Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie Recipe tastes like a cozy chowder and a basket of cheesy biscuits had the best comfort food baby. It stays budget-friendly with smart frozen seafood, pantry shortcuts, and a total time of about 1 hour from chopping to bubbling casserole on the table. I tested this one on a Tuesday night with my kids side-eyeing the peas, so you know it passed a very tough panel.
Reasons To Try This Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie Recipe
This pot pie gives you creamy seafood filling, garlicky cheddar biscuits on top, and that classic seafood shack flavor in one skillet. The biscuits bake up golden and crisp on top while the bottoms soak in the sauce like the best part of a biscuit and gravy situation.
You stretch a modest amount of seafood with plenty of veggies and a rich sauce, so the recipe feels special without wrecking your grocery budget. It works for weeknights if you prep a few things ahead, yet it still feels fancy enough for a cozy at home date night or a small dinner party.
“Tastes like my favorite seafood restaurant in casserole form, but way cheaper and cozier.” – Megan ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
Seafood and Veggies
- 1 pound mixed seafood
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or green onion
Sauce Base
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium seafood stock, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay or similar seafood seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional for a little kick
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
- 2 cups biscuit baking mix or all purpose baking mix
- You can use a Cheddar Bay style boxed mix if you like
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional for a hint of sweetness
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 3/4 to 1 cup cold milk or buttermilk
Pantry Shortcuts and Substitutions
- Use frozen chopped onions and mixed veggies to save time.
- Swap half the butter for olive oil if you need to stretch butter.
- Use canned crab or canned shrimp for a budget option; drain it well first.
- Use lactose free milk and dairy free cheese shreds if you need to avoid lactose.
Equipment List
- Large oven safe skillet, braiser, or Dutch oven
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Microplane or small grater for lemon zest
- Oven mitts and a sheet pan to catch any drips
Tips
- Pat seafood dry so it browns a bit and does not water down the sauce.
- Cut shrimp and fish into bite size pieces so every scoop gets a mix.
- Use cold milk in the biscuit dough so the topping bakes fluffy and tender.
- Do not overmix the biscuit dough; stir until it just comes together.
- Taste the sauce before you add the seafood and adjust salt and seasoning.
- Place the skillet on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling over in the oven.
- Let the pot pie rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling thickens.
How to Make Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie
Step 1: Prep and season the seafood
Pat the seafood dry with paper towels and cut large pieces into bite size chunks. Toss the seafood with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of Old Bay. Set the bowl in the fridge while you start the filling so the flavors sink in.
Step 2: Sauté veggies and aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in your skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until they soften and turn translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until it smells fragrant, not burnt. Add frozen peas, carrots, and corn and cook 3 minutes to take off the chill.
Step 3: Build the creamy sauce
Push the veggies to the edges of the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the center. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and whisk or stir to form a paste. Cook this mixture 2 minutes so the flour loses its raw taste. Slowly pour in the broth while you whisk and then add the milk, whisking until the sauce looks smooth.
Stir in Old Bay, salt, pepper, Dijon, Worcestershire, hot sauce if using, and lemon zest. Let the sauce simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens to a gravy like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning so the sauce tastes slightly salty and bold since the biscuits will mellow it out.
Step 4: Add the seafood and herbs
Stir the chilled seafood into the hot sauce along with parsley and chives. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, just until the shrimp start to curl and the fish turns opaque at the edges. Turn off the heat so the seafood does not overcook in the skillet before baking.
Step 5: Mix the Cheddar Bay biscuit topping
In a medium bowl, mix biscuit baking mix, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and sugar. Stir to combine so the cheese and seasonings spread evenly. Pour in melted butter and 3/4 cup milk and stir until a soft, thick dough forms. Add up to 1/4 cup more milk if the dough looks too dry and crumbly.
Step 6: Top the filling with biscuit dough
Use a large spoon or scoop to drop mounds of biscuit dough over the seafood filling. Leave small gaps between the mounds so steam can escape and the biscuits puff nicely. Aim for 8 to 10 biscuits across the top so each serving gets a generous cheesy biscuit.
Step 7: Bake until golden and bubbly
Heat the oven to 400°F while you mix the topping if you have not already. Place the skillet on a sheet pan and slide it into the oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the biscuits look golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges. If the tops brown too fast, tent the skillet loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
Step 8: Rest and finish
Remove the skillet from the oven and let the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle extra parsley or chives on top for color and a fresh hit of flavor. Spoon into bowls so each person gets plenty of biscuit and creamy seafood filling.
Different Ways to Try It
- Gluten free: use gluten free baking mix and gluten free flour for the sauce, and check that your broth and seasonings stay gluten free.
- Dairy free: use plant based butter, dairy free cheese shreds, and unsweetened plant milk; the biscuits still bake up tasty.
- Low carb: skip the peas and corn, add extra celery and cauliflower, and use a low carb biscuit mix or cheesy cauliflower mash on top.
- Extra protein: add cooked shredded chicken or turkey along with the seafood.
- More veggies: stir in sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or diced bell pepper.
- Spicy version: add extra hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne to the sauce and use pepper jack cheese in the biscuit topping.
How to Serve Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie
Serve generous scoops in shallow bowls so the sauce pools around the biscuits. Add a simple green salad or steamed green beans on the side to keep things fresh and bright. Offer lemon wedges so everyone can squeeze a little extra citrus over their bowl. A cold sparkling water with lime or a tall glass of iced tea pairs perfectly with the rich, creamy filling.
Make-Ahead and Storage Success
You can prep the filling up to 2 days ahead, store it in the fridge, then reheat it on the stove and add fresh biscuit topping right before baking. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven at 350°F until hot and bubbly. The biscuits soften a bit on day two, but they soak up the sauce and taste even more comforting. If you want to freeze, freeze just the cooled filling up to 2 months, then thaw, top with fresh biscuit dough, and bake.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a large deep pie dish and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the seafood or chicken stock, followed by the half-and-half, stirring until smooth and thickened, 3–5 minutes.
- Season the mixture with Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the peas and corn.
- Add the mixed seafood and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, just until the seafood begins to turn opaque. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
- Transfer the seafood filling to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, then add the buttermilk and gently mix just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the top of the warm seafood filling, leaving a little space between mounds for spreading.
- Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- While the pot pie bakes, combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Remove the pot pie from the oven and immediately brush the tops of the biscuits with the garlic-parsley butter.
- Let the pot pie rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to thicken slightly. Serve warm.
Notes
Approximate per serving (1/6 of recipe): 620 calories; fat 39 g; saturated fat 21 g; carbohydrates 42 g; fiber 3 g; sugars 6 g; protein 27 g; sodium 1130 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on specific seafood mix, brands used, and portion size.