Beef and Stout pies are a favourite traditional recipe from the UK. Typically it is made with good cuts of beef, stout, mushrooms and all sorts of good stuff. I’ve modified the recipe to simplify it and make it accessible no matter your budget and of course kids love eating with their hands so even the pickiest eaters will enjoy this one!
I chose to use Guinness because it has such a distinctive flavour that I think works really well, plus its a fab nod towards St. Patrick’s Day and making it a little bit more of a specifically Irish recipe. These would be great to serve up at any St. Patrick’s Day themed dinner parties! Not only are they delicious but they are pretty cute and easy to eat with just a napkin making them perfect party food!
Beef & Guinness Hand Pies
Makes 16 Hand Pies
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 Medium Sized Potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup sweet peas
1 bottle Guinness Stout
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 packages of Deep Dish Pastry Shells (4 Shells total) OR your favourite pie pastry recipe doubled.
Milk
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef and onion then stir in the vegetables, thyme, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings then bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Roll out pastry dough and cut out 16 – 5 inch rounds and 16 – 5.5 inch rounds.
Spoon filling onto 5 inch rounds, brushing milk around the edges and cover with the 5.5 inch rounds and press with a fork to seal.
Bake 12-15 minutes and serve warm.

- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 2 Medium Sized Potatoes diced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup sweet peas
- 1 bottle Guinness Stout
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2 packages of Deep Dish Pastry Shells OR your favourite pie pastry recipe doubled. 4 Shells total
- Milk
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef and onion then stir in the vegetables, thyme, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings then bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Roll out pastry dough and cut out 16 - 5 inch rounds and 16 - 5.5 inch rounds.
- Spoon filling onto 5 inch rounds, brushing milk around the edges and cover with the 5.5 inch rounds and press with a fork to seal.
- Bake 12-15 minutes and serve warm.

Looking for more great savoury St. Patrick’s Day0 ideas? Check out these recipes from my friends:
Bacon, Egg and Spinach Breakfast Bites
For other St. Patrick’s Day themed recipes check these out too!
St. Patrickβs Day Muddy Buddies
Chocolate Covered Golden Oreos
These look great! Perfectly satisfying on a bitter cold day like today….
They sound yummy, definitely something my hubby would enjoy π
These sound so good. I would find it hard to stop at one.
How perfect are these for a St. Patty’s day party! They look really yummy.
These sound like a great cold weather comfort food.. I like the idea of using pre-made crusts instead of making your own dough
These look delicious–I will have to try them soon!
OHHHHH Yummy , these looks so delish , thanks for sharing the recipe , i will be making them for sure very soon π
Would you happen to be an Irish lassie…fabulous
Going to get hubby to make there his next free day
these might be on the menu for today….
My dad would totally love these! Thanks for sharing!
These look so delicious, tempting me to skip the corned beef and cabbage on St. Patty’s Day this year!
Planning to makes these for St Pattys Day!
I have a stew recipe made with Guinness that is marvellous so I know these pies will be fantastic too π
These sound delicious!
Pinned these some time ago and just got around to making them. Delicious! My children even loved them and asked me to make them again next week. Great recipe, thank you!
Will this work ok with a puff pastry?
I haven’t tried with this recipe, but I’m fairly certain that would work just fine. If you try it with puff pastry let us know how it works out!
Hello Elizabeth,
I’ve made the filling and set it aside to fill the pastry the following day. I would advise to hold back on the beer to 3/4 of a 12 oz bottle. I added a full bottle and it was too loose. I reduced the mixture until it was more condensed. The flavor intensified and was delicious.
They look like they would be really tasty!! Thank you for the recipe.It’s going to get pinned for future reference. π
Do you think these would freeze well for a quick “reheat in the oven” type dinner for my boyfriend on nights I’m not home to cook?
Yes, they should freeze well. Freeze them unbaked though.
Definitely my cup of tea, love hand pies π
My son, 8 yrs old, and I JUST made this… as in it’s currently in the oven baking. We just combined it into 1 big deep dish pie because of time, ie: his attention span, and doubled up the ingredients and the simmering time. We’ll see how that works out BUT the filling is absolutely FANTASTIC! We couldn’t stop eating the little bit that was left over! Next time I’ll make it to the “T” but as it is right now, I love this. Good job!
Had a difficult time with the pie crusts. How do you get 16 x 5 inch circles from a 9 inch deed dish crust?
Made these for St. Patrick’s day today! The flavor and consistency of the filling is absolutely perfect. Honestly could be a meal on its own. I did have significant issue getting enough dough from two pre made pie crusts. If you’re dead set on having it in a pastry, definitely buy at least four pre made pie doughs. Otherwise this is delicious on its own in a bowl.
My hubby and I are recovering alcoholics therefore we absolutely cannot have stout. Is there anything that could be subbed instead? Yes we know alcohol should evaporate but we’re not willing to chance our sobriety.
Replace with rootbeer or coke 1:1. Good luck!