Name: Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature); ¼ cup finely chopped red onion; 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts; 3 tablespoons finely chopped celery; 2 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper; 1½ teaspoons butter; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried dill); 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (or lemon zest); ½ teaspoon garlic salt; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon white pepper (or pepper); 5½ - 6 ounces albacore tuna (well drained ); 1 large egg white; 1 tablespoon cold water; Store-bought refrigerated pie crust (like Pillsbury); Your favorite pie crust recipe; ½ batch Herbed Pie Crust (omit the sage and thyme and substitute in a little dill and lemon zest! )

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These savory Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies are easy to make, super-tasty, and can be enjoyed warm or cold. Naturally portable, they're perfect for a school lunch, quick meal, or afternoon picnic.

Golden-brown walnut-citrus tuna hand pies on a plate with orange slices.

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Why You'll Love These Tuna Hand Pies
Ingredients You'll Need
Step-by-Step: How to Make Tuna Hand Pies
Tips for the Best Hand Pies
Easy Variations & Swaps
Storage & Make-Ahead Notes
What to Serve with Tuna Hand Pies
More Seafood Recipes You'll Love
Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies

Why You'll Love These Tuna Hand Pies

These Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies are flaky, flavorful, and just the right size for a school lunch, picnic, or quick dinner. Fresh citrus zest brightens the tuna, walnuts add a nutty crunch, and cream cheese brings it all together into a savory, portable filling.

Baked in golden pastry, these tuna turnovers are delicious warm from the oven or chilled straight from the fridge. They keep about as well as a classic tuna sandwich, but feel so much more special.

Ingredients You'll Need

Tuna hand pie ingredients: cream cheese, red pepper, walnuts, tuna, lemon zest, onion, celery, dill, and butter. (Not pictured: Orange juice)

OOPS! You may notice that the orange juice in the recipe ingredient list is missing from this picture. I forgot to put it on the tray.

One of the best things about this tuna pie recipe is how flexible it is. Here's what you'll need:

Pastry Dough - store-bought or homemade (try our Herbed Pie Crust with dill + lemon zest!)
Tuna - albacore recommended, but any canned or cooked tuna works
Cream Cheese - plain or flavored; herb & chive is especially good
Walnuts - for crunch (sub your favorite nut if preferred)
Veggies - onion, scallions, celery, and sweet red/orange/yellow pepper
Citrus - fresh orange juice plus lemon or orange zest
Seasonings - dill, garlic salt, kosher salt, white or black pepper
Egg Wash - whisked egg white + water for golden tops

Step-by-Step: How to Make Tuna Hand Pies

Make the filling

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables - onion, celery, and peppers - and the chopped walnuts and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Vegetables and walnuts sautéing in small skillet.

In a medium bowl, combine sautéed vegetable mixture, fresh dill, zest, orange juice, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper.

The warm vegetable mix will melt the cream cheese, making it easy to incorporate into the mix. Stir until mixture is fully combined.

Bowl of tuna hand pie filling with tuna, cream cheese, dill, and citrus zest;unmixed

Add tuna to the vegetable-cream cheese mixture and stir just enough to combine. You could add the tuna in the previous step with everything else, but if you add it at this point, it will maintain its "tuna texture" better.

Now - taste the filling! (Do not skip this step!)

Does it need a little more salt or pepper? How about a shake of lemon pepper? This is where you can tune the seasonings to your own tastes.

Bowl of tuna hand pie filling with tuna, cream cheese, dill, and citrus zest; mixed.

Form the Pies

Once you have the filling mixed up to your satisfaction, it's time to roll out the pastry dough and make hand pies!

Roll out pastry dough about one-eight of an inch thick (about as thick as two quarters). It is important to not roll the dough too thin, or the the tuna filling will bleed through.

Cut four 6-inch or 7-inch pastry circles, and put a heaping ¼ cup of filling in the center of each circle.

Hand pies formed, ready to bake, on parchment on old baking pan.

Use your finger to lightly wet one side of each circle, and then fold the pastry in half, sealing and crimping edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork.

Cut a couple of vent holes in the top of each hand pie. If you are feeling extra creative, you can decorate the tops of the pies with some of the leftover pastry dough. (FYI: I cut the fish "bubbles" with the end of a drinking straw.)

In a small bowl, whisk the egg white together with 1 tablespoon cold water. Brush the tops of the prepared hand pies with the egg white mixture right before you put them into the oven.

Bake

Bake prepared hand pies in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Flaky golden tuna hand pies with visible citrus garnish

Baked tuna pies may be eaten immediately (let them cool first!) or refrigerated for up to one week.

Tips for the Best Hand Pies

Don't roll the dough too thin - filling may seep out.
Taste the filling before shaping pies. A pinch of lemon pepper or extra zest can brighten the flavors.
Decorate tops with pastry scraps. If you want them extra pretty, check our post about how to make easy pie dough roses!

This nifty little pocket pie maker is excellent for cutting and sealing hand pies! The bottom of cuts the pastry into perfect circles, and then the crimper folds and seals them!

Red pie maker/crimper filled with dough and tuna filling.

Easy Variations & Swaps

If you want to switch things up, this tuna pie recipe is easy to customize with simple variations and ingredient swaps to suit your taste or dietary needs.

Chicken Hand Pies: Substitute cubed or canned chicken for the tuna. (You can also used the Chicken Pillows filling recipe for making hand pies.)
Nut-Free: Leave out walnuts or use sunflower seeds.
Veggie Boost: Add chopped spinach or mushrooms to the filling.

Storage & Make-Ahead Notes

Refrigerate cooled pies in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Serve cold for lunchboxes, or reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
These hand pies freeze well! Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F until hot.

What to Serve with Tuna Hand Pies

Serve these savory hand pies with fresh orange slices, or drizzle a little orange juice over them for an extra burst of flavor. They also pair beautifully with vibrant, fresh salads such as Eggplant & Carrot Salad, Mango Quinoa Salad, Moroccan Carrot Salad, or Caribbean Mango Avocado Salad. For a picnic or on-the-go lunch, pack the pies with fruit and a thermos of soup for a perfectly balanced, portable meal.

More Seafood Recipes You'll Love

If you love seafood with a bright, fresh twist, try our Grilled Honey Ginger Salmon with Orange Glaze, Spicy Pan-fried Blackened Rockfish, or the crisp Korean-style Pan Fried Fish (Saeng Sun Jun). For something light and refreshing, Fresh Lomi Lomi Salmon or Grilled Halibut over Greens make easy, flavorful meals, while Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups and Mermaids on Horseback (bacon-wrapped shrimp with pineapple glaze) are fun, savory-sweet apps perfect for any gathering.

5 from 8 votes

Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies

Savory tuna turnovers wrapped in flaky pastry, with bright citrus, crunchy walnuts, and creamy filling - perfect for lunches, picnics, or make-ahead meals.

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Course: Lunch, Main, Snacks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time:25

Cook Time:30

Total Time:55

Servings: pies

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Renee

Equipment

1 Pocket Pie Crimper optional
1 Rolling Pin

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper
1½ teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or ½ teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest or lemon zest
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper or pepper
5½ - 6 ounces albacore tuna well drained
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cold water

Pastry (enough for 9" pie) - Choose 1 Option:

Store-bought refrigerated pie crust like Pillsbury
Your favorite pie crust recipe
½ batch Herbed Pie Crust omit the sage and thyme and substitute in a little dill and lemon zest!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
Make the Filling
Sauté onion, celery, pepper, and walnuts in butter, 2-3 min.
Transfer to a bowl with cream cheese, citrus juice, zest, dill, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Fold in tuna gently.
Form the Pies
Roll pastry ⅛" thick. Cut 6-7" circles.
Add ¼ cup filling to each, fold, and seal. Crimp edges, cut vents, brush with egg wash.
Bake 20-25 min, until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Don't roll pastry too thin or it may tear.
Taste filling before assembling and adjust seasoning.
Wrap leftovers tightly; refrigerate 3-4 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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Originally published September 4, 2014

Walnut-Citrus Tuna Hand Pies (Easy Savory Turnovers)

Why You'll Love These Tuna Hand Pies

Ingredients You'll Need