These hot and flaky, hand pies are filled with a delicious and flavorful taco filling. We use ground turkey that’s seasoned with a southwestern-inspired seasoning blend, black beans, corn and just a little bit of Monterey Jack cheese and green onions.
They’re perfect for your game-day appetizer table, or as something different for Taco Night. Serve the taco hand pies with a side sour cream and plenty of hot sauce. Then, wash it all down with this amazing homemade margarita.
If you’re a fan of tacos, (and who isn’t) try these shredded beef tacos or shredded pork tacos.
Taco hand pies ingredients
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt (we use kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Canola Oil, or use your favorite vegetable oil
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Water, divided
- ¼ cup Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Corn, drained and rinsed (canned) or cooked to package directions (frozen)
- 1 Large Egg
- Flour, for the work surface
- 1 box Refrigerated Pie Crusts (14 oz.)
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, finely shredded
- 1-2 tablespoon Green Onions, sliced thin
You will also need:
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Large biscuit cutter or 28 ounce can, clean with both ends cut out
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Fork
Make the taco filling
Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper in a small bowl, stir to combine well. Set aside.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey to the skillet, sprinkle with the prepared seasoning mix. Stir, to mix well. Cook the ground turkey until browned, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the ground turkey with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Add the tomato sauce and 1 tbsp. water, stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I like to add the water to the empty can of tomato sauce and give it a swirl. That way we get every drop out of the can.)
Add the black beans and corn to the taco meat and give everything a good stir. Cook, covered just 3-4 more minutes so all the flavors come together. Take the skillet off the heat, uncover and let the taco filling cool a bit. Once it has cooled, place it in a large bowl and refrigerate while you prepare to make the hand pies.
Make the taco hand pies
- Preheat Oven to 400°F
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the pie crusts from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before using. Prepare a small bowl with the egg and 1 tbsp. of water, beat well with a fork.
Cook’s Note: To make the pie rounds use a large biscuit cutter or, I use an empty 28 oz. can with both ends removed.
- Sprinkle a little bit of flour on a large cutting board or a clean surface. Lay out one pie crust dough. Using the can or biscuit cutter, cut out the rounds. Roll it gently to make each round just a little thinner and a little larger. Re-roll the dough scraps, flatten to roughly the same thickness of the original and cut out the remaining rounds.
- Working with one round at a time, add a tablespoon of taco filling in the middle of the round. Add a pinch of cheese and a pinch of the sliced green onions.
- Using a pastry brush (or your finger) moisten around the edges of the dough with the egg. Fold the dough round in half, press the edges together gently. Crimp the edges using a fork.
- Place the taco hand pie on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Brush the top of the taco hand pies lightly with the egg. Make 2-3 small slits on the top of each hand pie, use a paring knife.
- Bake the taco hand pies for approximately 15-25 minutes, until they are a nice golden color. Check them after the first 15 minutes, then add 5 minutes at a time until they reach the desired color.
Makes approximately 20 taco hand pies
Cook’s Notes:
If you have any remaining taco meat, refrigerate. Use the leftovers to make a couple of soft tacos for lunch or make a taco salad.
Taco Hand Pies
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp. Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Kosher Salt or to taste
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- ½ tsp. Cumin
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper or to taste
- 1 tbsp. Canola Oil or use your favorite vegetable oil
- 1 lb. Ground Turkey
- 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Water divided
- ¼ cup Black Beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Corn drained and rinsed (canned) or cooked to package directions (frozen)
- 1 Large Egg
- Flour for the work surface
- 1 box Refrigerated Pie Crusts 14 oz.
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese finely shredded
- 1-2 tbsp. Green Onions sliced thin
Instructions
- Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper in a small bowl, stir to combine well.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey to the skillet, sprinkle with the prepared seasoning mix. Stir, to mix well.
- Cook the ground turkey until browned, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the ground turkey with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the tomato sauce and 1 tbsp. water, stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the black beans and corn to the taco meat and give everything a good stir. Cook, covered just 3-4 more minutes so all the flavors come together.
- Take the skillet off the heat, uncover and let the taco filling cool a bit. Once it has cooled, place it in a large bowl and refrigerate while you prepare to make the hand pies.
- Preheat Oven to 400°F and Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the pie crusts from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before using.
- Prepare a small bowl with the egg and 1 tbsp. of water, beat well with a fork.
- Make the pie rounds, use a large biscuit cutter or, I use an empty 28 oz. can with both ends removed.
- Sprinkle a little bit of flour on a large cutting board or a clean surface. Lay out one pie crust dough. Cut out the rounds. Roll it gently to make each round just a little thinner and a little larger. Re-roll the dough scraps, flatten to roughly the same thickness of the original and cut out the remaining rounds.
- Working with one round at a time, add a tablespoon of taco filling in the middle. Add a pinch of cheese and a pinch of the sliced green onions.
- Using a pastry brush (or your finger) moisten around the edges of the dough with the egg. Fold the dough round in half, press the edges together gently. Crimp the edges using a fork.
- Place the taco hand pie on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Brush the top of the taco hand pies lightly with the egg. Make 2-3 small slits on the top of each hand pie, use a paring knife.
- Bake the taco hand pies for approximately 15-25 minutes, until they are golden. Check them after the first 15 minutes, then add 5 minutes at a time until they reach the desired color.
- Makes approximately 20 taco hand pies
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