Savory Beef Meat Pies (Printable Version)
Flaky golden pastries with rich beef and vegetable filling, ideal for lunch or dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 large carrot, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
07 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - 1 cup beef broth
11 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Pastry
14 - 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
15 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot; sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add the garlic and ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned (about 5–6 minutes).
04 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the mixture; stir well to coat. Pour in the beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes).
06 - Add the peas, season with salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
07 - Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.
08 - Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut into 6 circles (about 4.5 inches diameter) for the bases, and 6 slightly smaller circles for the tops.
09 - Place pastry bases into a greased muffin tin or individual pie tins, pressing gently to fit.
10 - Divide the cooled beef filling evenly among the pastry bases.
11 - Brush edges of the pastry with beaten egg. Place the pastry tops over the filling and seal by pressing edges with a fork.
12 - Cut a small steam vent in each pie top. Brush tops with remaining egg wash.
13 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until pastry is golden and crisp.
14 - Cool slightly before removing from the tins and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- These handheld pies freeze beautifully, so you can stash extras for busy weeks when cooking feels impossible
- The combination of Worcestershire sauce and herbs creates that deep, savory flavor everyone asks about
- Ready puff pastry means you get bakery quality results without spending hours making dough from scratch
02 -
- Never skip cooling the filling completely, I once rushed this and ended up with pastry that dissolved into a sad, limp mess
- Work quickly with the puff pastry once it is out of the fridge, it becomes unmanageably soft within minutes
- The egg wash is not optional if you want that beautiful golden restaurant quality finish
03 -
- Chill your assembled pies for 15 minutes before baking if the pastry has softened, this helps them hold their shape beautifully
- Use the tines of your fork to crimp the edges not just for sealing but for that classic homemade look