Steak Pie | The Modern Proper (2024)

March 20, 2024

The best steak pie recipe requires a few simple ingredients and very little prep for the ultimate in slow-cooked comfort food for the whole family.

Photography by Gayle McLeod

Ready For The Best Steak Pie Recipe? Let’s Dive In!

Traditional steak pie has long been a favorite British meal and for good reason! You can expect to see steak pie on the menu at a British pub, along with Bangers and Mash and it’s an equally beloved meal at a football match (that’s a soccer game this side of the pond!). In Great Britain, savory pies have been served for centuries. Originally a means of preserving meat before refrigeration, steak pie was an affordable, and long-lasting way to enjoy meat. Our steak pie recipe is a streamlined version of the classic, with a hearty beef and onion filling topped with a flaky puff pastry crust. It’s our favorite kind of comfort food that comes together with a snap.

What is The Best Cut of Beef For Steak Pie?

Like a classic beef stew recipe, the best beef for steak pie is beef chuck, aka “stew beef.” This affordable cut of meat can sometimes be a little less tender, making it the best option for the slow roasting required for this savory steak pie. The beef slowly cooks in a rich liquid for nearly two hours, becoming melt-in-your mouth tender while it simmers. Browning the meat beforehand is worth the extra effort and results in a full-bodied depth of flavor and color. The rest of this easy steak pie recipe relies on a few pantry staples you might even already have on hand.

How Do You Make Steak Pie With Puff Pastry?

You’ll start by browning the meat and creating the sauce for our version of the traditional steak pie. This easy steak pie recipe takes under 30 minutes of active prep time and then it’s hands off, we promise.

• Brown pieces of beef chuck in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet.

• Start to build the flavor by sautéing the onion and garlic in butter!

• Add more butter along with flour, stock, tomato paste and thyme, to create a rich, flavorful simmer sauce.

• Add the browned beef to the sauce and top with your thawed sheet of puff pastry (no soggy bottom steak pie here!). Just thaw a sheet of puff pastry and you’re ready to go!

• Let that savory pie magic happen in a hot oven for 40-50 minutes.

What Goes Well With Steak Pie?

Want to turn your steak pie into a royal feast? Steak pie is most often served with peas, mashed potatoes, and gravy in Great Britain. Here are a few more ideas for the rest of your plate if you’re looking to get creative!

• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• Perfectly Roasted Broccoli

• Simple Butter Lettuce Salad

• Braised Leeks with Beurre Blanc (French Butter Sauce)

Tools You’ll Need

• Dutch Oven or Cast-Iron Skillet

• Baking Dish

• Chef Knife

• Pastry Brush

• Rolling Pin (comes in handy)

• Whisk

• Tinfoil (in case the pastry begins to brown too much)

More Homemade Comfort Foods, Aka Savory Pies

• Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

• Puff Pastry Lamb Pie or Rustic Lamb Pie

• Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

• Vegetable Pot Pie

• Healthy Shepherd's Pie

• Turkey Hand Pies

Don’t Be Humble, Show Us Your Pie!

We want to see those golden, flaky crusts! Take a picture of your steak pie, or a video of your family enjoying their first bites of this cozy dish. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Cheers!