Beef Pizza Pie

Ever wished for pizza night to be even more substantial, more deeply satisfying, a true meal in a slice? Then prepare to be amazed by Beef Pizza Pie, a culinary creation that redefines pizza as you know it, transforming it into a hearty and flavorful pie that’s perfect for dinner. This isn’t just pizza with beef topping; it’s a complete culinary experience, a savory pie featuring a flaky crust enveloping a rich, beefy filling, infused with classic pizza flavors and baked to golden perfection. Imagine the aroma wafting from your oven – a tantalizing blend of savory beef, melted cheese, and fragrant herbs, promising a taste sensation that is both familiar and utterly unique. Beef Pizza Pie is more than just pizza; it’s a comforting and crowd-pleasing meal, a delightful fusion of pizza flavors and hearty pie satisfaction, guaranteed to become a new family favorite. Get ready to experience pizza reimagined – your beefy, cheesy pie adventure starts now.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

Pizza Night, Elevated

Tired of the same old pizza routine? Beef Pizza Pie takes pizza night to a whole new level, offering a more substantial and exciting way to enjoy pizza flavors. It’s pizza, but better!

Hearty and Satisfying Meal

This isn’t just a snack; Beef Pizza Pie is a complete and satisfying meal, packed with beef and cheese within a flaky crust. Perfect for dinner, it’s guaranteed to banish hunger.

Fun and Family-Friendly

Kids and adults alike will adore Beef Pizza Pie. It’s a fun, interactive, and delicious way to enjoy a family meal together. Pizza in pie form – what’s not to love?

this …

Ingredients

The Components of Your Delicious Beef Pizza Pie

To create your own mouthwatering Beef Pizza Pie, gather these readily available and permissible ingredients, each carefully selected to contribute to the savory flavors and satisfying textures of this unique and comforting dish:

For the Savory and Flavorful Beef Filling:

• 1.5 lbs Ground Beef: Ground beef, the star of this pizza pie filling, provides a rich and savory base, offering a satisfying heartiness that perfectly complements the pizza flavors and flaky crust. Opt for ground beef with a 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio for optimal flavor and texture without excessive greasiness.
• 1 Large Green Bell Pepper, diced: Green bell pepper, adding a slightly bitter and vegetal note, contributes a classic pizza flavor element and a pleasant savory depth that balances the richness of the beef and cheese. Red or yellow bell peppers can be used as permissible alternatives for a sweeter flavor.
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced: Yellow onion, with its balanced flavor that mellows and sweetens as it cooks, forms the aromatic base of the filling, contributing a foundational savory note and enhancing the overall depth of flavor. White onion can be used as a permissible substitute for a slightly sharper flavor.
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced: Fresh garlic, the aromatic powerhouse, infuses the filling with its signature pungent and savory depth, creating a foundational layer of flavor that awakens the palate and complements the beef and vegetables beautifully. Mincing the garlic finely ensures maximum flavor release and even distribution throughout the filling.
• 1 (15 oz) can Permissible Pizza Sauce: Permissible pizza sauce, providing the classic pizza flavor base, adds a tangy, tomatoey, and herbaceous element that is essential for creating the pizza pie taste. Choose a pizza sauce with your preferred level of seasoning and flavor profile. Homemade pizza sauce is also a delicious permissible option.
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano: Dried oregano, with its robust and slightly peppery flavor, adds a classic Italian-American herb note that is essential for pizza flavor, complementing the tomato sauce and beef beautifully, contributing a familiar and comforting aromatic element. Dried basil or Italian seasoning blend can be used as permissible alternatives.
• ¾ teaspoon Sea Salt: Sea salt, essential for seasoning, is crucial for enhancing the flavors of all the ingredients and bringing out the savory depth of the beef filling, ensuring a well-balanced and delicious pizza pie. Adjust the amount to your personal taste preference, seasoning throughout the cooking process.
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper: Black pepper, adding a subtle warmth and a gentle peppery bite, provides a foundational seasoning element that complements the pizza flavors and beef without overpowering, offering a familiar and balanced pepper note. White pepper can be substituted for a milder pepper flavor.
• ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional): Red pepper flakes, adding a touch of heat, provide an optional spicy kick to the pizza pie filling for those who enjoy a bit of warmth. Omit if you prefer a milder flavor profile.

For the Cheesy and Flavorful Pizza Pie Layers:

• 2 cups Permissible Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Permissible shredded mozzarella cheese, providing the classic pizza cheese pull and mild, milky flavor, is essential for creating the cheesy layers of the pizza pie. It melts beautifully and offers a familiar and comforting cheese element. Permissible provolone or a blend of mozzarella and provolone can be used as alternatives for a slightly different flavor profile.
• ½ cup Permissible Grated Parmesan Cheese: Permissible grated Parmesan cheese, adding a salty, nutty, and umami-rich flavor, contributes a sharper cheese note that enhances the overall flavor complexity of the pizza pie, complementing the mozzarella and beef filling. Permissible Pecorino Romano cheese or a blend of hard Italian cheeses can be used as alternatives.

For the Flaky and Golden Pizza Pie Crust:

• 1 box (14.1 oz) Refrigerated Pie Crusts: Refrigerated pie crusts, providing a convenient and flaky base and top for the pizza pie, are essential for creating the pie structure and offering a satisfying buttery and flaky texture. You will need two crusts – one for the bottom and one for the top of the pie. Homemade pie crust can also be used for a more from-scratch approach.
• 1 Large Egg, beaten (for egg wash): A beaten large egg, used as an egg wash, provides a golden-brown and glossy finish to the top pie crust, enhancing its visual appeal and adding a slight richness and sheen. Permissible milk or cream can be used as an alternative egg wash for a less pronounced color.

How to Make Beef Pizza Pie

Step-by-Step Guide to Pizza Pie Perfection

Creating a delicious and satisfying Beef Pizza Pie is a straightforward culinary process, easily accomplished by following these clear and concise steps, designed to maximize pizza flavor and hearty pie satisfaction with minimal effort:

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef and Sauté Vegetables for Flavorful Filling:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add ground beef to the skillet and break it apart into smaller crumbles using a spoon or spatula. Cook the beef, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and no longer pink, allowing it to develop a rich, savory flavor that forms the base of the pizza pie filling. Drain off any excess grease from the skillet after browning the beef, ensuring a less greasy and more flavorful filling. Return the browned beef to the skillet. Add diced green bell pepper and diced yellow onion to the skillet with the browned beef and sauté over medium heat for approximately 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become slightly tender, releasing their fragrant aromas and creating a flavorful vegetable base for the filling. Add minced garlic to the skillet with the softened vegetables and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes fragrant, infusing the vegetable base with its pungent and savory notes.

Step 2: Simmer Filling with Pizza Sauce and Seasonings:

Stir permissible pizza sauce, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) into the skillet with the beef and sautéed vegetables, combining all ingredients and creating the flavorful pizza sauce base for the filling. Bring the filling mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld together beautifully, creating a cohesive and flavorful pizza pie filling. Simmering the filling allows the flavors to deepen and meld, creating a more complex and harmonious taste profile. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the beef filling cool slightly while you prepare the pie crust.

Step 3: Assemble the Beef Pizza Pie:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Unroll one refrigerated pie crust and gently place it in the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides of the dish to form the bottom crust. Trim any excess crust overhang and crimp the edges decoratively for a finished pie look. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bottom pie crust, creating a cheesy base layer that will melt into the filling and add extra flavor and texture. Spoon the slightly cooled beef filling evenly over the mozzarella cheese layer, spreading it out to create an even filling layer within the pie crust. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the beef filling layer, creating the top cheesy layer that will melt and brown beautifully during baking, adding a rich and cheesy topping to the pizza pie. Top the pie with the second unrolled refrigerated pie crust, gently placing it over the cheese layer and sealing the edges to the bottom crust by crimping them together decoratively, creating a sealed pie. Trim any excess crust overhang.

Step 4: Bake to Golden Perfection:

Brush the top pie crust evenly with beaten egg wash, ensuring a golden-brown and glossy finish during baking. Cut several slits in the top pie crust using a sharp knife to allow steam to escape during baking, preventing the crust from becoming soggy and ensuring even cooking. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the pie crust is golden brown and the filling is heated through and bubbly, indicating the pizza pie is cooked through and ready to serve. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; check for doneness by inserting a knife into the center of the pie to ensure it is heated through.

Step 5: Rest and Serve Your Delicious Pizza Pie:

Remove Beef Pizza Pie from the oven and let it cool slightly for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving, allowing the filling to set slightly and the pie to cool to a more comfortable serving temperature. Resting the pie makes it easier to slice and serve and allows the flavors to meld further. Slice into wedges and serve hot. Enjoy your homemade plate of savory, cheesy, and utterly satisfying Beef Pizza Pie!

Tips for Variations

Spicy Pepperoni Beef Pizza Pie

Add a classic pizza topping twist to your Beef Pizza Pie by incorporating permissible pepperoni. Layer permissible pepperoni slices over the mozzarella cheese layer in Step 3 before adding the beef filling. The pepperoni will add a spicy and savory element that complements the beef and pizza flavors beautifully, creating a more familiar and pizza-inspired variation.

Mushroom and Olive Beef Pizza Pie

Boost the vegetable content and add earthy and briny flavors to your pizza pie by incorporating mushrooms and olives. Sauté 8 ounces of sliced permissible mushrooms (cremini or button) along with the onions and green bell peppers in Step 1. Layer sliced permissible black olives or green olives over the mozzarella cheese layer in Step 3 before adding the beef filling. The mushrooms and olives will add depth, texture, and classic pizza topping flavors to the dish.

Garlic Herb Beef Pizza Pie

Enhance the aromatic and herbaceous notes of your Beef Pizza Pie with a garlic herb butter crust. Before topping the pie with the top crust in Step 3, brush the bottom crust edges with a mixture of melted permissible butter, minced garlic, and dried Italian herbs. This will infuse the crust with a delicious garlic herb flavor that complements the pizza filling beautifully, adding an extra layer of aromatic complexity and flavor.

FAQ

Can I make this pizza pie ahead of time?

Question: Is Beef Pizza Pie a dish that can be prepared in advance? If so, what’s the best way to store and reheat it?

Answer: Yes, you can assemble the pizza pie ahead of time and store it unbaked in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed when ready to serve, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator. Leftover baked pizza pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.

Can I use homemade pizza dough instead of pie crust?

Question: Instead of using refrigerated pie crust, could I use homemade pizza dough for the crust of Beef Pizza Pie? How would this change the texture?

Answer: Yes, you can use homemade pizza dough for a thicker, chewier crust. Roll out the pizza dough and use it to line the pie dish, allowing for a slightly thicker crust. The baking time may need to be adjusted slightly to ensure the pizza dough crust is fully cooked. The texture will be less flaky and more bread-like compared to pie crust.

What other cheeses can I use in this recipe?

Question: Besides mozzarella and Parmesan, are there other permissible cheeses that would be delicious in Beef Pizza Pie to create different flavor combinations?

Answer: Yes, you can experiment with other permissible cheeses like provolone, Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a blend of Italian cheeses. Provolone will add a slightly sharper and tangier flavor. Cheddar will add a bolder, more pronounced cheese flavor. Monterey Jack will add a mild and creamy flavor.

Savor the savory, cheesy, and utterly satisfying Beef Pizza Pie – a dish that promises to become a cherished family favorite, a go-to recipe for fun and flavorful dinners, and a source of pure culinary joy in every hearty, pizza-inspired slice. Gather your permissible ingredients, follow the simple steps, and prepare to be transported to a world of pizza pie perfection, ready to warm your heart, tantalize your taste buds, and bring smiles to everyone around your table – a plateful of beefy, cheesy bliss awaits, ready to be enjoyed and shared for a truly memorable and delicious meal!

Print