A good beef pie recipe should give you a crisp base, a golden lid and a rich, savoury filling that holds together when you cut a slice. This minced beef and onion pie is the classic British meat pie recipe that chippies and bakeries have built their names on, and it is easy to make at home with a couple of packs of Fresh Lean Beef Mince - 2x 400g. Find every pack size in our beef mince range.
Skip the middle man and skip the frozen supermarket pie. Prep takes about 30 minutes, the filling simmers for half an hour and then cools, and the pie bakes for around 40 minutes. It serves 6 generously. Below you will find the ingredients, a numbered method, timings, make-ahead and freezing advice, and a five-question FAQ.
Quick answer: minced beef and onion pie
- Prep: 30 minutes, plus cooling time for the filling
- Cook: 30 minutes for the filling, 35–40 minutes in the oven
- Serves: 6
- Oven: 200°C / fan 180°C / gas 6, on a preheated baking tray
- Meat: 800g lean beef mince
- Done when: the pastry is deep golden and the filling is piping hot with no pink meat
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 800g lean beef mince (one pack of Fresh Lean Beef Mince - 2x 400g, or two packs of Lean Beef Mince 400g)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 400ml hot beef stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500g block shortcrust pastry
- 320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- Plain flour, for dusting
Method
- Heat the oil in a large, wide pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince in two batches and fry for 5–6 minutes each, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is well browned rather than grey. Browning is where most of the flavour comes from, so do not rush it. Tip into a bowl and pour off any excess fat.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the onions and carrot to the same pan and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
- Return the mince and any juices to the pan. Sprinkle over the flour, add the tomato purée and stir for 1 minute so the flour cooks out.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and the hot stock a little at a time, stirring well. Add the thyme and bay leaf, bring to a simmer, then cook gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until the gravy is thick and glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste, remove the bay leaf, then spread out on a tray and leave to cool completely.
- Put a baking tray in the oven and heat it to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas 6). Roll the shortcrust pastry on a floured worktop to about 3mm thick and use it to line a 23cm metal pie tin, leaving a little overhang.
- Spoon in the cold filling and level it. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg, lay the puff pastry over the top, press the edges together, trim and crimp with a fork. Cut a small cross in the centre so steam can escape.
- Brush the lid with egg and bake on the hot tray for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and puffed and the filling is bubbling at the vent. Minced beef must be cooked through, so check the centre is piping hot. Rest the pie for 10 minutes before slicing so the filling sets.
Shop Fresh Lean Beef Mince 2x 400g
Butcher’s tips for the best beef pie
The filling must be cold before it meets the pastry. Warm gravy melts the butter in the pastry and gives you a pale, soggy base, so make the filling in the morning or the day before if you can. Keep the gravy thick: a runny filling soaks through the base and bubbles out of the edges. If it still looks loose after 30 minutes, simmer it for a few more minutes before cooling.
A metal tin conducts heat far better than ceramic, and baking it on a preheated tray starts cooking the base straight away. For a deeper, more savoury flavour, swap 100ml of the stock for brown ale, or add a teaspoon of English mustard to the filling. Some families like a few frozen peas stirred in before it cools. If you prefer an all-shortcrust pie, use a 750g block and roll a second circle for the lid.
What to serve with minced beef and onion pie
Creamy mash and buttered peas are the classic partners, with extra gravy on the side for anyone who wants it. Chips and mushy peas turn it into a chip-shop supper at home, and steamed greens or a pile of roast carrots work just as well midweek. Leftovers keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat slices in the oven at 180°C (fan 160°C) for 15–20 minutes until piping hot all the way through; the microwave is quicker but softens the pastry.
Looking for more mince dinners? Try our Cottage Pie with Lean Beef Mince or Beef Mince Lasagne. If you would rather have chunks of beef under the pastry, our Steak Pie with Braising Steak is the one, and How to Cook Beef Mince covers browning and food safety in more detail.
Why this beef pie recipe works
Lean mince browned hard in batches gives the filling a deep, savoury base without a layer of fat. A little flour and tomato purée thicken the gravy so it holds its shape when sliced, and cooling the filling protects the pastry. The shortcrust base stays firm while the puff lid rises golden and flaky, so you get the best of both. One pack of mince, two onions and some pastry are all it takes to feed six people a proper British pie from your online butcher.
FAQ
What is the best mince for a beef pie?
Lean beef mince gives a rich, meaty filling without a pool of fat under the pastry. Brown it well first for flavour, and drain off any excess fat before the flour and stock go in.
How do I stop a soggy bottom on a beef pie?
Let the filling cool completely before it goes into the pastry, use a metal pie tin, and bake the pie on a baking tray that has been heating in the oven. The hot tray starts cooking the base straight away so it crisps rather than steams.
Can I make minced beef and onion pie ahead?
Yes. Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. You can also assemble the whole pie, chill it for up to 24 hours, then egg-wash and bake, adding 5–10 minutes to the time.
Can I freeze a beef pie?
Freeze the cooled filling for up to 3 months, or freeze the assembled, unbaked pie wrapped well. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake as normal until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot throughout.
How do I know the pie is cooked?
The pastry should be deep golden on top and firm underneath, and the filling should be bubbling at the vent. Minced beef must be cooked through, so make sure the centre is piping hot with no pink meat.
