Savory Ground Beef Hand Pies are filled with juicy beef, potatoes, vegetables and herbs in a flavorful gravy all wrapped up in individual, flaky pie crust shells. They can be served as a snack or appetizer, or even as a main dish.
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Savory Ground Beef Hand Pies are based off of a beef hand pies with pie crust recipe that I can remember making many, many years ago. I was a single mom at the time and made a big batch of hand pies to keep in the freezer for the late weeknights that I didn’t have enough time to make dinner.
I don’t remember exactly what was in those pies, but this recipe is filled with a beef and vegetable mixture similar to what you may find in a Beef Stew recipe. You could even swap out half of the beef stock for Guinness if you wanted more of an Irish Beef Stew filling.
Ground beef is mixed with finely diced vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions cooked in a flavorful gravy.
The pie itself is made with store bought pie crust, but if you want to get fancy and make your own, go for it! I just find that using store bought crust is a time saver, but am a big believer that homemade is always better.
Why This Recipe Works
These little beef and potato pies are loaded with the classic flavors of beef stew that the whole family will love. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack or main dish. Beef hand pies are also a great choice for Super Bowl parties or other special celebrations.
You can easily modify the recipe to suit your own tastes. Swap in and out vegetables, or use ground turkey or chicken, if you prefer.
This is a great recipe to make for meal prep or freezer meals. The pies freeze up nicely and can be baked from frozen, so there is no need to remember to thaw them overnight.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound ground beef: I prefer to use a lean ground beef so that there is no excess oil to have to drain out of the pan.
- salt
- pepper
- 2 carrots (peeled and finely diced, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 large potato (peeled and finely diced, about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup peas: I use frozen peas
- 2 packages pie crust (4 pie crusts)
- 1 egg (optional, for egg wash)
The entire recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Peel and dice the onion, carrots and potato. Mince the garlic.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Create!
Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up with a meat chopper or spatula into fine crumbles until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the carrots and potatoes and cook until just starting to soften, about 3-5 minutes. They will still be a little on the hard side at this point.
Mix in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and thyme until evenly blended.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine.
Carefully pour in the beef stock. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the sauce is thickened and the vegetables are tender. This may take 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the peas, taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Set the mixture aside while you prepare the pie crust.
Using a large biscuit cutter, cut as many circles as you can in the dough. You can combine and re-roll the dough as needed.
Chef’s Tip: the number of pies may vary depending on the size biscuit cutter that you use. I was able to make 24 pies with a 3-inch round biscuit cutter.
Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the ground beef filling to the center of a 3-inch pie crust. You may need to use more or less depending on the size of the pie circles you cut.
Brush the edge around the filling lightly with the egg wash. Place a second pie crust circle over the top of the filling. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges together to seal all the way around.
Cut a slit in the center of the pie crust to allow the steam to vent while baking and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pie crust.
Chef’s Tip: you may have extra beef filling. You can save it to enjoy as is or over rice or noodles.
Brush the tops of the pies lightly with the egg wash.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the pie crust is golden.
Present!
Allow to cool before serving – the filling gets very hot during baking.
Tips and Techniques
- The number of pies may vary depending on the size biscuit cutter that you use and if you choose to re-roll the dough to use up as much as possible. I was able to make 24 pies with a 3-inch round biscuit cutter.
- You may have extra beef filling. You can save it to enjoy as is or over rice or noodles.
- Store leftover hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.
FAQ’s
Can You Freeze Hand Pies?
Hand pies can be frozen. Place unbaked hand pies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags. Hand pies can be baked from frozen, but will likely need a few minutes longer than the original recipe states.
More Ground Beef Recipes
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Savory Ground Beef Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt
- pepper
- 2 carrots (peeled and finely diced, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 large potato (peeled and finely diced, about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup peas
- 2 packages pie crust (4 pie crusts)
- 1 egg (optional, for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.1 tablespoon butter
- Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up with a meat chopper or spatula into fine crumbles until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.1 pound ground beef, salt, pepper
- Stir in the carrots and potatoes and cook until just starting to soften, about 3-5 minutes. They will still be a little on the hard side at this point.2 carrots, 1 large potato
- Mix in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and thyme until evenly blended.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine.2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Carefully pour in the beef stock. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the sauce is thickened and the vegetables are tender. This may take 5-10 minutes.2 cups beef stock
- Stir in the peas, taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Set the mixture aside while you prepare the pie crust.1/2 cup peas
- Using a large biscuit cutter, cut as many circles as you can in the dough. You can combine and re-roll the dough as needed.2 packages pie crust
- Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.1 egg
- Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the ground beef filling to the center of a 3-inch pie crust. You may need to use more or less depending on the size of the pie circles you cut.
- Brush the edge around the filling lightly with the egg wash. Place a second pie crust circle over the top of the filling. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges together to seal all the way around.
- Cut a slit in the center of the pie crust and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pie crust.
- Brush the tops of the pies lightly with the egg wash.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the pie crust is golden.
- Allow to cool before serving - the filling gets very hot during baking.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- The number of pies may vary depending on the size biscuit cutter that you use and if you choose to re-roll the dough to use up as much as possible. I was able to make 24 pies with a 3-inch round biscuit cutter.
- You may have extra beef filling. You can save it to enjoy as is or over rice or noodles.
- Store leftover hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.
