Tuna Polvorosa Recipe | Venezuelan Savory Pie

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This tuna polvorosa (technically a tuna pot pie) is my fish-stew spin on the most iconic dish of Caracas cuisine: polvorosa de pollo. A buttery, flaky pùte brisée with that unmistakable hint of sweetness wraps a robust, complex stew where savory, sweet, tangy, spicy, and umami all come together.

Tuna polvorosa on a glass dish with a slice of polvorosa de atĂșn on a black dish with a fork.

And the best part: since the filling is made with canned tuna, it’s so much easier to put together than the chicken version. A showstopper dish — without the fuss.

Ingredientes to make the sofrito for a Tuna Polvorosa, in glass bowls.
A stainless steel deep pan with all the ingredients inside to make a Venezuelan sofrito.

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Here you’ll find..
  1. Tuna Polvorosa: the dish that came before the original
  2. Ingredients
  3. How to make Tuna Polvorosa
  4. FAQs
  5. Other recipes with shortcrust you'll love
  6. Tuna Polvorosa
Ingredients to make a tuna stew, each one in a glass bowl on top pf a white marble surface.

Tuna Polvorosa: the dish that came before the original

This recipe holds a special place in my heart. I first published it in 2012, after it received rave reviews at a family lunch where I served it.

My tuna polvorosa was born out of necessity: I don’t eat chicken, but I wanted to treat my American guests to a dish that not only represented Venezuelan cuisine, but captured the richness of Caracas gastronomy — the city where I was born and raised.

That’s why I always say that in this case, the cart came before the horse: for many years, this tuna pie was the polvorosa we made at home, and friends around the world started making it for special occasions.

Little did I know that years later, living in Miami, I would go on to sell chicken polvorosas — and they would be a hit.

Enjoy!

Enri

Enri Lemoine 2025

Ingredients

A stainless steel deep pan with all the ingredients to make a tuna stew for polvorosa.

To make this polvorosa you’ll need:

For the tuna filling

  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Leek
  • Celery
  • Green onion
  • Garlic
  • Red bell pepper
  • AjĂ­ dulce
  • Canned tuna
  • White wine
  • PapelĂłn (panela or piloncillo)
  • Mustard
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Bay leaves
  • Tomatoes
  • Raisins
  • Pimiento-stuffed manzanilla olives
  • Capers
  • Tomato paste
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
A stainless steel deep pan full of tuna stew to make polvorosa.

For the shortcrust dough

  • All-purpose flour
  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Ice water

Exact amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make Tuna Polvorosa

Making the stew

A glass bowl with tuna stew to make polvorosa.
  1. Make the sofrito. Process the onion, garlic, leek, green onion, red bell pepper, and ají dulce in a food processor until finely chopped, then sauté in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables soften and wilt.
  2. Make the tuna stew. Add the tuna and the remaining ingredients to the pan: white wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, papelĂłn, mustard, vinegar, bay leaves, olives, raisins, capers, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir well and cook uncovered until it comes to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the stew is ready. Stir in the tomato paste at the end.
  3. Let the stew rest. This step is key: cover the warm stew with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and place the lid on top. The towel absorbs any steam and excess liquid as it evaporates. Let it rest at room temperature for several hours before filling the polvorosa.

Making the dough

Ingredients to make shortcrust dough on glass bowls over a marne surface.
A food processor with shortcrust dough inside.
  1. Make the dough and chill. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt, then work in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water gradually until the dough just comes together. Divide into two portions, flatten with a rolling pin, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  2. Assemble and bake. Line the pan with the base dough, add the filling, cover with the top dough, seal the edges, prick the surface all over with a fork, and brush with egg wash. Chill for 15-20 minutes before baking for a perfect, flaky crust.
A bowl with tuna stew and a tart pan covered by shortcrsut dough.

Pro tips for the perfect crust

Preheat the oven — and a pizza stone if you have one — to 400°F (200°C). No pizza stone? Preheat to 425°F (220°C) instead, or use a preheated budare. Always chill the assembled polvorosa for at least 15-20 minutes before baking — cold dough going into a hot oven is the secret to a crisp, flaky crust that holds its shape. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for the first 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) for 40 more minutes, until evenly golden.

A tuna pie on a tin tart pan with a bowl of tuna stew.

FAQs

An uncooked covered pie on a tray.
A baaked tuna pot pie on a tray.
Tuna polvorosa on a glass cake plate.
a tuna pot pie cut, on a glass dish.

Other recipes with shortcrust you’ll love

A slice of Tuna Polvorosa, aka tuna pot pie on a black dish with a work, and the pie already cut.

If you enjoyed this recipe, subscribe to my YouTube channel for more delicious ideas, and check out my Amazon store for my favorite kitchen tools and ingredients.

a slice of tuna polvorosa pot pie on a black plate with a knife.
Tuna Polvorosa on a glass cake plate and a piece of the same savory pie on a black dish with a fork.
5 from 1 vote

Tuna Polvorosa

This tuna polvorosa is the fish-stew version of the most iconic dish of Caracas cuisine. Filled with a robust, complex stew where savory, sweet, tangy, spicy, and umami all come together, and wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust with that unmistakable hint of sweetness — this is the dish you make for special occasions.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 15 minutes
Rest6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time9 hours
Servings: 8
Calories: 662kcal

Ingredients

For the tuna filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 15 ml
  • Âœ cup onion, chopped 80 g
  • ÂŒ cup leek, chopped 40 g
  • ÂŒ cup celery, chopped 40 g
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 10 g
  • ⅓ cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 55 g
  • 1 tablespoon ajĂ­ dulce (Venezuelan sweet red pepper), seeded and chopped 10 g
  • 16 oz canned tuna in olive oil, drained 450 g – 3 small cans
  • 1 cup white wine 240 ml
  • ⅓ cup papelĂłn (panela or piloncillo) 65 g
  • 1 teaspoon mustard 5 g
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 5 ml
  • ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce 80 ml
  • 1 cup tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced 180 g
  • ⅓ cup raisins 50 g
  • ⅓ cup pimiento-stuffed manzanilla olives, sliced 50 g
  • 1 tablespoon capers 10 g
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ÂŒ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 1 g
  • Âœ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 g
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste 45 g
  • Salt to taste

For the dough (makes one 8-inch / 20 cm polvorosa)

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 375 g
  • 20 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed 280 g
  • 2 tablespoons sugar 25 g
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 6-7 tablespoons ice water 90-105 ml

Instructions

For the stew:

  • In a food processor, finely chop the sofrito ingredients: onion, garlic, leek, green onion, red bell pepper, and ajĂ­ dulce.
  • In a deep pan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the sofrito. SautĂ© for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables soften and wilt.
  • Add the tuna and the remaining ingredients: white wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, papelĂłn, mustard, bay leaves, olives, raisins, capers, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir well.
  • Cook uncovered over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Season with salt. Cook over low heat for 15 more minutes, then remove from heat.
  • Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel, place the lid on top, and let rest at room temperature for six hours.
  • Stir in the tomato paste until fully combined. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

For the dough:

  • Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
  • Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs.
  • Add the ice water little by little and pulse until the dough just comes together.
  • Divide the dough into two portions — approximately 60% for the base and 40% for the top. Place each on plastic wrap, cover with another sheet of plastic wrap, and flatten into circles about seven inches (18 cm) in diameter with a rolling pin. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least one hour.

For the polvorosa:

  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling.
  • Preheat the oven and a pizza stone to 400°F (200°C). If you don’t have a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  • On a plastic wrap-covered surface, place the base dough and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap. Roll from the center outward until the dough is about ÂŒ inch (0.6 cm) thick.
  • Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the dough to an 8-inch (20 cm) removable-bottom quiche pan. Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides. Run a rolling pin over the edges to trim.
  • Add the tuna filling and spread evenly.
  • Roll out the remaining dough and place it over the filling. Press the edges to seal and trim with a rolling pin. Prick the surface all over with a fork.
  • Refrigerate the assembled polvorosa for at least 15-20 minutes before baking.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg with one tablespoon of water and brush over the polvorosa.
  • Bake on the pizza stone for 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
  • Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 40 more minutes, until evenly golden.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest on a cooling rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Tuna Polvorosa
Amount Per Serving
Calories 662 Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 85mg28%
Sodium 1362mg59%
Potassium 533mg15%
Carbohydrates 60g20%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 1453IU29%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main, Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Keyword: tuna pot pie
Author: Enriqueta Lemoine

Notes

  1. Swap the tuna filling for a chicken stew for the traditional polvorosa de pollo.
  2. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version.
  3. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
    Freeze for up to six months in an airtight container. To thaw, transfer to the fridge 12 hours before serving.
  4. To reheat: cover with aluminum foil and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 15-20 minutes.
  5. This is not an everyday dish — it’s one for special occasions. And every time you make it, you’ll knock it out of the park.

Enri
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Soy Enriqueta Lemoine

I am a writer who cooks or a cook who writes: the order of the qualities does not alter the product. Since 2010 I made SAVOIR FAIRE the place where my two passions converge and now I develop recipes professionally and work as a strategist and creator of digital content, including the production of cooking videos. Read more about Enri.

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