In Australia, a meat pie is as much a part of everyday life as a hot dog is in Denmark: a small, hot pie that you eat by hand at the stadium, at the baker’s or on your lunch break. Aussie Meat Pie in the air fryer gives you the same experience in your own kitchen, with a crisp shortcrust base, a thick filling of minced beef in brown gravy and a golden puff pastry lid.
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The pies are baked in individual tins that fit in the basket and are served piping hot with ketchup on top of the lid. That is exactly what sets them apart from British pork pies, which are eaten cold. What matters most is the filling: it must be thick and completely cooled before it goes into the pastry, otherwise the base turns soggy. The hot air does the rest.
Table of Contents
Why I love Aussie Meat Pie in the air fryer
A meat pie is everyday food in the best sense of the word. The filling is made from perfectly ordinary ingredients: minced beef, onion, garlic, tomato purée, beef stock and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, which gives the gravy depth. I buy the pastry ready-made, so the work lies in cooking the filling down until thick and putting the pies together properly.
I also love the contrast in the pastry. The shortcrust base is firm enough to hold the gravy, while the puff pastry lid rises and flakes, so every bite has both crunch and give.
What the air fryer does better than the oven
Individual tins about 10 cm in diameter are made for the basket. The circulating hot air hits both the lid and the sides of the tins, so the puff pastry rises and turns golden brown without you having to heat a whole oven for four small pies. Thin metal tins conduct the heat well through to the base. If you want the base extra crisp, you can lift the baked pies out of the tins and give them another 3-4 minutes directly in the basket at 170 °C.
My kitchen test of Aussie Meat Pie
I baked the pies in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 170 °C for 20 minutes and swapped the positions of the tins after 10 minutes. It has a single basket with heating elements both above and below, and you could tell on the base, which came out firm and baked through, while the lids rose and turned golden brown. Finally, I pushed the meat thermometer down through one of the steam holes and checked that the filling was at least 75 °C in the centre.
The whole recipe takes 85 minutes, but only 20 of them are spent in the air fryer. The other 35 are preparation, and the last 30 are pure waiting time while the filling cools. In a roomy basket like the one in the Philips XXL, it is easier to place the tins with air between them. If the filling comes straight from the fridge, the pies need 2-3 minutes more.
Make the filling the day before and chill it. Cold, thick filling is the surest way to a base that turns out crisp instead of soggy.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is filling the pies while the filling is still lukewarm or too thin. Then the gravy soaks into the shortcrust pastry and the base turns soggy. Let the filling simmer until a wooden spoon leaves a clear trail in the pan, and cool it completely in a shallow dish. The next mistake is leaky edges. Brush the edge of the shortcrust pastry with egg, put the lid on and press all the way round with a fork, otherwise the gravy runs out during baking. The third mistake is forgetting the steam holes. Without two or three small holes in the lid, the steam escapes through the seam and can force the edge open. Make them with the tip of a knife before the pies go into the basket.
How to serve Aussie Meat Pie
A meat pie should be eaten hot, preferably by hand. If you want to turn it into a whole meal, here are my suggestions:
- Ketchup on top of the lid, the way Australians do it
- Mashed potatoes and peas when the pie is meant to be a filling dinner
- A green salad with a tangy dressing
- Coleslaw or crunchy cabbage salad for the lunch table
Storage and reheating
Baked meat pies can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 160 °C for 10-12 minutes, until the filling is heated through. That makes the pastry crisp again, which the microwave cannot deliver. The pies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before you reheat them.
Aussie Meat Pie in the air fryer is not difficult, but it rewards patience: thick filling, cold filling and well-sealed edges. Get those three things right and you will have four pies with a crisp base and a golden lid. You will find the recipe with all measurements and steps below.
FAQ
Yes, and it is an advantage. The filling must be thick and completely cooled when it goes into the pastry, so feel free to make it the day before and keep it chilled. If it comes straight from the fridge, the pies need 2-3 minutes longer in the air fryer.
Usually because the filling was too warm or too thin when the pies were assembled. Cook the gravy until thick, cool the filling completely and use thin individual metal tins. If you like, give the baked pies another 3-4 minutes out of the tins, directly in the basket at 170 °C.
Use four thin individual metal tins about 10 cm in diameter. Metal conducts heat well, so the base bakes through. If there is not room for all four in the basket, bake the pies in two batches and keep the waiting ones in the fridge in the meantime.
Recipe
Aussie Meat Pie in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Shallow dish - For cooling the filling
- 4 Small tart pan - Individual metal pie tins, approx. 10 cm in diameter
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Brush
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 400 g minced beef (8-12% fat)
- 1 pcs onion (Finely chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (Finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil (For frying)
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 dl beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
Base and lid
- 10 g butter (Softened, for the tins)
- 300 g shortcrust pastry (Ready-made pie pastry without sugar, chilled)
- 150 g puff pastry (Ready-made, chilled)
- 1 pcs egg (Beaten, for brushing)
Serving
- 4 tbsp ketchup
How to make it
Preparation
- Finely chop 1 pcs onion and 1 clove garlic.
- Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add 400 g minced beef and fry it for 5-6 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with the wooden spoon, until it is cooked through and lightly browned.
- Stir in 2 dl beef stock a little at a time, and season with 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
- Let the filling simmer uncovered over low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the gravy is thick and glossy. The filling is ready when the wooden spoon leaves a clear trail in the pan.
- Spread the filling in a shallow dish and leave it to cool completely for 30 minutes. The filling must be thick and cooled when it goes into the pastry, otherwise the base will turn soggy.
Assembly
- Grease four individual metal pie tins, about 10 cm in diameter, with 10 g butter while the filling cools.
- Roll out 300 g shortcrust pastry to a thickness of about 3 mm, if it is not already rolled out, and cut four circles about 15 cm in diameter. Gather the trimmings and roll them out again if you are short of pastry for the last circle.
- Line the tins with the shortcrust pastry, pressing it firmly into the base and sides so that it stands slightly above the rim. Put the tins in the fridge until the filling has cooled.
- Cut four lids about 11 cm in diameter from 150 g puff pastry, so they are slightly larger than the top of the tins, and put them in the fridge.
- Fill the pastry-lined tins with the cooled filling and smooth the surface.
- Beat 1 pcs egg in a small bowl, and brush the edge of the shortcrust pastry with a little of the egg.
- Place the puff pastry lids on top and press the edges firmly together all the way round with a fork, so the pies are completely sealed.
- Brush the lids with the rest of the beaten egg.
- Make two or three small holes in the middle of each lid with the tip of a knife, so the steam can escape during baking.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 170 °C fan.
- Transfer the tins to the basket, leaving a little space between them. If there is not room for all four, bake the pies in two batches.
- Bake the pies at 170 °C for 20 minutes, until the lids are risen and golden brown. Swap the positions of the tins after 10 minutes so they bake evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer through one of the steam holes to check that the filling is at least 75 °C in the centre. Give the pies 2-3 minutes more at 170 °C if they are not hot enough.
Serving
- Leave the pies in the tins for a couple of minutes so the pastry can set, then carefully lift the pies out of the tins.
- Serve the pies hot with 4 tbsp ketchup spooned on top of the lids.
Our notes for the recipe
The filling must be thick and completely cooled before it goes into the pastry. Warm or runny filling makes the shortcrust base soggy. Make it the day before if you like, and keep it in the fridge. If the filling comes straight from the fridge, the pies need 2-3 minutes longer in the air fryer. Use thin individual metal pie tins, which conduct heat well, and seal the edges carefully so the gravy does not leak out during baking. Extra crisp base:
Lift the baked pies out of the tins, place them directly in the basket and give them another 3-4 minutes at 170 °C. Variation:
Stir 50 g grated cheddar into the cooled filling, or add a few drops of gravy browning if you want a darker gravy. You can also make the shortcrust pastry yourself from 200 g plain flour, 100 g cold butter, 0.5 tsp salt and 3-4 tbsp cold water. Serving:
Meat pies are eaten hot, often by hand, with ketchup on the lid. That sets them apart from British pork pies, which are eaten cold. If you like, serve them with mashed potatoes and peas or a green salad. Portion size:
The recipe makes four pies in tins about 10 cm in diameter. If your air fryer is smaller, you can bake them in two batches. Keep the waiting pies in the fridge in the meantime.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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