Patty vs. Pie — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 28, 2024
A patty is a small, flattened piece of ground meat or alternative, often grilled or fried, whereas a pie is a baked dish of fruit, meat, or vegetables, enclosed in or covered with dough.
Difference Between Patty and Pie
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Patties are often associated with fast food and are key components of burgers, typically made from ground beef, chicken, or plant-based alternatives. They're seasoned and cooked to be eaten with bread or buns. Whereas pies can be sweet or savory, with their defining characteristic being the crust that encases or tops the filling, which can range from fruits and sweets to meat and vegetables.
A patty is usually served as part of a larger dish, such as a hamburger or a sandwich, providing a savory taste and a dense, meaty texture. On the other hand, pies serve as a standalone dish or dessert, offering a variety of textures from flaky crusts to rich, creamy, or chunky fillings depending on the type.
While patties are primarily made by shaping a mixture into flat, round shapes before cooking, primarily by grilling or frying, pies require a more involved preparation, including making dough, preparing the filling, and baking.
Patties can be found worldwide in various forms, adapting to local tastes and dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and vegan versions made from beans, lentils, or soy. Pies, however, have a wide range of cultural variations, from the American apple pie to the British meat pie, showcasing a diversity in ingredients and preparation methods.
Although patties are often considered a more casual or fast-food item, they can be gourmet, featuring high-quality meats and exotic seasonings. Pies, on the other hand, can range from humble home-cooked meals to elaborate desserts or entrees, featured in fine dining establishments.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A small, flattened piece of ground meat or alternative.
A baked dish with a filling encased in or covered by dough.
Primary Use
Served in burgers or sandwiches.
Served as a standalone dish or dessert.
Cooking Method
Grilled, fried.
Baked.
Texture
Dense, meaty or firm if plant-based.
Varied: flaky, creamy, chunky.
Variations
Meat-based, vegetarian, vegan.
Sweet (fruit, chocolate), savory (meat, vegetables).
Compare with Definitions
Patty
Can also refer to vegetarian or vegan alternatives.
He prefers soy patties over beef.
Pie
A baked dish with a filling covered by dough.
For dessert, we had an apple pie.
Patty
A small, flattened cake of ground meat.
She grilled chicken patties for the barbecue.
Pie
Fillings can be sweet or savory.
She made a savory pie filled with chicken and vegetables.
Patty
Served as part of a sandwich or burger.
They stacked the veggie patty with lettuce and tomato on a whole grain bun.
Pie
Often eaten as a dessert or main course.
Pumpkin pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert.
Patty
Can be cooked in various ways, primarily grilled or fried.
She fried the patties until they were crispy on the outside.
Pie
The dough can be flaky, shortcrust, or puff pastry.
He used flaky pastry for the pie crust.
Patty
Often seasoned or spiced.
The recipe called for the patties to be seasoned with garlic and herbs.
Pie
Cultural variations exist worldwide.
In Britain, meat pies are a popular comfort food.
Patty
A patty or burger (in British English) is a flattened, usually round, serving of ground meat and/or legumes, grains, vegetables, or meat alternatives. Patties are found in multiple cuisines throughout the world.
Pie
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts (pecan pie), brown sugar (sugar pie), sweetened vegetables (rhubarb pie), or with thicker fillings based on eggs and dairy (as in custard pie and cream pie).
Patty
A small rounded, flattened cake of food, especially one made from ingredients that have been previously ground, chopped, or minced
A hamburger patty.
A peppermint patty.
Pie
A dish composed of fruit, meat, cheese, or other ingredients baked over, under, or surrounded by a crust of pastry or other dough.
Patty
A patty shell.
Pie
A layer cake having cream, custard, or jelly filling.
Patty
A small pie; a pasty.
Pie
(Informal) A pizza.
Patty
(US, Australia, New Zealand) A flattened portion of ground meat or a vegetarian equivalent, usually round but sometimes square in shape.
The cook fried the hamburger patty, then put it in a bun.
Pie
Something similar to or resembling pie
Mud pie.
Patty
(Jamaica) A pastry with various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric.
Pie
A whole that can be portioned out
"That would ... enlarge the economic pie by making the most productive use of every investment dollar" (New York Times).
Patty
(England, strictly MLE) A foolish or stupid person.
Pie
See magpie.
Patty
A little pie.
Pie
A former unit of currency of India.
Patty
Small flat mass of chopped food
Pie
An almanac of services used in the English church before the Reformation.
Patty
Small pie or pasty
Pie
Variant of pi2.
Patty
Round flat candy
Pie
A type of pastry that consists of an outer crust and a filling.
The family had steak and kidney pie for dinner and cherry pie for dessert.
Pie
Any of various other, non-pastry dishes that maintain the general concept of a shell with a filling.
Shepherd's pie is made of mince covered with mashed potato.
Pie
(Northeastern US) A pizza.
Pie
A paper plate covered in cream, shaving foam or custard that is thrown or rubbed in someone’s face for comical purposes, to raise money for charity, or as a form of political protest; a custard pie; a cream pie.
Pie
(figuratively) The whole of a wealth or resource, to be divided in parts.
Pie
(letterpress) A disorderly mess of spilt type.
Pie
(cricket) An especially badly bowled ball.
Pie
A pie chart.
Pie
(slang) The vulva.
Pie
(obsolete) Magpie.
Pie
(historical) The smallest unit of currency in South Asia, equivalent to 192 of a rupee or 12 of an anna.
Pie
(zoology) pie-dog: an Indian breed, a stray dog in Indian contexts.
Pie
(historical) A traditional Spanish unit of length, equivalent to about 27.9 cm.
Pie
(transitive) To hit in the face with a pie, either for comic effect or as a means of protest (see also pieing).
I'd like to see someone pie the chairman of the board.
Pie
(transitive) To go around (a corner) in a guarded manner.
Pie
(transitive) (of printing types) To reduce to confusion; to jumble.
Pie
An article of food consisting of paste baked with something in it or under it; as, chicken pie; venison pie; mince pie; apple pie; pumpkin pie.
Pie
A magpie.
Pie
The service book.
Pie
Type confusedly mixed. See Pi.
Pie
See Pi.
Pie
Dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
Pie
A prehistoric unrecorded language that was the ancestor of all Indo-European languages
Common Curiosities
What is a patty made of?
A patty can be made of ground meat, poultry, fish, or plant-based alternatives.
Are patties only used in burgers?
While commonly used in burgers, patties can also be served alone or in sandwiches.
Can pies be savory?
Yes, pies can be filled with savory ingredients like meat, vegetables, or cheese.
What is a slider patty?
A slider patty is a smaller version of a regular patty, served on mini buns.
How do you know when a patty is cooked?
A patty is typically cooked when its internal temperature reaches a safe level and it's no longer pink inside.
What's the difference between a patty and a meatball?
A patty is flat and typically grilled or fried, while a meatball is round and can be cooked in various ways.
Are pie fillings only made with fresh ingredients?
Pie fillings can be made from fresh, canned, or dried ingredients.
What's a popular type of pie in the US?
Apple pie is often considered a quintessentially American dessert.
How long can you store a cooked patty in the refrigerator?
Cooked patties can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
What types of crust are used in pies?
Pie crusts can be flaky, shortcrust, or puff pastry, among others.
Can vegetarian options be considered patties?
Yes, vegetarian and vegan patties are made from beans, lentils, or vegetables.
How do you serve a pie?
Pies can be served warm or cold, often with toppings like whipped cream or ice cream for sweet pies.
What makes a pie crust flaky?
A flaky crust is achieved by incorporating solid fat into the dough in a way that creates layers.
Can pies be frozen?
Many pies can be frozen either before or after baking for later consumption.
Can pies be made without a top crust?
Yes, some pies, like pumpkin pie, are made without a top crust.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
