Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie Recipe

Healthy Filipino | Main Dishes | Recipes
by Rezel Kealoha - August 26th, 2019
Last modified on August 30th, 2019

These Paleo Filipino Menudo mini meat pies is a recipe you need to add to your meal prep routine.ย  Made with a cassava crust and filled with a juicy Chicken Stew, it will fill you up but not bring you down.

Menudo is a Stew not the 80’s Boy Band

No matter what when I hear *Menudo” I think of Ricky Martin and the boy band before New Kids on the Block. Was Menudo popular here in America too?? Anyone else in their 40’s who can attest? They were super extra popular in the Philippines in the late 80’s.

Anyway apart from being a name of a Puerto Rican Boy Band it’s also a name of a stew in the Philippines. In our family version we make it with chicken, diced bell peppers and potatoes cooked in a soy sauce, tomato and lemon sauce. There is also a Mexican version of Menudo, which is quite different from this.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

I the stew in to a mini meat pie, to pay homage to my Aussie fam and the fact that I lived there for 11 years!! A meat pie is as Aussie as you can get.ย  You can read up on the most famous food trucks in Sydney to find out what the fuss is all about.ย 

To make it paleo used cassava flour that made the crust oh so tender.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

These are perfect to put in a lunch box with a side of salad. Just heat it up in whatever you have access too in the office.

Let’s Make Menudo!

It’s actually pretty easy to make Paleo Filipino Menudo and requires a very minimal ingredient list.ย  All you need is the following:

  • A protein – I really like using chicken thighs to make it as it gets softer and softer as it stews in the sauce.
  • Fresh Tomato
  • Kalamansi Juice if you can find it.ย  Lemon juice is a great stand in.
  • Coconut Aminos
  • Potato
  • Bell Pepper

Really that is it!

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

First you cook the chicken with the tomato, lemon juice and coconut aminos.ย  My mom likes to fry up the potatoes and bell peppers separately so that they have a slightly crispy texture and doesn’t get all mushy when you simmer down the stew.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

It then gets all mixed together to create this lovely meal.

Cassava Pie Crust

One of my great finds this year was cassava flour.ย  This pie crust recipe is almost identical to my vegan pie crust (which you can use for this recipe as well if you don’t need a paleo version).ย  You throw all the ingredients into the food processor and have a nice flaky dough.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

This dough does get a little flakey as you press it into the pie tin.ย  But it does come together when you pinch it together.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Once you have each pie tin lined fill with the Paleo Filipino Menudo.ย  Then cover with a layer of dough crimping the edges with a fork to seal the filling in.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Using the same fork poke some steam holes so that the crust does not bust open during baking.

Once you have the pies all formed you can either bake them right away, leave in the refrigerator overnight or even freeze over a couple of days.

Just before baking spread some egg wash on the crust.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden and the Menudo starts to bubble out of the holes.ย  Leave to cool for a little bit serve with some hot sauce on the top.

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

For more healthy Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.ย  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.ย  And if you make this Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie recipeย  I would love to see it.ย  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

 

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie Recipe

These Paleo Filipino Menudo mini meat pies is a recipe you need to add to your meal prep routine. Made with a cassava crust and filled with a juicy Chicken Stew, it will fill you up but not bring you down.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Australian, Filipino, Gluten Free, Paleo
Servings: 8 Mini Pies
Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!
Paleo Filipino Menudo Meat Pie

Ingredients

Menudo Recipe

  • 1/2 Pound Boneless Chicken Thigh Cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1 Small Tomato Diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Kalamansi Juice (Sub Lemon)
  • 1 Teaspoon Coconut Aminos
  • 1 Small Potato Cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1/4 Red Bell Pepper Cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Divided into 2 Servings
  • Salt and Pepper

Paleo Crust Recipe

  • 1 Cup Cassava Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder
  • 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Cold Egg
  • 1/4 Cup Ice Cold Water

Egg Wash

  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Teaspoon Water Mix egg and water in a bowl

Instructions

Make the Menudo Filling

  • Heat up half of the olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add in the chicken and tomatoes.  Cook until the chicken is nice and brown and the tomatoes start to get saucy.  This should take about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the lemon juice and coconut aminos.  Turn the head down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce reduces and just coats the chicken.  Taste and then season with salt and pepper.
  • While the chicken is simmering, fry the diced potatoes in the remainder of the oil.  Heat up the oil in a small fry pan over medium heat.  Cook the potatoes until they are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Constantly string so that there are no burnt bits.  This should take about 5-7 minutes.  Once done season with salt according to how you like it.
  • Take the potatoes out of the pan and add in the red bell peppers.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes until fragrant. 
  • Put the chicken, potatoes and peppers in a bowl and mix together.  Leave to cool while you make the pie crust. 

Paleo Pie Crust

  • Put all the pie ingredients in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds.  It should resemble sand at this point.  Add in half of the ice water and pulse.  Check the dough to see if it can bind together when you pinch it with your fingers.  Add the rest of the water if it is still dry, pulse and test again.  Add more water if necessary. 
  • Lay out a silpat or some cling wrap on your counter.  Bring the dough together into a ball and press down flat with your hands.  Cover with another layer of cling wrap and roll out until the dough is about 1/2 cm thick. 
  • Coat the mini pie tins with coconut spray.  Using one of the pie tins as a template turn over and cut a 2 cm border around the tin.  Repeating for all the tins.  Making sure you cut out 2 dough's for each tin.  One for the bottom and one for the top. 
  • Lay a piece of dough into the tin and press in. Scoop in a tablespoon of the menudo filling.  Brush the dough edges with egg wash and top with the second dough.  Press the top dough on the tin and then using a fork press down on the edges to seal.  Use the fork to poke some steam holes.  Repeat with the rest of the pie tins.
  • Place the pie tins in the refrigerator while you pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  At this time you can also let the pies rest unbaked overnight. 
    Right before baking brush the tops with more egg wash.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is a golden brown and the menudo starts to bubble out of the steam holes.
  • It's so awesome with a salad and just topped with some paleo friendly hot sauce. 
Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!
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