Bursting with savory goodness and a touch of holiday cheer, tourtière is a French Canadian meat pie traditionally enjoyed on Christmas Eve. This low FODMAP, gluten-free version of tourtière not only brings warmth to your table but also caters to those with IBS concerns and gluten sensitivities, fostering a flavorful, worry-free Christmas Eve feast. Whether preparing the filling quickly in the Instant Pot or opting for the stovetop method, this low FODMAP tourtière is then baked to crispy, golden perfection in your oven, promising a comforting meal with a festive twist.
For a holiday side that balances well with the richness of this tourtière, try it with my Cranberry Chutney recipe. For a French-inspired appetizer paring, serve it with Cranberry Baked Brie!
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Tourtière: A Christmas Eve Tradition
I discovered tourtière on Pinterest several years ago. As I'd been living in Canada for many years (originally from the US) and am one-quarter French Canadian in ancestry, I had to try this traditional Canadian dish eaten on Christmas Eve.
Honestly, when I first looked at the ingredients, the fact that ground meat is mixed with sweet-leaning spices like allspice and cinnamon made me wary. However, my husband, dad (who was visiting us the first Christmas I made it), and I were amazed at how well the sweet and savory flavors worked together.
Each bite is mostly savory with just a hint of cinnamon and allspice, making you feel like you're truly eating a comforting, Christmas dish. Combining the meat with leeks and potato and baking it in pastry also contributes to its comfort food factor.
I've made some variation of tourtière every Christmas Eve since, creating this low FODMAP version a few years ago to make it IBS-friendly. Life circumstances have prevented me from posting this recipe until now, but it is one of my most cherished recipes that I make for my family.
I'm still tweaking my own homemade gluten-free crust recipe, which will be posted to the blog once I have it to my standards. Meanwhile, I've been using store-bought gluten-free pie crust mixes and frozen gluten-free pie crusts to make this tourtière. Although I'd prefer to have the crust and filling recipes finalized before posting, I didn't want to let another Christmas go by without bringing this beloved dish to my readers.
For more information on the background and history of tourtière and how my low FODMAP tourtière recipe differs from an authentic tourtière, see the Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Equipment
The filling of this tourtière can be prepared in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop and then baked in a low FODMAP, gluten-free pie crust in the oven. The Instant Pot method is about 20 minutes quicker, but I find both methods produce an equally tasty tourtière filling.
Instant Pot method:
- 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker
- Plastic spoon or spatula (I'm partial to my Instant Pot spatula)
Plus all of the equipment in the "Remaining Equipment" list below.
Stovetop method:
- Dutch oven or large pot with lid
- Stovetop
Plus:
Remaining Equipment (for both methods):
- Conventional oven
- Chopping board and knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Spreading spatula
- Fork
- Rolling pin
- Maple leaf cookie cutter (or your cookie cutter of choice, optional, for decorative vent)
- Pastry/basting brush
- Paring knife, for venting (if you don't use a cookie cutter)
- Cooling rack
- Knife, for slicing
- Pie server
Ingredients
The ingredients I use to make this low FODMAP tourtière include:
- 9-inch low FODMAP gluten-free double pie crust (store-bought or homemade) - I'm in the process of developing a homemade recipe. Store-bought frozen gluten-free crusts or pie crust mixes are convenient can also work well. Make sure the pie crust you end up using only contains low FODMAP ingredients per your Monash University Low FODMAP Diet App. That being said, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix for the crust in these photos; however, it may or may not be low FODMAP as it contains brown rice flour in addition to other gluten-free flours. Monash University has recently tested brown rice flour for FODMAPs, found it contains fructans, and has no suggested low FODMAP serving size for it. If fructans, brown rice flour, or this particular pie crust mix haven't bothered you in the past, it may not be an issue for you. The mix does easily make a beautiful, delectable pie crust that goes incredibly well with this tourtière and is gluten-free. If you end up using this mix, make sure you have extra gluten-free flour on hand for dusting though in case it sticks when you roll it out (it did for me).
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Leek, dark green leaves only, finely chopped. View step-by-step instructions with photos on how to clean and chop a leek for low FODMAP cooking.
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Russet potato (about 1 medium potato), peeled or unpeeled, diced into ¼-inch pieces
- Dried chives
- Ground allspice
- Dried thyme leaves
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- 1 cup low FODMAP low sodium beef broth (homemade or store-bought)
- Bay leaf
- Large egg yolk, beaten
Method
The following steps and photos include instructions for how to prepare the low FODMAP tourtière filling in the Instant Pot only. Stovetop instructions are available in the recipe card below. Both methods are fairly similar in active process, just using different equipment.
Make Crust
Make the low FODMAP, gluten-free pie crust according to the recipe or package instructions. Keep covered to prevent it from drying out until filling. The crust should be thawed but left unbaked prior to filling.
Sauté
Press “Sauté” on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. Pour in the garlic-infused olive oil and swirl the pot to coat. Add leek and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Put in the ground beef and pork, breaking up the meat with a plastic spoon or spatula, and sauté until brown, 4-5 minutes.
Add potatoes and spices
While the meat is browning, add dried chives, allspice, thyme, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Once the meat is done browning, add chopped potato and spice mixture and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Deglaze
Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Add beef broth, wait about 15 seconds, and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula.
Stir meat mixture until evenly combined. Lay bay leaf on the top of the meat mixture.
Pressure Cook
Close the lid. Set the pressure release valve to “Sealing,” hit the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button, and set the timer for 10 minutes.
Manual Quick Release
Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid.
Reduce and cool
Remove bay leaf and stir the mixture. Hit “Sauté” on the Instant Pot, and sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4-5 minutes.
Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot and pour filling onto a rimmed baking sheet, spreading the mixture in a thin layer with a spatula. Allow to cool completely (about 20 minutes).
Prep crust for filling
Meanwhile, using a fork, poke holes in the bottom and sides of the bottom pie crust. On a silicone mat or large piece of parchment paper, roll out top crust to 12-inches in diameter with a rolling pin. If you would like to create a decorative vent using a Canadian maple leaf cookie cutter (or your preferred cookie cutter), do so while the top crust is on a flat surface; however, do so at the risk if it being off-center or some other mishap once you apply the top crust. This can be tricky to get right (I didn't quite get it centered in the one in my photos, but oh well).
Fill crust and freeze
Pour cooled meat mixture into prepared pie crust. Spread evenly in the crust with a spatula.
Roll second crust on top and flute the edges. Place tourtière in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat
Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove tourtière from the freezer.
Apply egg wash and vent (if needed)
Using a pastry/basting brush, brush the surface of the crust with beaten egg yolk.
If you didn’t create a vent with a cookie cutter earlier, use a knife to cut slits in the crust to vent. I find a paring knife works best for this.
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven on the center oven rack until crust is golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
Cool and serve
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack prior to slicing into 8 slices and serving. While not traditionally served with gravy, serve with Low FODMAP Gravy on top if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tourtière is a traditional meat pie that that traces back to 17th-century Québec. It was traditionally eaten after Québécois settlers attended midnight mass on Christmas Eve during réveillon, a huge, long feast in the evening before Christmas Day.
While earlier versions of tourtière featured flavorful fillings made with wild game like pheasant, rabbit, or moose, modern versions of tourtière filling most often include a combination of ground meats, such as beef, pork, and sometimes veal. However, in some coastal Canadian cities, you can find meat pies made with fish, like trout or salmon.
In addition to meat, the filling commonly includes onion and sometimes potatoes. The filling is seasoned with a blend of spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Then, he mixture is encased in a pastry crust and baked until the crust turns golden brown, resulting in a comforting, aromatic dish.
My low FODMAP version of tourtière calls for a combination of ground beef and pork, the green parts of a leek instead of onions, potatoes, and only cinnamon and allspice for aromatic spices, while traditional tourtière recipes frequently call for nutmeg and cloves as well. My recipe also calls for a low FODMAP gluten-free crust, while the crust for traditional recipes is typically not gluten-free.
Related Recipes
Tourtière - French Canadian Meat Pie (Gluten-Free, Low FODMAP)
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Bursting with savory goodness and a touch of holiday cheer, tourtière is a delicious and comforting French Canadian meat pie traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. This gluten-free, low FODMAP take on tourtière prepared in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop and then baked to crispy golden perfection in the oven presents a comforting Christmas Eve feast with digestive ease.
Ingredients
- 9-inch gluten-free double pie crust (store-bought or homemade), low FODMAP if needed*
- 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
- ½ cup leek greens, finely chopped, or white onion if not needing low FODMAP
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 cup russet potato (about 1 medium potato), peeled or unpeeled, diced into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth (homemade or store-bought), low FODMAP if needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large egg yolk, beaten
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Make crust: Make pie crust according to the recipe or package instructions. Keep covered to prevent it from drying out until filling. The crust should be thawed but left unbaked prior to filling.
- Sauté leek: Press “Sauté” on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. Add the garlic-infused olive oil and swirl the pot to coat. Add leek (or onion) and sauté for 2 minutes (longer for onion), stirring frequently.
- Sauté meat: Add ground beef and pork, breaking up the meat with a plastic spoon or spatula (I use this Instant Pot spatula), and sauté until brown, 4-5 minutes. While the meat is browning, add dried chives, allspice, thyme, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add potato and spices: Once the meat is done browning, add chopped potato and spice mixture and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze: Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Add beef broth, wait about 15 seconds, and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula. Stir meat mixture until evenly combined. Lay bay leaf on the top of the meat mixture.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid. Set the pressure release valve to “Sealing,” hit the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button, and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Manual Quick Release (MQR): Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid.
- Reduce and cool: Remove bay leaf and stir the mixture. Hit “Sauté” on the Instant Pot, and sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Pour filling onto a rimmed baking sheet, spreading the mixture in a thin layer with a spatula. Allow to cool completely (about 20 minutes).
- Prep crust for filling: Meanwhile, using a fork, poke holes in the bottom and sides of the bottom pie crust. On a silicone mat or large piece of parchment paper, roll out top crust to about 12-inches in diameter with a rolling pin. If you would like to create a decorative vent using a Canadian maple leaf cookie cutter (or your preferred cookie cutter), do so while the top crust is on a flat surface (see note).
- Fill crust and freeze: Pour cooled meat mixture into prepared pie crust and spread evenly. Roll second crust on top and trim and flute the edges. Place tourtière in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove tourtière from the freezer.
- Apply egg wash and vent: Using a pastry/basting brush, brush the surface of the crust with beaten egg yolk. If you didn’t create a vent with a cookie cutter earlier, use a knife (a paring knife works well) to cut slits in the crust to vent.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven on the center oven rack until crust is golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack prior to slicing into 8 slices and serving. While not traditionally served with gravy, serve with Quick Homemade Gravy (Gluten-Free, Low FODMAP) or Cranberry Chutney (if not needing low FODMAP) on top if desired.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Make crust: Make pie crust according to the recipe or package instructions. Keep covered to prevent it from drying out until filling. The crust should be thawed but left raw prior to filling.
- Sauté leek: Place a dutch oven or large pot on medium heat on the stovetop. Add the garlic-infused olive oil and swirl the pot to coat. Add leek (or onion) and sauté for 2 minutes (longer for onion), stirring frequently.
- Sauté meat: Add ground beef and pork, breaking up the meat with a plastic spoon or spatula, and sauté until brown, 4-5 minutes. While the meat is browning, add dried chives, allspice, thyme, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add potato and spices: Once the meat is done browning, add chopped potato and spice mixture and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze and simmer: Add beef broth to the pot and stir. Lay bay leaf on top of the mixture without stirring. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low, cover, and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and simmer until liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4-5 minutes.
- Cool: Remove bay leaf and stir the mixture. Pour filling onto a rimmed baking sheet, spreading the mixture in a thin layer with a spatula. Allow to cool completely (about 20 minutes).
- Prep crust for filling: Meanwhile, using a fork, poke holes in the bottom and sides of the bottom pie crust. On a silicone mat or large piece of parchment paper, roll out top crust to 12-inches in diameter with a rolling pin. If you would like to create a decorative vent using a Canadian maple leaf cookie cutter (or your preferred cookie cutter), do so while the top crust is on a flat surface (see note).
- Fill crust and freeze: Pour cooled meat mixture into prepared pie crust and spread evenly. Roll second crust on top and trim and flute the edges. Place tourtière in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove tourtière from freezer.
- Apply egg wash and vent: Using a pastry/basting brush, brush the surface of the crust with beaten egg yolk. If you didn’t create a vent with a cookie cutter earlier, use a knife (a paring knife works well) to cut slits in the crust to vent.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven on the center oven rack until crust is golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack prior to slicing into 8 slices and serving. While not traditionally served with gravy, serve with Quick Homemade Gravy (Gluten-Free, Low FODMAP) or Cranberry Chutney (if not needing low FODMAP) on top if desired.
Equipment
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Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix
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Buy Now → Notes
- Crust: you need one 9-inch double crust, enough to have crust on the top and bottom. I’m working on a homemade recipe for a crust, but it's not ready for publication. I have used store-bought frozen gluten-free crusts and crust mixes to make this tourtière many times with decent results. Make sure the store-bought crust you choose only contains low FODMAP ingredients. That being said, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix for the crust in these photos; however, it may or may not be low FODMAP as it contains brown rice flour in addition to other gluten-free flours. Monash University has recently tested brown rice flour for FODMAPs, found it contains fructans, and has no suggested low FODMAP serving size for it (look it up in their low FODMAP diet app for more specific info). If fructans, brown rice flour, or this particular pie crust mix haven't bothered you in the past, it may not be an issue for you. The mix does easily make a beautiful, delectable pie crust that goes incredibly well with this tourtière and is gluten-free. If you end up using this mix, make sure you have extra gluten-free flour on hand for dusting though in case it sticks when you roll it out (it did for me).
- Decorative vent: while it looks incredibly cool, adding a decorative vent is tricky business and doesn't come without some risk of it being off center, the cookie cutter tearing the crust oddly, etc. Once you put the top crust on, you may be able to recenter it a little bit, but you can't roll it out again as it will be covered in meat mixture.
- Cooking times reflect that for the Instant Pot method only and do not include the time to make a homemade crust. The stovetop method takes about 20 minutes longer.
- Low FODMAP serving: I set the serving size at 1 slice, but you could have 2 slices for a low FODMAP serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Holiday
- Method: Instant Pot / Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: French Canadian
Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or dietary advice. The author is not a medical professional. Nutrition info is an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients and preparation. We follow current guidelines for special diets like low FODMAP, Keto, and Paleo at the time of initial publication, but individual tolerance varies and research is always evolving. It’s up to each reader to check ingredient labels, stay informed with the latest research, and consult their doctor to make informed choices based on their individual needs. Storage times are general recommendations—always follow safe food handling practices. See our Terms of Use for more details.
Nancy says
Lovely flavour and I baked in a millet rice potato starch tapioca starch flour blend crust. My maple leaf top crust cut out was a classy touch and so glad you suggested this as a vent. I appreciate you mentioning Imagine low sodium beef broth for low FODMAP. My mom used to make tourtière at Christmas so was excited to pass on this tradition to my family this year. We all thank you for this recipe that is so tasty, pretty and meets my dietary modifications!
Gail Gromaski says
Thank you so much for this, Nancy—what a joy to read 💛 I love the sound of your flour blend, and I'm so glad the maple leaf cookie cutter vent and low FODMAP tips (and broth suggestion) were helpful. Most of all, it means so much to know this recipe helped you carry on your mom's Christmas tourtière tradition with your family. That's exactly why I share these recipes—thank you for trusting mine.
Ruth Stamplecoski says
As I’m shopping ingredients to make this again (too sick over the holidays to make it) I realized I should have commented on it earlier. I made this last year It was awesome.! I too grew up with my mom making this each Christmas holiday season. Although I inherited her recipes, her tourtiere recipe was nowhere to be found. Now that I have to cook low FODMAP for my son, I am so excited to have this recipe.
I would like to make small individual pies. How many individual servings do you think this recipe would make I would like to take some to my sister who is on the low FODMAP diet and on her own.
Thankyou for a treasure of a recipe! No amendments needed!
Gail Gromaski says
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and comment, Ruth. I love that you grew up with tourtière as a Christmas tradition, and I'm so glad this version works for your family.
I haven't personally tested this recipe as individual pies (although I love the idea of giving them as gifts), so I can't give you an exact number based on experience. Based on the filling volume for a standard 9-inch pie, though, I'd estimate you could get roughly 4–6 individual pies using small pie tins or ramekins, depending on their size and how generously you fill them.
If you do try making them individually, I'd love to hear what size you use and how many you end up with. That kind of feedback is incredibly helpful for other readers, too.
Thank you again for such a kind note. It truly means a lot, especially with a recipe that holds so much tradition.