Rustic Beef and Mushroom Pot Pie with Flaky Pastry

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper (plus more to taste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 10 oz (280 g) cremini or button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine or extra broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried), 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (optional but lovely)
• 1 single pie crust or 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, cold
• 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash), flaky salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (to finish)

Do This

• 1. Season beef with salt and pepper, then brown in hot oil in an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven; set aside.
• 2. In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in butter until softened; add mushrooms and cook until browned and their liquid evaporates.
• 3. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook briefly, then sprinkle over flour and cook 1–2 minutes.
• 4. Gradually whisk in broth and wine, then add Worcestershire, mustard, thyme, bay leaf, and browned beef; simmer 35–45 minutes until beef is tender and gravy is thick. Stir in cream and adjust seasoning.
• 5. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out pastry to slightly larger than your baking dish.
• 6. Transfer hot filling to a 9-inch deep pie dish or 2–3 qt baking dish (if needed), top with pastry, seal and crimp edges, cut steam vents, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
• 7. Bake 30–35 minutes until pastry is deep golden and filling is bubbling. Rest 10 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It is pure cold-weather comfort: tender chunks of beef and mushrooms in a rich, silky gravy under a shatteringly flaky crust.
• Everything cooks in one pot before baking, which means maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.
• The filling is thick and hearty, so you get generous spoonfuls of beef and vegetables in every bite, not just liquid.
• It is flexible: use pie crust or puff pastry, red wine or extra broth, and easily make it ahead for stress-free entertaining.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 large yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 10 oz cremini or button mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic, fresh thyme (or dried), fresh parsley, 1 bay leaf (if not in pantry).
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream (optional but recommended), 1 large egg, milk or cream for egg wash.
• Pantry: Beef chuck (about 2 lb), vegetable or olive oil, all-purpose flour, tomato paste, beef broth, dry red wine (or extra broth), Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, pie crust or puff pastry, kosher salt, black pepper, flaky sea salt.

Full Ingredients

For the Beef and Mushroom Filling

• 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (trim large pieces of fat)
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided (plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided (plus more to taste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (about 1 cup)
• 2 ribs celery, sliced (about ¾ cup)
• 10 oz (280 g) cremini or button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

For the Thick, Savory Gravy

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth (preferably low-sodium)
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine or additional beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
• Additional salt and pepper, to taste

For the Flaky Pastry Top

• 1 ¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water
• OR 1 sheet (8–10 oz / 225–280 g) store-bought all-butter puff pastry, thawed but still cold

For Assembly and Finishing

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp milk or heavy cream
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Preheat

Cut the beef chuck into 1-inch cubes, trimming away any large, chewy pieces of fat but leaving some marbling for flavor. Pat the beef dry with paper towels; dry meat browns better. Season the cubes with about 1 tsp of the kosher salt and ½ tsp of the black pepper, tossing to coat evenly.

Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, and thickly slice the mushrooms. Mince the garlic. Having everything ready will make the cooking smooth. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and position a rack in the center. Choose an oven-safe Dutch oven or deep, oven-safe skillet (about 10–12 inches) that can go straight from stovetop to oven; if you do not have one, you can transfer the filling later to a baking dish.

Step 2: Brown the Beef

Place your pot over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, brown the beef in batches so you do not overcrowd the pan. Arrange a single layer of beef cubes in the pot and cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, until well browned and crusty. Resist the urge to move them too soon; that deep brown color equals flavor in the final gravy.

Transfer browned pieces to a plate and continue with the remaining beef, adding a little extra oil if the pan looks dry. Do not worry about browned bits stuck to the bottom; these will form the base of your rich, savory gravy.

Step 3: Build the Vegetable and Mushroom Base

Lower the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pot. Once melted, add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions turn translucent.

Add the sliced mushrooms and cook another 6–8 minutes. The mushrooms will release their liquid, then that liquid will evaporate and the mushrooms will start to brown. Cook until most of the moisture is gone and you see some golden color on the mushrooms; this concentrates their flavor and keeps the filling from being watery. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly in color. This cooks off the raw taste and deepens the flavor of the gravy.

Step 4: Make the Roux and Simmer the Thick Gravy

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and mushrooms. Stir well to coat everything, then cook for 1–2 minutes. The mixture will look a bit dry and pasty; this step cooks the flour so your gravy will not taste chalky.

Gradually pour in the beef broth while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the browned bits. Then slowly add the red wine (or additional broth), still stirring to avoid lumps. Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), and bay leaf. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices on the plate to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a slow, steady bubble. Cover partially and cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened into a spoon-coating, stew-like consistency. If it ever gets too thick, add a splash of broth or water; if it seems thin, remove the lid and let it simmer a bit longer.

When the beef is tender, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream, if using, and taste; add more salt and pepper as needed. At this point the filling should be richly flavored, thick, and not at all soupy.

Step 5: Make or Prepare the Pastry Top

While the filling simmers, make the pastry (or prepare store-bought). For homemade crust, place the flour and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them into the flour using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, until you have pea-sized bits of butter with some larger, flat pieces. These chunks create flakiness.

Sprinkle in 4 tbsp of ice water and gently toss until the dough starts to clump. If it seems dry, add more water, 1 tbsp at a time, just until the dough holds together when pressed. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 days). Cold dough bakes up flakier.

If using puff pastry, keep the sheet in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out. Cold pastry is essential for a crisp, flaky top.

Step 6: Assemble the Pot Pie

If your filling pot is not oven-safe, transfer the hot filling to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or similar 2–3 quart baking dish. The filling should come close to the top, leaving about ½ inch of headroom.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pie dough (or puff pastry) to a circle or oval about ¼ inch thick and slightly larger than your dish. Aim for 1–2 inches of overhang. If you like, you can cut a few small shapes from the scraps to decorate the top later.

Beat the egg with 1 tbsp of milk or cream to make an egg wash. Brush a thin line of egg wash around the rim of your baking dish to help the pastry seal. Carefully lay the pastry over the hot filling. Press the edge of the pastry firmly onto the rim of the dish to seal, then trim any excess and crimp decoratively with your fingers or a fork.

Cut 4–6 small slits in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. If you made decorative shapes, place them on top. Brush the entire surface with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.

Step 7: Bake, Rest, and Serve

Place the pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips) and transfer to the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown, puffed, and you can see the filling bubbling around the edges through the steam vents.

Remove the pot pie from the oven and let it rest for about 10–15 minutes. This short resting time allows the filling to settle and thicken slightly so it does not run all over the plate when you serve it. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley for color and freshness. Ladle generous scoops of crust and filling into warm bowls or onto plates, making sure each serving gets plenty of beef, mushrooms, and that thick, glossy gravy.

Pro Tips

• Brown in batches. Crowding the beef will steam it instead of searing. Take your time with browning; it is the backbone of the stew’s flavor.
• Cook off mushroom liquid. Let the mushrooms fully release and evaporate their moisture before adding flour. This keeps the filling concentrated and prevents a watery gravy.
• Keep pastry cold, filling hot. Cold pastry going onto hot filling equals a flaky, well-risen crust. If the pastry warms up, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
• Check thickness before topping. The filling should resemble a thick beef stew. If it is runny, simmer uncovered a bit longer to reduce; if it is too thick, loosen with a splash of broth.
• Let it rest. Just like a roast, this pot pie benefits from a brief rest after baking so the gravy can settle and cling to the ingredients.

Variations

• Red wine and rosemary twist. Lean into a bolder flavor by using all red wine for the 1 cup of liquid and adding 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary along with the thyme.
• Ale and cheddar pot pie. Swap the red wine for a malty brown ale and stir ½ cup grated sharp cheddar into the filling at the end for a deeper, pub-style flavor.
• Individual skillet pies. Divide the filling among 4–6 small oven-safe bowls or mini skillets and top each with a pastry lid for personal pot pies. Reduce baking time to 20–25 minutes.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The beef and mushroom filling is ideal for making ahead. Cook it completely, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, rewarm the filling on the stovetop until hot and bubbly, transfer to your baking dish, top with cold pastry, and bake as directed (adding a few extra minutes if the filling was very cold). Leftover baked pot pie keeps well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, or until hot in the center and the crust has re-crisped slightly. You can also reheat gently in the microwave, though the pastry will not be as crisp. For freezing leftovers, cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (using cream and pie crust): about 700 calories, 40 g fat (22 g saturated), 45 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 38 g protein, and 950 mg sodium. Values will vary based on specific products, whether you use puff pastry vs. pie crust, and any substitutions you make.