This family-friendly Beef and Potato Pie recipe is made in just one pan and uses store-bought puff pastry, so it's achievable even for a busy weeknight. In this comforting classic, minced (ground) beef is cooked with veggies in a delicious sauce, then topped with a lid of crispy golden pastry. See the recipe for useful make-ahead tips to make this even easier and quicker.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Ingredients
2tbspolive oil
2onions, finely diced
2garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2carrots, peeled and roughly diced
2celery stalks, roughly diced
800gminced (ground) beef
2tbsptomato paste
2tbspplain (all-purpose) flour
500mlbeef stock
1tbspWorcestershire sauce
1tspdried thyme
2potatoes, cut into small cubes (roughly 1 cm/½ inch)
1tspsea salt flakes, or to taste
¼tspfreshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
150gfrozen peas
1½sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into rectangles
1egg, whisked
1tspsesame seeds
Instructions
Make the pie filling – Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium–high heat.
Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it begins to brown, for a further 4–5 minutes.
Stir through the tomato paste followed by the plain flour.
Once the flour is incorporated, add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and potatoes to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Season with salt and pepper (the amount you use will depend on how salty your stock is).
Cook, covered, for 30–35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally and add ½ cup (125 ml) of water halfway through if the sauce is beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan (see note 1 for tips).
Turn the heat off and stir through the frozen peas (they will heat through in the oven).
Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced).
Transfer the filling to a baking dish – Spoon the cooled mixture into an oven-safe (1 litre/1 quart) baking dish.
Top with the pastry – Layer the pie with the thawed puff pastry rectangles so that they slightly overlap each other.
Bake – Brush with the egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 30–35 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Stand, then serve – Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Note 1 – If the sauce is still thin after the cooking time, cook on the stovetop over medium–high heat, uncovered, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency.
MAKE AHEAD
Prepare the pie filling as per the recipe. Do not cover with puff pastry. Refrigerate the filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before use. Layer with puff pastry and bake as per the recipe.
LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to retain the crispy pastry. Puff pastry doesn’t reheat well once frozen – it tends to lose its crispness and can go a bit soggy. For best results, freeze the filling for up to 2 months, then thaw, top with fresh pastry and bake when you’re ready.
Nutrition Facts
Family Beef and Potato Pie
Amount per Serving
Calories
604
% Daily Value*
Fat
29
g
45
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
17
g
Cholesterol
110
mg
37
%
Sodium
888
mg
39
%
Potassium
1250
mg
36
%
Carbohydrates
46
g
15
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
7
g
8
%
Protein
38
g
76
%
Vitamin A
3756
IU
75
%
Vitamin C
30
mg
36
%
Calcium
74
mg
7
%
Iron
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.