UK’s favourite pies aren’t actually pies

The data was collected by recipe box delivery company HelloFresh​ from the average number of internet searches per month for each pie.

While traditional pastry pies did feature in the list, the top spots were dominated by mashed-potato-topped dishes. Shepherd’s pie scored top place with 10,8000 monthly searches, with cottage pie coming in second at 76,000 searches, and fish pie ranking third with 56,000 searches.

These traditional dinner staples accounted for 69% of the overall monthly searches for the UK’s top ten pies, but some pastry pies still featured in the list, including chicken pie, steak and ale pie, and pork pie, which came in at tenth place.

For HelloFresh recipe development manager Mimi Morley, it came as “no surprise” shepherd’s pie and cottage pie were still so popular as a staple comfort food.

If you want to boost your vegetable intake try incorporating root vegetables in your potato topping for added nutrients or swap normal potatoes for sweet potatoes, according to Morley.

She said: “For a change on a traditional pie, try adding an Indian-inspired twist on a classic with a curried paneer pie. For a vegetarian take on shepherd’s pie, replace minced lamb with lentils and your favourite vegetables for a delicious dinner packed with protein.”

The UK’s top ten pies in full:

The UK’s top ten vegetarian pies were also ranked by HelloFresh. Bagging top spot was cheese and onion pie, with 11,000 monthly searches, followed by homity pie, which is filled with potato, leek and onion.

The UK’s top ten veggie pies in full: