red, any kind of potato will do. Cut them in to tiny pieces and spread onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. You can season them with a little salt and pepper and a bit of fresh thyme and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, if desired.
  • Pie crusts – Save time and buy a couple of frozen crusts from the grocery store. Unfold them and cut in half.
  • Add shredded carrots or onion to the mixture, if you like.
  • After baking, use a pastry brush to spread a little butter or an egg wash made from eggs and some water on top for a beautiful golden crust. 
  • For the gravy, simmer some beef stock or broth from from the roast in a skillet. Thicken with corn starch or a little flour.
Donovan's Irish Pasties ingredients including beef roast, potatoes, onion soup mix, beef bouillon, corn starch and pie pastry.


Frequently Asked Questions about Irish Pasties

Can I use frozen hash browns in this recipe?

Yes! If you’re in a time crunch, you can use a bag of frozen hash brown cubes in place of other potatoes.

Do they have pasties in Ireland?

Meat pasties are extremely popular all over the British Isles. They’re a perfect on-the-go lunch. This recipe is the Irish version of pasties. So delicious!

Can I substitute other meat for this pasties recipe?

You can substitute leftover pork roast or roasted chicken in place of a beef roast, but I love the mix of beef and potatoes.

Plate with two baked Irish Pasties. Gravy and extra pasties on the side.

READ NEXT:30+ Best St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas

More Irish Inspired Recipes

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. Or, check out a full list of the Top 10 St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas.

How to Make this Irish Pasties Recipe

Cut open Donovan's Irish Pastie on a plate with gravy.

The Donovan’s Irish Pasties

4.97 from 27 votes
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.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 pound roast beef cooked, see recipe notes
  • 3-4 potatoes baked or boiled
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 pie crusts purchased or homemade
  • beef gravy prepared

BEEF GRAVY

  • drippings from beef roast
  • 1 to 2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with ¼ cup water
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the roast beef. See methods in recipe notes below.
    Crockpot with unbaked beef roast with water and onion soup mix to make Donovan's Irish Pasties.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Shred the roast or chop into bite size pieces.
    Cut up beef on a cutting board for Donovan's Irish Pasties.
  • Peel and cube the potatoes.
    Cutting board with peeled and cubed potatoes for Donovan's Irish Pasties.
  • Mix the roast, potatoes, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
    Beef and raw potato cubes mixed together in a bowl next to a wooden spoon for Donovan's Irish Pasties filling.
  • Unroll the pie crusts and cut in half.
    Pie pastry cut in half with a pizza cutter for Donovan's Irish Pasties.
  • Put a good amount of filling in each crust, fold over, and seal. 
    Beef and potatoes filled in a half pie pastry for Donovan's Irish Pasties.
  • Place each pastry on a greased cookie sheet. Make a couple of small slits in the top of each crust.
    Hand holding a small knife cutting slits in the top of a single unbaked Donovan's Irish Pastie.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with some melted butter.
    Brushing butter on the top of a baked Donovan's Irish Pastie.
  • Serve with gravy.
    Ladle pouring gravy onto a Donovan's Irish Pastie.

For Beef Gravy

  • Bring ingredients to a boil to thicken, stirring constantly with a whisk.
    Whisking a Pot of hot brown gravy for Donovan's Irish Pasties.

Notes

Methods for Preparing the Roast

  • Crockpot: An easy way to prepare the roast is to cook it in a crock pot with 1 cup of water and an onion soup mix along with whatever seasonings you like for 3-4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  
  • Oven Roasted: See our recipe for oven roasting. This will take about 3 hours.
  • Instant Pot: To save time, prepare the roast in the Instant Pot. This cuts the cooking time in half. The roast can be prepared and ready to go in 1 ½ hours.
 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 30gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 2067mgPotassium: 401mgFiber: 2gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 336mgIron: 5mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Recently made this and we fell in love! Such a great and tasty recipe! I will definitely be making again. Especially on St. Patrick’s Day!

  2. 5 stars
    I had never tried these before but always wondered what a pasty was… I’ve read about them in novels by British authors. lol
    ALL the yummy things I love about a roast beef dinner packaged up in a delicious wrapping. Thanks for such an amazingly delicious and easy to make recipe!

  3. 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.

    1. 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!

  4. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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!

  5. 4 stars
    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!!!

  6. 5 stars
    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!!

  7. 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

    1. That is awesome! I know they loved having these as lunches because they could just be eaten with their hands– no utensils needed!

  8. 5 stars
    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.

  9. 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!!!

    1. 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!

    1. 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.

      1. True pasties are meat, potatoes,onion and lard crust Pasties are everywhere in the upper peninsula, especially Iron Mountain

        1. 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.

        2. I agree. My grandmother made them for my grandfather when he mined in Montana. With a name like “Darby” (a nickname which means ‘he’s. A keeper’ ) it is truly the Irish way. My grandmother sold her pasties after they moved to so. California in a little cafe. My preference is to eat them with butter – better than gravy!

          1. My Grandfather worked in the iron mines in the UP. My Dad said one corner of the pasty had a sweet fruit /jam filling for desert. The rest of the pasty was filled with “pie meat” onions and potatoes. He said his mother would send him to the butcher to ask for “pie meat”, it was cut a special way. My grandfather was from Italy, he died young from working the mines in 1929. The mines were full of Italian , Welsh and Finns. They all learned each others ways. I was still making pasties for my father until he died 2 years ago at 96 years.

    2. 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.

  10. Our Nana made them with Pepperidge farm puff pastry. She called them Briedies, but she was from Glasgow, not Ireland.

  11. 5 stars
    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.

  12. 5 stars
    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.

  13. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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.

      1. 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!

        1. 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.

    2. 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.

  14. 5 stars
    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!