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This beef pot pie recipe has a hearty, savory filling of stewed beef and tender veggies baked inside a flaky pie crust. It’s the perfect cold-weather meal! Make this classic comfort food with a homemade or store-bought crust.
If you’re looking for more cozy dinners, try this Swiss steak recipe, my easy turkey pot pie (great after Thanksgiving!), and classic beef Bourguignon.
I’m officially in cozy dinner mode, with meals like Salisbury steak and Guinness beef stew taking up stove space lately. So, I thought I’d switch things up and show my oven some love with my beef pot pie recipe! This hearty beef pot pie is saucy, savory, and baked in the flakiest pie crust.
All About This Savory Beef Pot Pie Recipe
- Slow-braised to perfection. This classic pot pie with beef, veggies, mushrooms, and herbs needs a couple of hours in the oven. Worth it!
- The perfect winter warmer. There aren’t many wintertime dinners better than beef pot pie with garlic breadsticks on the side.
- Quick homemade pie crust. I make my easy pie crust recipe in the blender. It’s quick with minimal chilling time. Of course, a store-bought crust is an option, too!
Pot Pie vs. Shepherd’s Pie
Two of my favorite comfort food dinners! Both of these savory “pies” have a meaty filling with vegetables and gravy. The main difference is that a traditional pot pie has a flaky pie crust. Meanwhile, Shepherd’s pie is prepared without a pie crust, baked with a layer of mashed potatoes on top instead.
Ingredients You’ll Need for the Filling
I’ve included notes on the key ingredients in this beef pot pie recipe below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with detailed amounts and instructions.
- Beef, Cut Into Cubes – I use sirloin steak. Other good slow-cooking cuts for pot pie include chuck roast or round roast. For a quicker, budget-friendly option, you can use ground beef.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery – In French cooking, this combination of chopped veggies is called mirepoix. It’s the flavor base for countless recipes, from soups and stews to sauces like Bolognese.
- Mushrooms – These can be white or brown mushrooms, or any variety you’d like. It’s also fine to skip the mushrooms or replace them with another veggie, like bell peppers or chopped tomatoes, if you aren’t a fan.
- Tomato Paste – Tomato purée works as a substitute if needed.
- Beef Broth – Opt for low-sodium or homemade broth or stock. Chicken stock can be used instead, but your pot pie gravy won’t have quite the same richness.
- Frozen Peas – Or fresh peas if you have them.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the gravy. If you’d prefer to use flour, you’ll need slightly more flour than cornstarch.
- Worcestershire sauce – Or soy sauce.
- Thyme – Fresh or dried. Feel free to substitute another herb, like rosemary, or a blend, like Italian seasoning.
The Perfect Pot Pie Crust
Just like cherry pie, the perfect homemade pot pie starts with a great flaky pie crust. My easy pie crust recipe is perfect for savory dishes like beef pot pie and quiche, as it is for classic pies. I make it in the food processor, so it takes minutes!
I like to make the pie dough first, so it can chill in the fridge while I prepare the pot pie filling.
- Combine the ingredients. Pulse flour and salt together a couple of times, then cut in the butter to make a coarse crumble.
- Add water. Stream in ice water while processing, just until the dough comes together.
- Shape and chill the dough. Divide the dough into two, then shape and flatten each half into a disc. Wrap the dough discs tightly and chill them in the fridge for an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you’re making this pot pie with a store-bought pie crust, you’ll need to follow any thawing and handling directions on the packaging.
Braising cuts like sirloin, chuck roast, and round roast are first choices for pot pie recipes. These beef cuts have good marbling and become tender the longer they cook.
Yes. You can replace the fresh veggies in this recipe with frozen mixed vegetables (i.e., a medley of green beans, carrots, and peas). I recommend keeping onions in the flavor base, either fresh or frozen.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Make the filling on the stovetop. This recipe braises the beef filling in the oven. However, there’s the option to prepare the filling completely on the stove instead. Prepare the beef as directed, close the Dutch oven lid, and simmer for 2 hours or until the steak is tender.
- Shred the meat for more texture. Once the beef has cooked, it will be fall-apart tender. For a little variety, I’ll sometimes shred a portion of the beef while leaving some chunks intact. You can shred all of the beef if you’d prefer a less chunky pot pie.
- Different herbs. You can add more herbs, like bay leaves, to give your beef gravy more flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cozy beef pot pie with fluffy dinner rolls or homemade focaccia to mop up the leftover gravy. I also love my pot pies with mashed potatoes or melting potatoes on the side. If you’re looking for a lighter option, try a green salad or roasted vegetables.
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Beef Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup butter, chopped up into several chunky pieces
- ¼ cup ice water
- 1 egg
For the filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 ounces mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 14 ounces can of beef broth
- 1½ cups frozen peas
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
Instructions
Prepare the Pie Crust
- Combine the ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add the butter and mix until it resembles a coarse meal.
- Add water. With the machine running, slowly add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Add more water if the dough seems too dry.
- Shape and chill the pie dough. Divide the dough into two equal-sized balls and flatten them into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before rolling out.
Prepare the Filling
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Prepare the meat. Pat dry the meat with a paper towel, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Sear the meat. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Cook the beef in the pot until browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. In the same Dutch oven, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until just tender. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add beef broth. Pour ½ cup of the beef broth to deglaze the Dutch oven. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Make a slurry. Whisk the remaining broth with cornstarch in a bowl until smooth and combined. Pour the mixture into the Dutch oven along with Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the beef and herbs. Add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the beef back into the Dutch oven and close with a lid.
- Bake. Bake the beef for 1½ hours or until tender. Remove the pot from the oven and, while still hot, stir in the peas. Allow everything to cool down to room temperature.
Assemble the Pie
- Roll out the dough. Remove the dough disks from the fridge and let them rest for about 5 minutes so they’re easier to work with. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk into a circle large enough to fit your pie dish. Grease the pie plate with cooking spray and drape one rolled-out crust over it, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides.
- Fill the pie crust. Spoon the cooled beef mixture into the prepared crust. Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filling. Trim any excess dough, then pinch or crimp the edges to seal. Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Brush with an egg wash. Whisk the egg until smooth, and brush the pie crust with the beaten egg. Pop the pie in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve. Cool the pie for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Equipment
Notes
- Pie options. You can use my easy pie crust recipe or store-bought crust.
- Veggie choices. Besides carrots, celery, and peas, you can add some chopped tomatoes.
- Cook it on the stovetop. The meat can be prepared completely on the stove. Close the Dutch oven or skillet if using with a lid, and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Shred it. Once the meat is tender, you can shred some of it for a different texture.
- Add flavor. Before popping the meat in the oven, you can add a couple of bay leaves.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Beef Pot Pie
This easy beef pot pie recipe is the best reason to crack out your Dutch oven, or another heavy pot with a lid. Here’s how to prepare the filling, then assemble your pot pie.
- Brown the meat. Pat dry and season the beef cubes. Then, sear the beef in a Dutch oven with oil until it’s browned on all sides. Transfer the cooked beef to a plate for now.
- Sauté the veggies. Next, you’ll sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in the same pot you used to cook the beef. After 5 minutes, add the mushrooms. Lastly, stir in the tomato paste and let that cook off for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Make the gravy. Pour ½ cup of beef stock over the veggies to deglaze the Dutch oven. After a couple of minutes, whisk the leftover beef broth in a bowl with cornstarch, and pour this into the pot. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and an extra seasoning of salt and pepper.
- Cook. Return your browned beef cubes to the pot with the gravy and veggies. Place the lid on top, and transfer the Dutch oven to a 350ºF oven for 1 ½ hours.
- Finish the filling. Once the beef is tender, stir in the frozen peas. Leave your pot pie filling to cool to room temperature before you assemble your pie.
Assemble and Bake the Pie
- Prepare the pie crust. Roll out your prepared pie dough and press the first crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
- Fill the crust. Now, transfer your cooled beef filling to the prepared crust. Roll out the second crust and place it over the filled pie, pinching the edges to seal. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust for the steam to escape.
- Brush with an egg wash. Finally, whisk an egg and brush it lightly over the crust.
- Bake. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes, until the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. You’ll want to give this beef pot pie 5-10 minutes to cool and set before you slice into it. Enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Beef Pot Pie
- Refrigerate. Store leftover beef pot pie covered airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. The best way to reheat pot pie is in the oven (or you can reheat individual portions in the toaster oven or air fryer). This way, the crust stays crispy.
- Freeze. You can freeze the beef pot pie for up to 2 months. Thaw the pie in the fridge overnight before reheating it in the oven to crisp up the crust.
