Hairy Bikers Cheese Potato Pie Recipe

If you’ve ever watched Si King and Dave Myers cook on television, you already know they don’t mess around with bland food. The Hairy Bikers cheese potato pie recipe is proof of that, layers of tender potato, a rich mustard-spiked cheese sauce, and a gloriously golden top that cracks when you spoon into it. It’s proper British comfort food at its very best.

I stumbled across this recipe on a rainy Sunday and made it that same afternoon. By the time it came out of the oven, the whole house smelled incredible. My family demolished it before I even grabbed a second helping, which, honestly, I should have seen coming.

Whether you’re a longtime Hairy Bikers fan or just hunting for the ultimate cheesy potato pie, this is the one. Let me walk you through exactly how to make it.

What Is the Hairy Bikers Cheese Potato Pie?

The Hairy Bikers cheese potato pie is a classic British baked dish featuring thinly sliced potatoes layered with a creamy, mature cheddar and mustard sauce, topped with more cheese and baked until deeply golden and bubbling. Think potato gratin’s heartier, more indulgent British cousin.

Si and Dave built their reputation on recipes that feel genuinely homemade, generous portions, strong flavors, and techniques anyone can actually follow. This pie captures all of that perfectly. It’s vegetarian, budget-friendly, and feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.

FYI, despite the name, this isn’t a pie with pastry. It’s more of a baked potato casserole with a thick, cheesy top crust. Don’t let that put you off, though. That bubbling cheese layer is arguably better than any pastry lid.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These are honest, everyday ingredients, nothing fancy, nothing obscure. Here’s what goes into the Hairy Bikers cheese potato pie:

• 1.5 kg (about 3.3 lbs) floury potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (Maris Piper or King Edward work best)
• 50g (3.5 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 50g (6 tbsp) plain flour
• 600ml (2½ cups) whole milk
• 200g (7 oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated, plus extra for topping
• 2 tsp English mustard (or Dijon for a milder kick)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Optional: fresh thyme leaves or a pinch of nutmeg in the sauce

Potato choice matters here. Floury varieties like Maris Piper break down slightly at the edges as they bake, which thickens the sauce naturally and creates that creamy, cohesive texture. Waxy potatoes stay too firm, and you lose that melt-in-the-mouth quality.

How to Make Hairy Bikers Cheese Potato Pie (Step-by-Step)

This recipe comes together in three stages: make the sauce, layer the pie, and bake. None of it is difficult; it just needs a little patience.

Step 1: Parboil the Potatoes

Peel and slice the potatoes to about 3–4mm thickness; a mandoline makes this much faster and more consistent. Place them in a large pot of salted cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes only. You want them just starting to soften, not fully cooked. Drain carefully and set aside.

Step 2: Cook the Onions

Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 10–12 minutes until soft, golden, and slightly caramelized. Don’t rush this step. Sweet, soft onions layered through the pie add a depth of flavor that raw onions simply can’t.

Step 3: Make the Cheese Sauce

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens and turns smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in most of the grated cheddar and the mustard. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Layer the Pie

Preheat your oven to 190°C / 375°F. Grease a deep baking dish. Layer half the parboiled potatoes across the bottom, season with salt and pepper, then scatter over the cooked onions. Pour half the cheese sauce over the top. Add the remaining potato slices in an even layer, then pour the rest of the cheese sauce over everything. Top with the reserved grated cheddar, be generous here.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection

Bake uncovered for 45–55 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before serving; the sauce firms up and the slices hold together much better.

Tips for Getting It Right

Don’t skip parboiling. Raw potato slices take much longer to cook through, and the sauce can split or dry out before the potatoes are done. That 5-minute parboil is the Hairy Bikers’ key move, and it makes a real difference.

Use mature cheddar, not mild. IMO, mild cheddar produces a flat, slightly bland sauce. Mature or extra-mature cheddar gives you that sharp, punchy flavor that makes every bite interesting. Some people even mix in a bit of Red Leicester for extra color and depth.

• Slice potatoes as evenly as possible for consistent cooking
• Whisk the sauce constantly; lumps are the enemy here
• English mustard adds a sharper kick; Dijon is milder and creamier
• Add fresh thyme or rosemary between the layers for an herby lift
• Leftovers reheat brilliantly, even better the next day

What to Serve With Cheese Potato Pie

This pie is rich and filling, so it pairs best with something fresh and light alongside. Here’s what works well:

• Crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the richness
• Steamed or roasted broccoli and green beans
• Baked beans on the side for a proper British pub-style plate
• Crusty bread to mop up any extra cheese sauce
• A simple tomato salad with red onion and fresh basil

Final Thoughts

The Hairy Bikers cheese potato pie recipe is one of those dishes that looks impressive, tastes even better than it looks, and costs very little to make. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll make once and then keep coming back to every time the weather turns cold, or you need something genuinely satisfying on the table.

Give it a go this weekend. Follow the steps, don’t rush the onions, use good mature cheddar, and let that golden top do its thing in the oven. You won’t regret it, and neither will anyone lucky enough to share it with you.