Mince Pies
Classic British spiced minced meat pies with a flaky pastry crust.
Allergens: contains cereals containing gluten, eggs, milk. Brands differ, so always check the labels on what you buy.
Per serving (approx.): 25g carbs · 9g sugars · 1g fibre. Estimates for carb counting, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, follow your GP or dietitian's advice.
Not every ingredient has a checked price at Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, so they aren't compared here yet (more are checked every day). Lidl doesn't publish prices online, so it can't be compared.
Ingredients and prices
Swipe the table to see every supermarket.
| Ingredient | Tesco | Sainsbury's | Morrisons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain flouruse 250g | £0.801.5kg · £0.05 per 100g | £0.45500g · £0.09 per 100g | £0.53480g · £0.11 per 100g |
| Caster sugarnot compared | – | £1.90 | – |
| Unsalted butterpack 250g · use 125g | £1.85£0.74 per 100g | £1.85£0.74 per 100g | £1.85£0.74 per 100g |
| Beef minceuse 500g | £6.75500g · £1.35 per 100g | 2 × £2.55250g · £1.02 per 100g | £5.05500g · £1.01 per 100g |
| Onionuse 1 small (½ onion) | £0.951kg · £0.10 per 100g | £0.951kg · £0.10 per 100g | £0.953 pack · £0.32 each |
| Gingeruse 1 tsp grated | £1.0040g · £2.63 per 100g | £1.1540g · £3.03 per 100g | £1.55125g · £1.24 per 100g |
| Mixed peppersnot compared | – | – | – |
| Basket total (full packs) | £11.35 | £9.50 | £9.93 |
| Cost of what this recipe uses | £7.98 | £6.45 | £6.63 |
| Per serving | £0.67 | £0.54 | £0.55 |
Not compared (a price wasn't found at every shop, so it isn't in the totals): Caster sugar, Mixed peppers.
From your cupboard
Not in the prices above. Check you have these before you start.
Prices checked on 4 October 2026 from each supermarket's own listing or a price-comparison site. Each shop's unit price (or pack size) is shown under its price, and "cost of what this recipe uses" compares like with like (tap a price to see its source). Cheapest in each row is ticked. Prices, offers and pack sizes change; loyalty-card prices are not included unless stated.
Method
The method is written for 12. For a different number, use the amounts in the table above.
- Prep: Weigh 250 g plain flour, 100 g caster sugar, 125 g unsalted butter, 500 g beef mince, 1 small onion (½ onion), 1 tsp grated ginger and ½ cup chopped mixed peppers. Dice the onion finely, mince the ginger, chop the peppers. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Make pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add cold butter cut into 1 cm cubes and rub with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle 2 tbsp cold water, stir until dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 min.
- Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 20 cm frying pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 min, stirring until translucent. Check the colour; it should be pale.
- Add 500 g beef mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 min until browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Stir in 1 tsp grated ginger and ½ cup chopped mixed peppers. Cook for another 2 min until peppers soften slightly. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Preheat oven to 180 C (160 C fan, gas 4). Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 2 mm thickness. Cut into 12 equal squares (≈8 cm). Grease a 20 cm square tin and press 12 squares into the base, leaving a 1 cm border.
- Spoon the prepared filling onto each square, leaving the border. Cover with the remaining dough squares, sealing edges by pinching. Brush the tops with a beaten egg for a golden finish.
- Bake for 25 min until the pastry is golden brown and edges crisp. Test doneness: a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
- Let the pies cool in the tin for 5 min, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Taste a piece, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve warm with a fresh salad.
Tips
- Use frozen mixed peppers instead of fresh to cut cost and cut prep time.
- Store finished pies in an airtight tin; refrigerate for up to 48 h and reheat once until steaming hot.
- Freeze raw pastry dough for up to 3 months; thaw in fridge overnight before rolling and baking.
Nothing wasted: your leftover ingredients
Supermarkets sell set pack sizes, so you'll have some ingredients left. Here's how to keep them, and other recipes here that use them up.
- Plain flour · about 1.25kg left
Dry stores keep for months sealed in the cupboard, so nothing goes to waste. Use it in: Banana muffins, Ginger Cake, Turkey Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries. - Caster sugar · about 900g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Banana muffins, Ginger Cake, Sticky Teriyaki Chicken Thighs. - Unsalted butter · about 125g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Banana muffins, Ginger Cake, Pad Thai with Chicken. - Beef mince · about 500g left
Freeze the raw meat you don't use, well wrapped and labelled, before its use-by date. Defrost in the fridge and cook within 24 hours. Use it in: Chilli con carne, Spaghetti Bolognese, Beef & Veggie Skillet. - Onion · about 947.5g left
Chop the rest and freeze it flat in a bag: it cooks straight from frozen in soups, curries and sauces. Whole onions keep for weeks somewhere cool, dark and dry. Use it in: Chilli con carne, Egg fried rice, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake. - Ginger · about 95g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Ginger Cake, Jerk chicken with rice and peas, Sticky Teriyaki Chicken Thighs.
Storing leftovers
Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within 1–2 hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 2 days, or freeze them. Defrost in the fridge and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through (Food Standards Agency guidance).