Beef and Guinness Pie

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Beef and Guinness Pie is a hearty comfort food classic made with tender braised beef, rich stout gravy, and flaky puff pastry. Perfect for cozy dinners.

in this article:

Know Before You Scroll

Servings: 6

Prep: 30

Cook: 2 40

Total Time: 3 10

What You’ll Need

Chuck roast, bacon, mushrooms, onions, carrots, Guinness stout, beef stock, herbs, puff pastry.

Flavor Profile

Deep, savory, slightly sweet with malty stout richness

Difficulty Level

Intermediate but very manageable

Equipment Needed

Dutch oven, pie dish, baking sheet

Top Tip

Cool the filling fully before adding pastry

Time-Saving Tips

Filling can be made up to 2 days in advance

A white bowl filled with hearty Beef Pie stew, carrots, and mushrooms, topped with a golden, flaky pastry crust. A fork rests on the side, and a glass of red wine is visible in the background.

In The Test Kitchen

I lived in the UK for 15 years, and if there’s one thing I miss most about British food, it’s savory pies. They’re everywhere there. Pub menus, bakeries, little corner shops. And once you’ve had a proper one with rich gravy and crisp pastry, it’s hard not to crave them.

This Traditional Beef and Guinness Pie is my version of the kind I used to order on cold evenings. The biggest discovery while testing was making sure the filling is thick enough before it ever goes under the pastry. If the gravy is too loose, the pie turns into stew with a lid.

Another key step is letting the filling cool completely before topping it with pastry. Not only does this prevent the crust from getting soggy, it also helps the puff pastry cook properly. When the filling is too hot, the butter in the pastry melts before it has time to puff, which can leave you with a greasy or flat crust. Cooling first gives you that deeply flavorful filling and a beautifully crisp golden top.

A close-up of a spoonful of savory beef and vegetable stew with carrots and herbs, featuring a golden-brown pastry crust in the background, suggesting this is a comforting beef and Guinness pie.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of Beef and Guinness stew ingredients arranged on a white surface, including chopped beef, sliced carrots, onions, mushrooms, diced bacon, flour, eggs, parsley, garlic, broth, oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper.

The Beef

Best Choice

2¼ pounds chuck roast cut into 2-inch chunks for tender, shreddable texture.

Substitutions

Stew beef works but may cook less evenly.

Mushrooms

Best Choice

Baby bella mushrooms add earthiness

Substitutions

Dried porcini deepen the flavor even more but are optional.

Guinness Extra Stout

Best Choice

Guinness Extra Stout for authentic depth and slight bitterness.

Substitutions

Any dark stout works. Avoid lighter beers.

Where to Find

Beer aisle near imported stouts.

Puff Pastry

Best Choice

Use one sheet frozen puff pastry, fully thawed but still cold. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Go to the printable recipe card instead

Step By Step Instructions

Sear the Beef

Pat 2¼ pounds chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear in batches until deeply browned on all sides. The meat should release easily when properly browned. Transfer to a bowl.

Chunks of browned beef are searing in a white Dutch oven, with rich juices and caramelization on the bottom—perfect beginnings for a hearty Guinness Pie.

Build the Flavor Base

Cook 8 ounces diced thick-cut bacon until crisp. Add 12 ounces halved baby bella mushrooms and cook until browned. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot. Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves for 1 minute, then add 2 chopped onions and 4 sliced carrots. Cook until lightly caramelized and softened.

A collage of four cooking steps for Beef and Guinness Pie: browning diced bacon, sautéing whole mushrooms, cooking chopped garlic, and stirring sliced carrots and onions in a pot with a wooden spoon.

Create the Gravy

Stir in chopped porcini (if using), 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and ¼ cup flour. Cook 1–2 minutes until the flour smells nutty. Return beef to the pot. Add 1¼ cups Guinness, 1¾ cups beef stock, and enough reserved mushroom liquid to reach a thick stew consistency. Add 3 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, and chopped parsley stems. Season to taste.

A collage shows: dried mushrooms soaking in water, mushrooms draining in a strainer, chopped mushrooms on a cutting board with a knife, and a pot of hearty beef stew being cooked with mushrooms.

Braise Until Tender

Cover and bake at 325°F for about 2 hours. The beef should be fork-tender and the sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If thin, simmer uncovered until reduced. Stir bacon and mushrooms back in. Cool completely.

A pot of hearty beef stew with chunks of beef, sliced carrots, mushrooms, and a rich brown Guinness broth simmers in a large enamel Dutch oven.

Top and Bake

Preheat oven to 425°F with a baking sheet inside. Spoon cooled filling into a greased 10-inch dish. Lay puff pastry over top, trim, seal edges firmly, and brush with 1 beaten egg yolk. Cut steam vents. Bake 35–40 minutes until deep golden and crisp.

A four-step collage shows making a savory Guinness Pie: beef and vegetables in a dish, covered with pastry, pastry being cut, and the finished golden-brown baked pie.

Serve While It’s Hot

Let the pie rest for 10 minutes so the gravy thickens slightly and the slices hold together. Spoon a serving onto plates, making sure you get plenty of that rich Guinness sauce, and finish with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or more) right before serving.