Scottish steak pie with puff pastry topping is a traditional New Year’s Day dish in Scotland, however, it’s too good to only be made once a year. The truth is, Scottish steak pie is a classic, and eaten all year long.

If you’ve ever been to Scotland, chances are you came across Scottish steak pies at some point.

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Whether at a pub, at the grocery store, a butcher shop, or in someone’s home, they are a staple in Scottish cuisine. To say steak pie is a favorite meal of Scots might be an understatement. One of the funniest Scottish programs I’ve ever watched is called “Still Game”. Here is a clip that includes steak pie (luckily it includes subtitles so you can understand it as Glaswegian isn’t easy for some)!

Still Game screenshot BBC — Clip and photo courtesy of BBC Scotland.

As you can see, steak pies are a serious matter! 😂

What is the Difference Between an English Steak Pie and a Scottish Steak Pie?

A typical British or English steak pie is usually made with a double short pastry crust (crust on the bottom and top of the pie). Whereas, a Scottish steak pie has no pastry on the bottom of the dish, and only puff pastry on top.

Also, sometimes sausages are added into the steak pie filling with the Scottish version. Both English and Scottish can have kidneys in the filling, too (steak and kidney pie).

Both are incredibly delicious, but if you buy your puff pastry, the Scottish steak pie is much quicker. and easier to make because there’s no pie crust making involved.

Need ideas for a sweet to follow your steak pie? Check out my list of Scottish desserts!

The filling is also quite simple as it only includes onion and beef with a lovely gravy. Give it a try and see what you think!

How do you Make a Scottish Steak Pie?

It’s easy to make this savory pie: just make the filling, place it into a pie dish for the oven, top with puff pastry and bake! That’s it. You’ll want to serve it with mashed potatoes, chips (fries) and peas or another vegetable, and don’t be afraid to break out the HP Sauce.

I love HP with these sausage rolls, which happen to be made with puff pastry, too!

black pudding Scotch egg cut in half, sausage rolls and HP Sauce — Black pudding Scotch eggs with sausage rolls and HP.

You can make the filling in a normal pot on the stove, or you can use an Instant pot or pressure cooker. You can even cook the meat overnight in a slow cooker. Any of these methods will result in a delicious pie. however, I normally use a pressure cooker.

Scottish Steak Pie Recipe

recipe by Christina Conte serves 6

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Make the Filling

Sauté the onion in some oil until translucent. Remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl.

Cut the steak into small, bite sized pieces and toss in a little flour.

In the same pot or pan where the onion was sautéed, add half of the beef cubes and sear quickly until lightly browned. Remove, then repeat with the other half.

When the second half is ready, add all the meat and the onion back into the pot. Add about 8 oz of beef stock or water, bring to a boil. If using water, add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon or 2 beef OXO cubes. Simmer for an hour or so, or pressure cook for about 20 minutes. Taste the gravy and add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake the Pie

Preheat the oven to 400º F (200º C).

Empty the filling into a square 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.

Wet the edges, then place a sheet of puff pastry (I like Trader Joe’s all butter puff pastry) which has been rolled out to the size of the pan, over the dish. Wet the edge of the dish, and stick the edges of the pastry to it. Cut a vent hole in the center, and brush with slightly beaten egg white. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the puff pastry is well risen and golden brown.

Another option is to bake the puff pastry crust separately and then add it (this is also done in Scotland). The pastry rises much higher this way. Be sure to brush it with egg white.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the puff pastry is well risen and golden brown.

Serve the Scottish Steak Pie

Allow to cool slightly, then slice into 6 pieces and serve with mashed potatoes, chips and your choice of green vegetable (peas are the usual choice). You can serve with more gravy if you desire, or just add some HP Sauce. If you like, open a Scottish ale or if you don’t drink alcohol, you may be interested in an Athletic Brewing Company non-alcoholic beverage (pictured above in the first photo). My son loves them and I am sharing his affiliate link.

Enjoy: whether you join millions of other Scots who will be having it on New Year’s Day, or you decide to make it on a random Wednesday in May, lang may yer lum reek!

Atholl Brose is also traditional for New Year’s Eve!