Apple, cherry, and blueberry pie are satisfying and delicious, but pie can be much more than dessert. The savory type, including these whole wheat broccoli cheese hand pies, are the ultimate comfort food. They are an easy, fun dinner and leftovers make a convenient, portable lunch.
How to Make Savory Vegetarian Hand Pies
Broccoli cheese calzone is a regular on the menu in my house because it’s easy to make, takes just four ingredients, and the entire family loves it. I make the rather large calzone often and I thought it was time to give my trusted recipe a new twist.
I use short cuts whenever possible to get meals on the table fast. In this case, I opt for prepared whole wheat pizza dough. Use store-bought regular pizza dough (made with white flour) if you prefer, or make your own dough with this recipe.
I typically use fresh broccoli in this recipe, but frozen, thawed, and well-drained broccoli works, too. To save time, you can also choose pre-shredded cheddar cheese or a block of cheese cut into thin slices, or a combination.
These hand pies are messy, so no need to be super neat about the filling!
Pair the hand pies with fruit and milk for an easy, delicious meal.
Don’t worry about the cheese. Use whatever type you have on hand.
Get your kids involved in assembling the hand pies. They’re fun to make!
Whole Wheat Broccoli Cheese Hand Pies are cute, a bit messy, and delicious!
Whole Wheat Broccoli Cheese Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 10 cups chopped, cooked 1-inch broccoli florets
- 16 ounces whole wheat pizza dough
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced thin
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400˚F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut into 8, 7-inch circles. (I use an inverted bowl to do this.) You may need to gather up the dough and roll it out again to make eight circles.
- Place half the cheese on the rounds to within a half inch of the edge of each piece of dough. (The cheese forms a barrier between the dough and the broccoli to keep the hand pie from getting soggy.)
- Place about a cup of broccoli on top of the cheese and top with remaining cheese.
- Fold the dough in half over the broccoli and cheese filling, and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.
- Gently transfer the hand pies on to the baking sheet and brush with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before eating.
Notes
Hi, I'm a registered dietitian, writer, recipe developer, and mother of three who specializes in food and nutrition communications and believes in progress, not perfection. If you're interested in easier ways to live a healthier life, you're in the right place. Welcome!