Tourtière, the classic Canadian meat pie, is a comforting dish deeply rooted in French Canadian tradition. Often served during holidays and family gatherings, this savory pie represents warmth, heritage, and the joy of sharing a hearty meal around the table.
Traditionally prepared with finely ground pork, beef, or veal, tourtière is gently seasoned with onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper. These subtle spices give the filling its distinctive aroma and rich, cozy flavor without overpowering the meat. Everything is simmered slowly until tender and perfectly blended, creating a filling that is both juicy and deeply satisfying.
The meat mixture is then wrapped in a flaky, buttery pie crust that bakes to a beautiful golden color. When sliced, the contrast between the crisp pastry and the soft, savory filling makes every bite irresistible. Tourtière is not a heavy pie, but it is filling, comforting, and wonderfully balanced.
What makes this dish especially special is how many variations exist. Some families add potatoes for extra texture, others include game meat, and many have their own secret spice blend passed down through generations. No two tourtières are exactly the same, yet all of them carry the same spirit of tradition and home cooking.
Tourtière is usually served with simple sides that allow the pie to shine. Pickles, mustard, cranberry sauce, or a light green salad with lemon provide a fresh contrast to the rich filling. It is just as delicious hot from the oven as it is the next day, making leftovers something to look forward to.
Beyond its taste, tourtière tells a story of Canadian winters, long evenings, and family recipes preserved through time. It is a dish that connects generations, bringing together history and comfort in one beautiful pie.
Whether you are discovering tourtière for the first time or returning to a familiar favorite, this Canadian meat pie always delivers warmth, tradition, and unforgettable flavor in every slice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 pastry crusts pie crust prepared
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork and beef until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Stir in salt, pepper, ground cloves, cinnamon, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place one pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with the meat mixture and cover with the second pie crust.
- Seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Brush the top crust with melted butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Yum! I’m not even Canadian and this was so good! Definitely making it again.
I don’t know how to make a crust, can I use store-bought? Help!
Easiest recipe ever!!! My family devoured it in one sitting! Will make again for sure!
This is my favorite pie! It’s so hearty and comforting. Glad to hear your family loved it too!
I tried it but it was a bit too salty for my taste. Maybe I used too much salt?
This meat pie is just ground meat and spices? Sounds bland. I’ll pass.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Tastes just like my grandma’s tourtiere! 😍
I tried this recipe and it was amazing too! Perfect for holidays! 🥧
Not sure if I agree. My grandma’s recipe is totally different, no cloves in hers.
What’s with the cloves and cinnamon? Isn’t that for cookies? 🤔
It was kinda okay but not what I expected. Too much cinnamon for me.
It took forever to cook, but at least it tasted good in the end, right?
Yeah, sometimes good things take time! Glad it was worth the wait. 😋
Don’t forget to drain the fat! I made that mistake and it got soggy. 😬
Easy to make! I used leftover turkey instead of beef and it still turned out great!
This was amazing! Tastes just like my grandma’s recipe! 😍
Two types of meat is what makes it special 🍖. My family loved it!
Yum, perfect for winter dinners! Will definitely make again! ❄️
But what if I add potatoes? Is that allowed? LOL. Asking for a friend.
Wow. I’ve tried other meat pies and this one actually holds together. The slits in the top crust are key, learned that the hard way.
I dunno… Isn’t this like a pizza? Why pie? Too confus… 🤔
I found the spices a bit weird together, especially cloves with meat? Really?
Pretty solid recipe, but I had to add a bit more water because mine was looking dry after simmering. Still delicious and the crust came out flaky.
It tasted good, but my crust didn’t really seal—steam bubbled out and it kind of fell apart when I cut it. Maybe my edges weren’t fluted enough.
This was amazing! I could smell it cooking all night. My whole family loved it!
So glad to hear that! Tourtière is such a comforting dish, perfect for family gatherings. 🎉
I made this but with chicken instead of pork and beef. Still came out good, I think!
Yum! I ate three slices before I realized! 😂 Definitely making this again!
Looks good, but isn’t it kinda heavy? Just curious.
Haha, I know that feeling! This pie is irresistible! 😂
Pretty good! But I might try lamb next time instead of pork. Just a thought. 👍
Made this for a family dinner—so comforting. The cloves + cinnamon combo is exactly the cozy, slightly “holiday” vibe I love in tourtière. Crust came out golden and it smelled amazing while baking. 10/10 would do again.
Tourtiere? What’s that? Never heard, but it look good tho. Gonna try it.
I’m not sure about the cloves and cinnamon… don’t they belong in dessert? It was kinda weird.
Made this for dinner last night and it was a total comfort-food win. The cloves + cinnamon combo is surprisingly perfect—doesn’t taste like “dessert,” just really warm and savory. Crust came out golden and flaky.
The pie crust was too hard for my taste. Next time, I’ll try leavin it out.
I accidentally used the wrong pie crust (the thicker one) and it took longer to bake, but the flavor was still really good. So maybe don’t stress too much.
The seasoning is spot on. I like that it’s not overly complicated, and the simmer really brings everything together. Would 100% make again for family dinner.
I dunno, I followed the recipe but it didn’t puff up like I expected. 🤔 Disappointed.
Maybe your oven temp was off? That can mess things up. Better luck next time!
Super comforting winter food. I served it with pickles and mustard and it hit. Would love a version with more gravy though.
More gravy? You mean like thicker filling? I always just add a bit more water and it comes out juicy but not really gravy. Still tastes great though!
Totally agree—this is such a cozy winter dinner. Next time I’ll try adding a bit more gravy vibes too… maybe a splash of stock mixed with that water simmer.
Took a while to make but worth it! Even my picky kids loved it!
Yuck! Didn’t turn out at all! My friend said I should’ve added potatoes or something. Never again!
Not gonna lie, 1/4 tsp cloves sounds tiny, but it’s enough! The aroma while baking was amazing. 10/10 comfort food.
My oven runs hot, so I checked early. If you don’t watch it, the crust could overbrown before the filling sets.
So good! My family ate it fast—like not even one piece could cool down 😂
Made this for my family and it smelled amazing. The cinnamon/cloves combo is legit and not overpowering. Crust came out flaky too—will definitely repeat.
Yes!! That cinnamon/cloves combo is the whole vibe. Glad it came out flaky—mine usually fights me until I really crimp the edges. 😄
This is exactly the cozy, savory thing I was craving. The cinnamon/clove combo is such a good twist—won’t lie, I was nervous at first, but it worked.
Honestly I expected it to be bland because it’s not a long ingredient list, but the seasoning surprised me. Still, I’d reduce salt slightly (my beef was already salty).
This is such a comforting pie—classic tourtière vibes. The cloves + cinnamon combo is surprisingly perfect with the meat. Mine came out golden and flaky.
I made it and it was okay. Also I forgot to preheat all the way and it still turned out, so idk… ovens are weird man.
Honestly that tracks—tourtiere is pretty forgiving. If it still browned up, you didn’t lose much. I usually just make sure the top is golden and let it go by color more than the exact minute.
Not sure about the 1/4 tsp cloves + cinnamon—mine tasted a bit too “holiday” for meat pie. Next time I’ll cut the cinnamon in half.
Not sure about the cinnamon/cloves ratio—kinda strong on my palate. Still tasty, just felt a little “spiced.” Maybe I’ll cut the cloves in half next time.
I’m skeptical about draining the fat; mine felt a little dry after. Flavor was there, but I think I’d drain less or add a bit more butter/water.
Yeah, draining the fat is where it can go either way. If your pork/beef was extra lean you might not need much draining—I’d leave a little for juiciness. Adding a splash more water (or even a bit more butter) sounds like the right fix too.
How can you call this a meat pie if there’s no meatloaf in it??? So confused!
Not gonna lie, “ground cloves and cinnamon” sounds weird for a meat pie, but I trusted it. It actually tastes like the filling of my childhood diner.
I’m from Quebec and this is close, but where’s the “traditional” touch? I’ve had it with different spices or sometimes a potato element. Still, the bake time and butter-brushed crust are solid.
Not bad, but it’s kind of heavy. Also I used pre-made pie crust and it got soggy on the bottom—might need a hotter oven or bake longer.
I’m skeptical about adding cloves + cinnamon to meat pie, but I followed it exactly and… wow. Not sweet at all, just warm and savory.
“Flute the edges” is such a weird phrase lol—mine looked more like crimped and stressed than fancy, but it still tasted good.
Right?? “Flute the edges” makes me picture some fancy French bakery situation, but mine was definitely more “panicked pinch and hope.” Still came out yummy though.
I’ve always just crimped with a fork—fluting sounds like extra steps. Also I think I overbrowned mine at 350 once and it was dry… so I stick to 400 now. Yours looks good!
Made this last winter and it was seriously cozy. The cinnamon/clove combo is the magic—smells like a proper Canadian holiday dinner.
Followed it pretty much as written and the pie came out golden and flaky. I only had to bake mine closer to 40 minutes to get that full browning.
My family said it’s “more like meat pie” than the ones we grew up with. The flavor was there, but I think the spice levels could be adjusted—maybe less clove for me.
This is just like my grandma used to make! Tastes like home!
Not sure about the cloves + cinnamon. I know it’s “traditional,” but it made me skeptical. Turns out it works—just don’t overthink it.
I had the same eyebrow-raise with the cloves + cinnamon 😂 but after trying it, I get it. The spices just add warmth—def not candy-sweet. Glad you didn’t overthink it!
This is delicious, but I wish it had instructions for thicker filling. I ended up simmering a bit longer to reduce the liquid.
Mine turned out thick enough, honestly. 10 minutes might be short depending on how much liquid the meat releases. I drained well and it set up while cooling, so maybe your pan was just wetter?
Totally get that—my first attempt was a little soupy too. Next time I’d try simmering a bit longer or maybe add a spoonful of flour/cornstarch slurry to thicken the filling before filling the pie.
This is exactly what my partner calls “fancy comfort food.” We served it with mashed potatoes and it was a whole vibe.
Love that description—“fancy comfort food” is exactly it. The mashed potatoes pairing sounds perfect.
I made tourtiere once and it was kinda bland… yours at least has cloves + cinnamon so that should help a lot. I’d definitely try it like this.
Pretty straightforward and honestly tastes way better than I expected for a homemade pie. I added a tiny bit more pepper and it was great.
400°F seems high? Mine browned on top before the center felt hot, so I lowered to 375 and added like 10 more minutes. Lesson learned.
The spices are spot on—cloves + cinnamon give it that classic tourtiere vibe. Mine browned perfectly in 32 minutes. Will make again!
The oven time is probably fine but my crust got too dark, like 25 minutes. Could also be my oven being weird (old one). Filling was delicious though.
Good flavor, but mine was a bit dry. I think I either simmered a little too long or didn’t drain enough fat—next time I’ll keep an eye on it. Still tastes like classic meat pie though.
Totally agree—tourtière can go dry if it simmers too long or if the moisture boils off. I’ve found 10 minutes is about right, and I don’t over-drain the meat either—just enough to avoid greasiness. Also letting it rest helps it set without drying out. Glad it still tastes classic!
Delicious! I added some hot sauce on top and it was fire! 🔥
I never thought of adding hot sauce! I bet it gives it a nice kick! 🌶️
Hot sauce? Really? I just think it ruins the traditional flavor, but whatever floats your boat.
It was alright, but I think it could use more spices. Felt a bit bland.
Seems good, but 1 pound pork + 1 pound beef is a lot of filling for a 9-inch pie in my experience. Mine was pretty full near the top crust, so I’d be careful with portions.
Good point! I usually end up a bit tight with that amount too—mine is always “heaping” right before the top crust goes on. Definitely worth watching the fill level.
Oops I forgot to drain fat… still edible but greasy. Also I used 2 teaspoons salt instead of 1, so yeah. Recipe seems fine if you follow it correctly though.
The spices smell amazing while simmering. I did add a splash more water because mine got too thick after browning, but overall great.
Not bad, but mine was kinda dry. I think I simmered the water/spice too long or didn’t add enough water. Could use a touch more moisture in the filling.
I followed the recipe pretty closely. Browning the meat and draining fat makes a big difference. Next time I might add a bit more onion because the filling was flavorful but slightly mild to my taste.
Pretty solid recipe. I used 93% lean beef and still had to drain some fat, but the filling was flavorful. I think next time I’ll add a bit more pepper for extra kick.
The slits on top—yes. I forgot once and it was like a steam explosion lol. Fix that and it’s solid.
Made this for family night and it smelled so comforting. The spice combo (cloves + cinnamon) is exactly what I remember from Canadian tourtière. Crust came out nicely golden too!
I’m skeptical about cinnamon in meat pies, but I tried it and… wow. It doesn’t taste like dessert, it just makes the filling warmer.
I’m still side-eyeing it 😅 Cinnamon feels like it belongs in apple stuff, not meat pie. But if you only used a tiny 1/4 tsp maybe that’s why it’s not sweet at all. I might try it—once.
Okay but yeah—cinnamon in savory can be magic. The “warmer” vibe makes sense with cloves already in there. Glad it worked for you!
400°F for 30-35 min didn’t seem enough for my oven. I had to bake closer to 45 to get the top really golden and cooked through. Other than that, pretty straightforward.
Good to know! My oven runs hot/cold depending on the day, so I’ve been wondering if 30–35 is too short. I’ll start checking closer to 40 and look for more browning.
Honestly I’ve always needed closer to 45 too. I think the filling has more moisture than people expect, so it takes longer to heat through. Thanks for confirming!
The spices are a weird choice… like why cloves in meat pie? I tasted it and was like no thanks, sorry.
Not gonna lie, the cinnamon threw me off at first. But after tasting, it’s like… totally works. Next time I’ll just mix the spices with the water more thoroughly.
I followed it pretty much exactly, but I didn’t drain the fat aggressively enough. The filling was a bit greasy, so next time I’ll be stricter. Still tasted good though.
1 pound beef and 1 pound pork is a lot of meat lol. I love it though. Mine leaked a little from the top slits, but still tasted awesome.
400°F seems high? I baked at that temp and the crust browned fast, but the center was still fine. I might lower to 375 next time just to be safe.
I was skeptical about the cinnamon and cloves in meat, but wow—balanced and not sweet at all. Very “cozy” tasting. Would definitely make again.
Four words: gonna steal this recipe 😅
I followed it pretty closely, but I think my meat mixture was too dry after draining. Next time I’ll use a little more water or cook it slightly less.
The instructions are simple, but the bake time seems short? Mine took closer to 45 minutes to really brown and set. Not mad though—just plan ahead.
Totally agree—30–35 mins feels a little optimistic. I also needed closer to 45 to get that deep golden and fully set filling. Good tip to “plan ahead.”
I baked mine exactly as written and it browned fine in like 20-25? Maybe my oven runs hot? I’d still follow your gut if it’s pale.
I’m not sure about the cinnamon and cloves in meat. Like… why are we putting sweet spices in a savory pie? I tried it anyway and it’s actually decent, but I’d maybe cut the spices in half next time.
I tried this and it turned out AMAZING. The smell while it’s baking is unreal. Definitely better than frozen versions!
Love tourtiere but I always make it with a mix of pork and veal—this is still super tasty though. Onion + garlic cooked down perfectly.
So good to hear! I love that pork+veal combo—your version sounds super rich. Glad the onion and garlic came out perfectly too.
I’m skeptical about the water amount—1/2 cup seems low for simmering 10 minutes. Mine was a little dry, so I added a splash more next time.
Turned out good, but my pie crust shrank a little and the slits helped prevent bubbling. Also 400°F felt a little high—mine browned faster than 35 minutes.