Mémère’s Tourtière Recipe (French Meat Pie) That Tastes Like Home, Every Single Time

Cozy, spiced Mémère’s tourtière recipe: tender pork & beef with mashed potatoes in flaky crust. Holiday-ready and make-ahead friendly.

This tourtière is the kind of recipe that feels like family the moment you cut the first slice. It’s hearty without being heavy, warmly seasoned (not spicy), and the mashed potatoes keep the filling moist and cohesive. It’s also a make-ahead win for holidays or Sunday suppers, and it’s easy to serve with simple sides (or gravy if your family is team gravy).

Why This Recipe Works

• Mashed potatoes keep the filling tender and help bind everything together, so slices hold.
• A blend of pork and beef delivers a richer flavor than using either meat alone.
• Poultry seasoning + a pinch of clove delivers that classic tourtière taste without fuss.
• Bread crumbs absorb excess moisture, so the bottom crust stays in better shape.
• Two-temperature baking helps set the crust early, then finishes evenly until golden.

Ingredients (& What Each One Does)

** You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions on the printable recipe card below.

• Double-crust pie pastry: the flaky “container” that makes this a true meat pie.
• Egg (for brushing the crust): encourages browning and a glossy finish.

For the filling

• Ground pork: adds richness and classic tourtière flavor.
• Ground beef: gives a deeper, beefy backbone and balance.
• Lumpy mashed potatoes: keep the filling moist and help it hold together when sliced.
• Grated onion: melts into the meat for flavor throughout (no big chunks).
• Garlic: adds savory depth.
• Salt + pepper: essential baseline seasoning.
• Poultry seasoning: the “signature” herb blend that gives it a tourtière flavor.
• Ground cloves (pinch): that subtle warm note people can’t quite name (but miss when it’s not there).
• Water (divided): helps the filling simmer and stay juicy.
• Dry bread crumbs: tighten the filling so it sets cleanly.
• Egg (in the filling): helps bind the mixture.

How to Make Mémère’s Tourtière Recipe

** You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions on the printable recipe card below.

1. Cook the meats with onion and garlic until no longer pink; drain off excess fat.
2. Stir in potatoes, seasonings, and water, then simmer briefly to marry flavors.
3. Cool the filling, then mix in bread crumbs and the egg mixture.
4. Assemble the pie with bottom crust + filling + top crust; vent the top and brush for browning.
5. Bake until golden, shielding the edges if needed, then slice and serve warm.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Cool the filling before assembling: warm filling can soften the crust, making it harder to bake up flaky.
• Go for “lumpy” mashed potatoes (not whipped/silky): the texture helps the filling feel rustic and sliceable.
• Shield the edges early if your crust browns fast; remove the foil later so the top finishes golden.
• Vent the top crust so steam escapes and the top stays crisp instead of soggy.
• Let it rest before slicing so the filling sets , and you get cleaner slices.

Recipe Variations

• Add a warm spice note: a tiny pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg (keep it subtle so it still tastes like your Mémère’s version).
• Swap the meat blend: use all pork, or try pork + ground turkey for a lighter take (flavor will shift).
• Make mini tourtières: bake in muffin tins or small tart pans for parties and freezer-friendly portions.
• Add gravy at the table: serve with a rich brown gravy.

Serving Suggestions

Tourtière is hearty, so simple sides work best:

• Brown gravy (optional, but so good)
• Roasted carrots or green beans
• Wedge salad with vinaigrette (cuts the richness)
• Pickles or chow-chow for a tangy bite
• Cranberry sauce if you’re serving it holiday-style

New Life for Leftovers

• Tourtière hand pies: tuck leftover filling into refrigerated pie dough, crimp, and bake.
• Breakfast hash: brown leftover filling in a skillet, add diced potatoes, and top with a fried egg.
• Gravy-topped bowl: warm filling and spoon it over mashed potatoes with gravy (comfort-food maximum).

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze leftovers for the best quality for 3–4 months.
• Reheating: Warm the slices in the oven to help keep the crust crisp (microwaving softens the crust).

People Often Ask (FAQs)

Why are there mashed potatoes in tourtière?
In many families, potatoes are used to stretch the filling and keep it from drying out; they also help the pie slice neatly.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the filling ahead of time, then assemble and bake when needed. It’s also great as leftovers.

Do I have to use the egg wash?
No. It helps browning, but your notes say it can be omitted.

What’s the biggest mistake people make with tourtière?
Assembling with hot filling (it can lead to a softer crust) and under-seasoning (tourtière should taste warmly spiced, not bland).

Do I need to serve it with gravy?
Not required, but it’s a very popular add-on, and you already call it out as optional.

Final Thought

This is the kind of recipe that carries more than flavor — it carries history. Mémère’s tourtière recipe is simple, steady, and deeply comforting, the kind of meal that makes people say, “This tastes like home,” even if they’re eating it far from where they grew up.

Disclosure, Copyright & Privacy Policy

Mémère’s Tourtière Recipe

Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming

French Meat Pie, also called Tourtiere, is a classic French-Canadian dish that combines potatoes, onions, and spices, all enveloped in a buttery pie crust. Tourtiere is often served at the holidays and specifically Canadian Thanksgiving where it is served in smaller slices alongside the Turkey and trimmings.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Servings 8 servings

Calories 231 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
• 1 egg , beaten (for pie crust) [See Note 1]

For the Filling:

• 1-1/4 pounds ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup lumpy mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup grated onion
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/8 (pinch) teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water , divided
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 egg , beaten

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork and ground beef along with the onion and garlic until the meat is no longer pink; drain excess fat. Stir in the mashed potatoes, seasonings, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in bread crumbs. Combine egg and remaining water; stir into meat mixture.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9-in. pie plate [paid link] with bottom pastry; trim even with edge. Fill with meat mixture. Place second pie dough over the filling. Trim crust and crimp to seal then flute the edges. Cut slits in top pastry. With egg wash (or milk) brush the top pastry (promotes browning). Cover edges loosely with foil.
• Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F then remove the foil around the edge and reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Slice and serve warm. Serve with a side of brown gravy (optional).

Notes

1. Brush uncooked top pie pastry with eggwash (or milk) to promote browning. May omit without substitution.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 14gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 234mgPotassium: 343mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 4.1mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2.5mg

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