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Home » Baking

Minced Beef and Onion Pie (Shortcrust Pastry)

November 11, 2021 by Jane Saunders 20 Comments

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Partially cut and served minced beef and onion pie with text overlay.
A slice of minced beef pie with peas and gravy. Image has text overlay.
A slice of minced beef pie with peas and gravy. Image has text overlay.

This easy minced beef and onion pie with shortcrust pastry is a classic meal that is hard to beat. The rich meat filling and crisp shortcrust pastry make this savoury mince pie hard to resist.

A slice of minced beef and onion pie with peas and gravy.
Contents hide
1 Why you’ll love this Savoury Mince Pie
2 Ingredients Notes
3 Step by step instructions
4 Expert tips
5 Frequently asked questions
6 What to serve with savoury mince pie
7 More savoury pie recipes worth making
8 Recipe
9 Minced Beef and Onion Pie with Shortcrust Pastry

This recipe is dedicated to my Mum who served me a particularly delicious minced beef and onion pie during a recent visit.

It got me thinking about some of the foods my family loves but I rarely cook. An old-fashioned, simply but richly flavoured savoury mince pie is certainly near the top of the list of our favourites. Here’s my rendition.

Mince and onion savoury pie with a slice removed.

Why you’ll love this Savoury Mince Pie

Forget the Pukka pies your local chip-shop might serve up, this minced beef pie has so much more going for it:

  • The golden shortcrust pastry is light and crisp and the perfect partner to that mince and onion pie filling
  • And it’s not just got a pastry lid – this pie has a pastry base too, with the meaty filling encased in the middle
  • This recipe produces a delicious traditional English meat pie teeming with flavour thanks to the slow cooking of the onions at the start of the recipe
  • It’s a crowd-pleasing savoury pie that can be paired with plenty of side dishes
  • The recipe can be adapted to make individual minced beef pies

Honestly, this traditional mince and onion pie is so delicious it would make a worthy addition to celebration meals such as Christmas or Easter instead of the usual roast meats.

If you like the look of this pie, you may also be interested in my recipes for steak and stilton pie and my venison pie.

Ingredients Notes

Ingredients for ground beef pie with text overlay.

Use minced (ground) beef with around 10% fat content for the best balance between flavour and health considerations. Any higher and the filling might seem greasy but meat with 5% fat can dry out more quickly during cooking.

Garlic is optional. It’s unlikely Grandparents or Great Grandparents included it when making a minced beef and onion pie but it does enhance the flavour somewhat.

Worcestershire sauce is easy to get hold of in the UK. Made to a secret recipe, it has a meaty savoury deliciousness about it that certainly helps impart plenty of rich flavour to recipes. If you struggle to get hold of it use soy sauce in its place.

Plain (all-purpose) flour contains no raising agents so is the ideal choice for making shortcrust pastry. Do not use self-raising flour in its place.

Use real butter for the pie crust for the best flavour and texture. Baking margarine is no substitute here.

Step by step instructions

Making this minced beef pie is easy and the steps can be broken down into 3 separate stages:

  1. Cook the minced beef and onion pie filling
  2. Make the pastry
  3. Assemble the pie and bake

1. Make the mince and onion filling

  1. Dice the onion and fry in a little oil for 10-15 minutes until soft and beginning to colour. Stir frequently. Stir in minced garlic (if using)
  2. Add the meat and brown
  3. Sprinkle in a tablespoon of flour and mixed herbs, stir and cook for 2 minutes
  4. Add salt, pepper, stock and Worcestershire sauce
  5. Cook gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring several times
  6. Let cool completely
Collage of images showing pie filling being made.

2. Make the shortcrust pastry

  1. Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir briefly
  2. Cube the butter and rub it into the flour using the tips of your fingers
  3. Add half the water and stir with a blunt knife, until the dough just comes together – add more water, little by little, as necessary. Aim for a soft, but not sticky dough
  4. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, then split in half and form into two discs. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes
Collage of images showing shortcrust pastry being made.

3. Assemble and bake

  1. Roll out one piece of pastry on a floured work surface to 2-3mm thick and use to line the pie tin. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg
  2. Pile the minced beef and onion filling into the pastry case and brush the pastry edge with beaten egg
  3. Roll out the remaining pastry and use to top the pie. Press the edge of the pastry to seal the pie and trim the excess pastry with a blunt knife. Use a sharp knife to make slash lines around the edge of the pie for decoration, or, if you are feeling fancy, re-roll any off-cuts of pastry and use to decorate the pie (e.g. leaves, lettering etc…)
  4. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, make a slit in the centre to allow steam to escape and bake for around 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden
Collage of images showing a meat pie being assembled.

Expert tips

  • Ensure the mince and onion pie filling is cold before assembling the pie, otherwise the pastry will melt during assembly
  • Make it quick and easy by using pre-made pastry from the supermakret chiller section
  • For variation use puff pastry
  • Get ahead: make the minced beef pie filling the day before then cool and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake the pie
  • Use the fiilling with a mashed potato top to turn it into cottage pie
  • Or go for a hybrid pie by using pastry on the base but adding mashed potato on the top of the minced beef and onion pie filling

Frequently asked questions

Is this a plate pie?

A plate pie is a pie that is constructed in a shallow pie dish and has just one layer of pastry on the top. This minced beef pie is not a plate pie as it is made in a deeper pie dish and has a layer of pastry both under and on top of the minced beef filling.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Once made just let the pie cool completely then wrap in clingfilm and freeze until required. When ready to use let it defrost overnight in the fridge then remove the wrap and reheat in the oven (150C/ 300F/ GM 2 for 20 minutes.

Leftovers can also be frozen. Cut into slices, wrap individually and freeze. When ready to reheat it’s best to remove any clingfilm then place the pie on a square of foil. Pull up the foil to cover the exposed sides of the pie to stop the filling from drying out then reheat in the oven.

Don’t forget to label and date the pie before putting it into the freezer. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Can I make the mince in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can. I advise sweating the onion and browning the beef before adding to the slow cooker to ensure depth of flavour in the meat pie filling. Then add them to the slow cooker pan along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours.

Tip: as the slow cooker doesn’t allow for evaporation, use just half of the stock and top up with more only if your pie filling gets too dry.

What to serve with savoury mince pie

Minced beef pie can be quite filling because of the pastry, which is rich in butter. A serving of vegetables with a small portion of potato-based carbohydrates alongside is usually sufficient to satisfy hungry appetites. Here are a few ideas for those side dishes:

  • Mushy peas
  • Garden peas
  • Tenderstem brocolli
  • Roasted mushrooms
  • Roasted root vegetables
  • Fat chips
  • Creamy mashed potatoes
  • Boiled new potatoes
  • Roast potatoes

Whatever your favourite side dishes to a slice of this minced beef and onion pie, make sure you serve a jugful of rich, thick gravy alongside.

A slice of minced beef and onion pie with peas and gravy on a plate.

More savoury pie recipes worth making

Mediterranean Lamb Pie
Check out this recipe
Mediterranean Lamb Pie
Cheesy Vegetable Potato Pies
Check out this recipe
Cheesy Vegetable Potato Pies
Beef and Horseradish Pasties
Check out this recipe
BEEF PASTIES (WITH OPTIONAL HORSERADISH)
Black Lentil & Beetroot Pie
Check out this recipe
Black Lentil Beetroot Pie

Have you made this savoury mince pie? Let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below. You can also show me your creation on Instagram by tagging me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.

Recipe

Close up of a slice of minced beef pie with peas and gravy.

Minced Beef and Onion Pie with Shortcrust Pastry

Jane Saunders
This easy minced beef and onion pie with shortcrust pastry is a classic meal that is hard to beat. The rich meat filling and crisp shortcrust pastry make this savoury pie hard to resist.
4.91 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 627kcal

Equipment

  • 1 x 8-inch (20cm) pie dish around 2 inches (5-6cm) deep
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the meat pie filling

  • 600 g Minced (ground) beef use 10% fat
  • 1 Large onion approx 300g
  • 1 Garlic clove optional
  • 1 tablespoon Plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 150 ml Beef stock made from a cube is fine
  • 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce use soy sauce if unavailable
  • 1½ teaspoons Mixed herbs
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

For the shortcrust pastry

  • 350 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 175 g Butter
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 120 ml Cold water
  • A little beaten egg
Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Make the pastry

  • Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir briefly
  • Cube the butter and rub it into the flour using the tips of your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs and no large lumps of butter remain
  • Add half the water and stir with a blunt knife, until the dough just comes together, adding more water, little by little, as necessary – aim for a soft, but not sticky dough. Use your hands to gather the dough into a ball
  • Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, then split in half and form into two discs. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes

Make the pie filling

  • Dice the onion and fry in a little oil for 10-15 minute until soft and beginning to colour. Stir frequently. If using the garlic, mince it and stir into the onions
  • Crumble the meat into the pan and stir until browned all over
  • Sprinkle in the tablespoon of flour and mixed herbs, stir and cook for 2 minutes
  • Add salt, pepper, ⅔ of the stock and the Worcestershire sauce then cook gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring several times. Add more stock if the mixture gets too dry
  • Let cool completely then either use or refrigerate until required

Assemble and bake

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
  • Roll out one piece of pastry on a floured work surface to 2-3mm thick and use to line the pie tin
  • Pile the minced beef and onion filling into the pastry case and brush the pastry edge with beaten egg
  • Roll out the remaining pastry and use to top the pie. Press the edge of the pastry to seal the pie and trim the excess pastry with a blunt knife
  • Use a sharp knife to make slash lines around the edge of the pie for decoration, or, if you are feeling fancy, re-roll any off-cuts of pastry and use to decorate the pie (e.g. leaves, lettering etc…)
  • Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, make a slit in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and bake for around 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden

Notes

  • Ensure the minced beef and onion filling is cold before assembling the pie, otherwise the pastry will melt during assembly
  • Make it quick and easy by using pre-made pastry from the supermakret chiller section
  • For variation use puff pastry
  • Get ahead: make the mincced beef pie filling the day before then cool and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake the pie
  • Use the fiilling with a mashed potato top to turn it into cottage pie
  • Or go for a hybrid pie by using pastry on the base but adding mashed potato on the top of the minced beef and onion pie filling
 
Freezing Instructions
Once made just let cool completely then wrap in clingfilm and freeze until required. When ready to use let it defrost overnight in the fridge then remove the wrap and reheat in the oven (150C/ 300F/ GM 2 for 20 minutes.
Leftovers can also be frozen. Cut into slices, wrap individually and freeze. When ready to reheat it’s best to remove any clingfilm then place the pie on a square of foil. Pull up the foil to cover the exposed sides of the pie to stop the filling from drying out then reheat in the oven.
Don’t forget to label and date the pie before putting it into the freezer. It will keep well for up to 3 months.
Making the meat pie filling in a slow cooker
I advise sweating the onion and browning the beef before adding to the slow cooker to ensure depth of flavour in the meat pie filling. Then add them to the slow cooker pan along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours.
As the slow cooker doesn’t allow for evaporation, use just half of the stock and top up with more only if your pie filling gets too dry.

Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)

Calories:627kcal | Carbohydrates:51g | Protein:27g | Fat:34g | Saturated Fat:19g | Polyunsaturated Fat:1g | Monounsaturated Fat:11g | Trans Fat:2g | Cholesterol:128mg | Sodium:632mg | Potassium:526mg | Fiber:2g | Sugar:3g | Vitamin A:734IU | Vitamin C:4mg | Calcium:45mg | Iron:5mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @littlesugarsnap or tag #littlesugarsnaps!
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  1. Morgan

    March 14, 2023 at 3:28 pm

    Do you have the mesurements for the pie filling

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      March 14, 2023 at 6:20 pm

      Hi Morgan – full details and measures are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post 🙂

      Reply
  2. Bill Sparrow.87 yo

    February 20, 2023 at 2:38 pm

    5 stars
    You can add other ingredients into the mix, for example ,peas, potato, whatever you fancy, give it a go.I did, just delicious.

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      February 20, 2023 at 9:35 pm

      Ah, thanks so much Bill. I highly approve of additions – especially peas as they are my favourite veggie 😉

      Reply
  3. Dr Canan

    February 19, 2023 at 10:23 am

    Hiya, I want to make this today but I want to make 10-12 small pies rather than one big one, so what’s the weight etc for the pastry?

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      February 19, 2023 at 11:33 am

      Hi, thanks for your question. Without wishing to sound flippant, that is going to depend on the size of the tins that you are using. If say, you are using small tins for buffet finger food size then you should get away with using the weights as listed. If, however, you’re aiming to make individual pies for a main meal, then I’d suggest doubling the recipe for 10-12 portions. You could even triple the pastry to be certain you have plenty for your needs then make something else with any spare or freeze it for later use. Sorry I haven’t been able to be more specific, but I hope my thoughts help.

      Reply
  4. Reggie

    December 28, 2022 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    Fab, loved it.

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      December 28, 2022 at 11:42 pm

      Fabulous – thanks Reggie!

      Reply
  5. Peter

    July 22, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    Quantities for pastry ?

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      July 22, 2022 at 12:51 pm

      Hi Peter – full details are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post. Hope you enjoy it.

      Reply
  6. Joyce

    June 16, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    4 stars
    Delicious filling – wish I’d baked my pastry blind to firm it up a little before adding the filling. Left it in the oven for about 55 minutes but sadly pastry underneath was not cooked through. I’ll definitely use this recipe again but next time I will put the pastry into the oven for a short time before I add the delicious filling!!!🤗🤗

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      June 16, 2022 at 7:52 pm

      Hi Joyce – thanks for your comment and I’m so pleased you enjoyed this pie – it’s a family favourite. I’ve not had a problem with the pastry not being fully cooked, but I do know that all pie dishes and ovens are slightly different. I’m wondering if you will get a good seal on the pie between the base and the lid if you blind bake the base before proceeding with the filling – you’ll have to let me know how you get along if you try this.

      I always use a metal pie dish (not glass) and keep my pastry to within 2-3mm thickness. You can always try putting a baking sheet into the oven as it warms up and putting the pie dish onto this so there’s an extra bit of heat directed onto the base (from underneath it). Also, if you feel the pie needs longer for the base you can always cover the top if it’s in danger of browning too much before the base is ready. Hope a few of these ideas help. Thanks again for taking the time to feed back how you got along.

      Reply
  7. Carole

    March 07, 2022 at 9:32 am

    This looks so good I’m giving it a try, but can the pastry be made in a food processor as I’ve never been good at making it ?

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      March 07, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      Hi Carole – I see no reason why not. Just pulse the butter, flour and salt together in short bursts until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add in the water and pulse again. Just take care not to overwork the dough. This technique is great for anybody with weak hands due to ailments such as arthritis. Alternatively, you could use readymade shortcrust pastry – 500-600g should be enough.

      Reply
    • Lisa

      November 30, 2022 at 2:29 am

      Can this recipe be used on a pie maker?
      And would I still need to blind bake the shortcrust pasty first?

      Reply
      • Jane Saunders

        November 30, 2022 at 1:35 pm

        Hi Lisa, I’m going to be totally honest and tell you I’ve just had to Google what a pie maker is… In theory, I don’t see why this recipe could not be used in that way. For sure, the filling will easily be suitable. I cannot, however, vouch for the suitability of the pastry, never having used a pie maker myself. Check the instructions and if it calls for regular shortcrust pastry, then I’d assume you would be totally fine to proceed with my recipe – the exact number of pies this recipe can make will of course depend on the size of the pie holes in the pie maker. If, however, it calls for a special kind of pastry (not sure what that might be…) then opt for that and just use the filling.

        Hope my thoughts help – sorry I can’t be more concrete in my response. Do let me know how it works out in the pie maker if you try it though.

  8. William

    December 29, 2021 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    Easy to make Very tasty to eat

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      December 29, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Thanks so much William – so pleased you enjoyed it.

      Reply
      • John Wainscott

        February 17, 2022 at 6:28 pm

        Great recipe, so simple to do-even I had no problems and I cook very little.

      • Jane Saunders

        February 17, 2022 at 8:34 pm

        John, thankyou so much! Your comment has made my day.

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