Gluten free steak pie magic from Sweetpea Cafe in Broughty Ferry

For those of us who are gluten free, many culinary traditions are out of reach. But this year, Sweetpea Cafe ensured everyone could enjoy one of Scotland’s most beloved New Year customs: the hearty steak pie.

The tradition of eating steak pie on New Year’s Day is a long-standing one in Scotland, with origins rooted in practicality.

While you might assume it began as a cure for Hogmanay hangovers, and though great for that, the truth is more practical.

New Year’s Day has only been a public holiday in Scotland for a few centuries. Before then, most Scots didn’t have the time or energy to prepare a lavish meal on January 1.

We collected our Sweetpea cafe steak pies on December 23.

Instead, they would purchase a large pie from their local butcher – a filling, convenient dish that evolved into a cherished tradition symbolising warmth, community, and a prosperous start to the year.

Sweetpea’s gluten-free masterpiece

Sweetpea Cafe, known for their accommodation of various dietary needs, brought this tradition to the gluten-free community by offering free-from steak pies for pre-order.

Available in two flavours – classic steak and steak-and-mushroom (made with gluten-free beer) – the pies were carefully crafted to cater to a variety of dietary restrictions.

Free from gluten, wheat, barley, and dairy, they could also be made egg-free on request.

The pies could be frozen and ready to cook later.

Priced at £16.50, each pie served two, with tender beef chunks in a rich, savoury gravy and pastry ready to bake fresh at home.

We were lucky enough to snag a couple before the pre-order list closed – such was the demand!

Meet the Tasters

To truly put Sweetpea’s pies to the test, I enlisted a mix of gluten-free and non-gluten-free tasters, including my mom Sheila and her husband Graham – dedicated steak pie enthusiasts who always celebrate Hogmanay with one.

And my cousin John Beatt, who is not gluten-free, and his partner Nicola Robb, who is, also joined in.

Steak pie tasters John Beatt and Nicola Robb.

Nicola had been to the Dundee United football game on December 29 and came home chilled to the bone. The queues for pies at the match were too long to wait in, so she was ravenous too.

John prepared the classic steak pie for her to enjoy that evening.

Perfect for refuelling after the match

Nicola was delighted, describing the pastry as “crispy and delicious” and the gravy as “rich and full of flavour.”

The meat, she said, was incredibly tender, even after freezing. She devoured the whole pie, noting that it was the perfect way to refuel after a busy day.

Poor John had something else…

The gluten-free steak pie may not have looked quite like regular ones, but it tasted great.

Sheila and Graham tried the steak and mushroom pie and found the filling to be plentiful, with soft, juicy beef chunks.

Although they thought the sauce was slightly on the salty side and Graham noted a single chewy piece of meat, they emphasised that the overall quality was lovely.

Pastry didn’t rise

The pastry didn’t rise like traditional puff pastry, but Sheila remarked that the taste more than made up for it and Nicola didn’t seem to notice.

I understand this because, as a gluten-free person, I know not to expect gf pastry to look like regular puff pastry and I’m just delighted to be given any pastry at all.

The effort put into making the pies customisable and accessible – despite the busy festive season and the café owner having recently given birth – is a testament to Sweetpea Cafe’s thoughtfulness.

Here’s hoping they continue this offering, keeping Hogmanay delicious for all.