This ham and cabbage pie is actually a twist on a classic Irish dish: bacon and cabbage. We've switched the bacon for ham to make it more hearty. This savory pie filling is so incredibly tasty when topped with puff pastry.
If you're looking for more savory pies, make sure to try these recipes for Irish dingle pie and corned beef pie.
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Ingredients
Wondering what you need to make this Irish ham and cabbage pie? Let's talk about the key ingredients for this recipe!
- Ham: Although bacon and cabbage is traditionally made with bacon, we swapped it for ham.
- Cabbage: A small head of green cabbage is what you need here.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic add a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- White Sauce: This is made from cream, and seasoned with spices. The butter and flour is used to thicken the sauce.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Meat: You can use bacon or ham in this recipe; either one tastes delicious.
- Dairy Free: Use oil instead of butter for the roux and your favorite plant-based milk in the sauce.
- Sauce: Don't want to make a white sauce? Try using leftover gravy instead!
How to Make
Gather all your ingredients to make our Irish ham and cabbage pie.
- Sauté the onions and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden.
- Quarter the cabbage, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Boil for 8-10 minutes, until crisp tender, then drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Melt the butter in the same skillet you used for the onions. Add the flour and whisk for a couple of minutes to cook the flour.
4. Whisk in the milk and chicken stock and cook for a couple minutes, until thick.
5. Stir in the ham and onions and heat through.
6. Mix the gravy and cabbage together until blended, then set aside to cool.
7. Spread the mixture into a 6-cup (1.4 liter) dish and top with puff pastry. Brush with beaten egg to get a rich golden crust, then cut a few vent holes. Bake at 400°F for until the pastry is a rich golden brown, about 35 minutes.
8. Let the pie cool briefly, then serve. Enjoy warm as a hearty dinner!
Recipe FAQs
Bacon and cabbage (or ham and cabbage) is an Irish dish. It was popular because the Irish people grew cabbages and raised pigs, so they had an ample supply of the ingredients. It was often served with a white sauce. This pie is a variation of this traditional dish, using ham instead of bacon.
Yes, the filling in this recipe is healthy. It's high in protein, fiber, and vitamin C and low in carbs and calories. Leaving off the puff pastry lowers the calories to 144 per ⅔ cup serving, fat to 8.1g, cholesterol to 25mg, and carbs to 14.5g. If you're watching your diet, just eat the filling by itself.
Cabbage tastes especially good with bacon or ham, lamb, ground beef, ground pork, or sausage. It's such a versatile vegetable that you can enjoy it with almost any meat!
Cabbage is full of water, which is hydrating. It also contains compounds that improve eye health, reduce inflammation, and reduce the chance of cancer. There are lots of antioxidants in cabbage, too!
Serve
Serve with any type of potatoes, like baked, mashed, or scalloped. Sauteed green beans, pickled beets, salad, and scones are also great side ideas!
If you're looking for other Irish recipes, make sure to try our recipes for boxty pancakes, boxty bread, Dublin coddle, dingle pie, pub salad, and Irish-American Mulligan stew.
Store
- Make Ahead: You can make the filling a day in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to cover it with pastry and bake.
- Leftovers: Let it cool to room temperature and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Cover and bake at 350°F until hot, or microwave individual slices on high until hot.
- Freezing: Yes, you can freeze the filling in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 2-3 months. Defrost the filling and bake with the pastry on top once thawed. (It's best not to freeze cooked puff pastry.)
Expert Tips
- Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Whisk the gravy well as you're making it, or it will be lumpy.
- Don't skip the egg wash. This is what makes the pastry golden as it bakes.
- Let the pie cool before serving to allow the filling to thicken.
- Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge if it's tightly covered.
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Recipe
Irish Ham and Cabbage Pie
Ingredients
For the Meat & Veggies
- 1 medium head of green cabbage, 2 pound 8 ounces
- 2 ½ cups smoked ham, chopped
- 3 cups yellow onions, chopped (1 ½ large onions)
- 2 tablespoons garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
For the Gravy
- 3 ½ tablespoons salted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- scant ½ cup whole milk
- scant 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
For the Pastry
- 1.3 lb puff pastry
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
Making the Filling
- Remove the stem and outer leaves from the cabbage, cut in wedges, then chop in bite-sized pieces. Rinse in a colander, then place in a large Dutch oven and add 3 inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then let the cabbage simmer, covered, until crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Cut the ham into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Chop the onions and mince the garlic, then saute with the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet until golden brown. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt 3 ½ tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for a couple minutes, whisking constantly.
- Whisk in the milk, then the chicken stock. Keep stirring until the gravy has thickened, then season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, and sage.
- Stir the sauteed onion mixture and chopped ham into the gravy and heat through. Spoon the gravy into a large bowl and stir in the cabbage until it's well mixed.
- Spread the filling evenly in a 6-cup (1.4 liter) capacity pie dish, and let it cool for a while before you put the pastry on top.
Assembling the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Roll out the chilled rough puff pastry and cut out a lid to fit on top of the pie. Use the remaining pastry to cut strips of pastry to go around the lid of the pie plate.
- Brush the lip of the pie plate with beaten egg and stick on the strips of pastry. Brush the pastry with more beaten egg, then stick on the lid, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Brush the whole pie with beaten egg and decorate with any scraps of pastry. Cut a few vent holes to allow the steam to escape.
- Bake at 400°F for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Cover any areas of the pastry that are darkening too quickly with aluminum foil.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Whisk the gravy well as you're making it, or it will be lumpy.
- Don't skip the egg wash. This is what makes the pastry golden as it bakes.
- Let the pie cool before serving to allow the filling to thicken.
- Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge if they're tightly covered.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Sara
Great recipe. Delicious! I sauteed some chopped carrots with the onions.
Emma
The carrots sound like a wonderful addition, Sara! I'm so glad that you enjoyed this pie.
Beth
I am fond of eating savory pies, and this one is quite delightful. I encourage anyone to try it.
Emma
It's a great way to use up ham leftovers.
Kathleen
Emma -- I tried to print the recipe for the Ham and Cabbage pie and received an error! I'd love to print this recipe, just wanted you to know.
Emma
Hi Kathleen! I'm so sorry to hear that you encountered an error. Maybe refreshing your browser would solve the problem! Please let me know if you have any more trouble.