There's nothing like a homemade beef pot pie on a cold winter's day to warm the heart and whet the appetite. Our traditional meat pie recipe uses high-quality ingredients to ensure that it is not only an excellent comfort food but healthy, too.

Beef pot pie is one of the most filling one-dish meals you can make or can be served as a snack. For a main meal, serve up the freshly baked pie with seasonal vegetables or salad and potatoes.

This steak pot pie includes red wine, but you can substitute the wine with beef broth, water, or half of each. Similarly, if you're not a meat-eater, you can still make a delicious and hearty one-pot pie using the recipe below by increasing the number of vegetables and not including the meat.

Mushrooms work particularly well as they have a rich, umami filled flavor. It works well as a substitute for seared beef. Large portobello mushrooms cut into inch-long strips can be seared in the same way as meat. Remember also to switch out the beef broth for vegetable stock.

Here's our tried-and-tested, tasty beef pot pie recipe.

Beef Pot Pie Recipe: Delicious and Timeless

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Servings

4

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless beef chuck-eye roast

• 4 oz white mushrooms

• 3 carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces

• 1 pre-made pie dough round (9 in)

• 1 large egg (for the top crust of the beef pot pie)

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 cup frozen peas

• ½ cup dry red wine

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme

• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2. Set a casserole dish over medium heat on the stovetop. Brush the surface lightly with oil. 

3. When the oil is nice and hot, brown the beef, ensuring all sides develop a deep brown sear.

4. Transfer the meat to a plate covered in kitchen paper to drain. This removes some of the fat, which will prevent the filling of your pie from becoming too greasy.

5. For the beef pot pie filling, heat the remaining olive oil and add the mushrooms, onions, and carrots. 

6. Stir fry the vegetables until they are slightly browned, but still firm in the middle (they will cook later in the sauce). If you're using any of the extra vegetables suggested in the FAQ below, add them also.

7. Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste, stirring to combine, and then the red wine (or water if you're not using wine). 

8. After reducing the liquid for a couple of minutes, stir in your flour, ensuring that all of the vegetables are evenly coated in the flour and sauce mixture. 

9. Add the bay leaf, beef broth, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. 

10. Give the mixture a good stir and then reintroduce the cooked beef to the casserole dish.

11. Bring the casserole to a simmer. Cover with the lid and place in the oven for a little more than an hour, or until the pieces of beef are tender. 

12. Test the beef pot pie filling. If the meat is too chewy, add a little more water and cook for a further 20 mins. 

13. Remove the bay leaf and add the peas and fresh sprigs of thyme, as well as seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. 

14. Assemble the beef pot pie by first greasing a pie plate and then rubbing the rim with a beaten egg (to prevent the lid from sticking). 

15. Fill the pie plate with the filling until it is within a quarter-inch of the top. 

16. Add the ready-made pie crust to the top of the plate, and crimp around the edges. 

17. Cut slits in the lid — these will allow steam to escape and stop the top from cracking or deforming.

18. Brush the lid with the rest of the beaten egg to ensure a golden crust.

19. Bake the beef pot pie for 20 mins, or until the crust is golden all over, then allow it to rest on a wire cooling rack for another 20 mins before serving.

20. Serve your beef pot pie with boiled or mashed potatoes (with plenty of butter) and maybe a few leafy greens such as lettuce or arugula. 

FAQ

How long do beef pot pie leftovers last in the fridge?

If you have some leftovers, your pie should be good for two or three days as long as it is well refrigerated. As with any leftovers, ensure you keep it well covered. Add a label or note to remind yourself of the day on which it was cooked so that you don't inadvertently leave it too long before eating.

What other meat can be used in this standard beef pot pie recipe?

This beef pot pie can also be made with lamb or venison. Just follow the same instructions and cooking times as listed in the recipe above. There's no reason you can't mix and match, either — a lamb, venison, and beef pot pie would go down well with your more adventurous guests.

We've also seen people use poultry as an additional meat. Chicken or turkey pieces can work well, or even leftover roast poultry meat. Just shred or cut into small chunks and cook alongside the beef. If you're using cooked meat, add it towards the end of the process to avoid it becoming tough or stringy.

What other vegetables can be used for beef pies recipes?

If you want to vary the vegetables in this basic beef pot pie recipe, you can get a little creative and add some celery, cauliflower, or broccoli.

Just cut the extra vegetables into approximately one-inch chunks or pieces and fry them along with the carrots and onions until they have softened slightly but still maintain some crunch. You don't want to cook them entirely at this stage, as they will overcook later when you add the liquid ingredients.

You could also switch out the peas in the original recipe for broad beans or navy beans for a more rustic take on the classic beef pot pie. Depending on what you have in your store cupboard, this can be an ideal way to use up small quantities of beans or pulses. Kidney beans or black beans also work well, as do lentils.

If you find our steak pie recipe doesn't tickle your taste buds enough, create a spicier pie by adding a little smoked paprika to the filling, or even a teaspoon of chili powder.

If you want to maximize the heat of your meat pot pie, you can do so by adding a dash of chopped fresh chili pepper, such as jalapeño or habanero to the onion, carrot, and mushroom mixture and frying them together.

However, do be careful! Depending on the cultivar of chili pepper you use, any of your dinner guests who are not big spice lovers could be in for a shock.

Can we serve beef pot pie cold?

Beef pot pie is just as delicious cold as it is hot. You can prepare this well in advance of eating it, and it makes the perfect dish to bring to a potluck supper or a picnic.

If you're eating the beef pot pie cold, ideal accompaniments include a lightly dressed green salad, a bowl of rice or pasta salad, or a healthy potato salad. Whether you're heading out to the country for a day of fishing, camping overnight, or even planning a tailgate party at a local sports event, a hearty pot pie is an ideal addition to your hamper.

If you intend on serving this beef pot pie cold, you might prefer to adapt the recipe to have a full crust, as it will be much easier to serve sliced and a lot less messy for outdoor eating.

All you have to do in addition to the steps above is cook the pie filling as shown. Before covering with the lid, though, remove the mixture from the cast iron casserole dish and set aside. (Note that you can also use an oven safe skillet for this beef pie recipe.)

Clean and grease the dish, and then blind bake the bottom crust in the casserole. Once the lower crust is cooked, add the filling back in and top with the pastry lid, using egg wash to ensure a good seal with the lower crust. Bake again as in the instructions above.

You may also want to add a small amount of cornflour to the filling mixture to give the pie a little more firmness when sliced up.

Beef Pot Pie Recipe Takeaways

When it comes to a hearty and filling dish, nothing beats our classic beef pot pie recipe. You can add more meat or more vegetables, and serve either hot or cold.

Whichever variation you adapt or however you may serve it, this dish will definitely leave your family and friends wanting for more.

If you enjoyed making beef pot pie, try our chicken pot pie as well. It's as delicious as this steak pie, and just as easy to make!