The Once-Popular Savory Pie You Rarely See Nowadays

By way of varying trends and tastes, many classic pie flavors have faded into history. Some — like ingredient-stretching water or vinegar pie — stemmed from the less abundant Great Depression era, and thereby have understandably become replaced with more elaborate options. Yet, then there are also delicious recipe like the once-popular cheeseburger pie, which more suprisingly faded from widespread circulation.

The concept — which has appeared in cookbooks dating to the early 1960s — melds in several dependably delicious elements. The pie consists of well-seasoned sautéed ground beef and a gooey-lightly custardy cheese topping, all baked together with a golden brown crust. Easy to prepare and endlessly malleable, it's a comfort dish well-geared for a resurgence.

The dish's combination of the cheddar cheese, savoury well-browned meat, and crispy crust recalls several food categories — not only pie meets burger. The loose structure lands it in casserole territory, which with the addition of a few more eggs, even starts to taste like a quiche. And once you top the food with raw ingredients such as pickles, lettuce, burger sauce and onions, you're getting into the burger bowl realm, too. So take a look at this rarely seen one-pot dish; it's a concept worthy of reappearance on the dining table.

In its most classic format, the cheeseburger pie involves only a few easily accessible ingredients. For the doughy element — often the most intimidating aspect of pie-making — it's either a store bought crust as a vessel underneath or a quickly stirred together Bisquick-style topping that's poured atop. For the beef, a lean ground mix of your choice will do — reliably seasoned with aromatics like onions, Worcestershire sauce and maybe chopped peppers or garlic powder. And the filling is completed with a mix of eggs, milk, and cheddar cheese, owing to its casserole-like qualities.

Such a straightforward assembly makes it easy to swap out any of the involved elements, without losing the pie concept. You can exchange the beef for any other ground meat, including turkey or vegan substitutes. The seasonings can turn sweeter with additions like ketchup, spicier with a hit of chili flakes, or more aromatic with garlic or an herb of your preference. And even the simple dough component can be replaced with filo pastry or an easy DIY quiche crust. Not to mention, what you serve atop the pie can further cater to your preferences. Recall your favorite burger toppings, and add everything from pickled jalapeños, to sliced tomatoes, or crispy bacon all topped with a homemade secret burger sauce. Sure, assembling the cheeseburger pie may transport to the past, but a taste will still satisfy today.