One-Dish Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie

Seafood pot pie sounds fancy, but this one comes together in a single skillet with no fussy steps. A creamy shrimp, scallop, and crab filling gets topped with cheesy, garlicky Cheddar Bay biscuits right in the pan and baked until bubbling and golden.

It’s exactly the kind of dinner that makes a weeknight feel like a little celebration without dirtying every dish in the kitchen.

What Makes This Pot Pie a Weeknight Winner

The biscuit topping is what pulls everyone to the table. They bake up flaky and tender with sharp cheddar and that signature garlic bite, like the ones from a certain seafood restaurant, but straight from your oven.

Underneath, the filling is rich and spoon-coating with just the right amount of cream and Old Bay. The seafood barely cooks in the creamy base, so the shrimp stay plump and the scallops stay sweet.

And clean up takes minutes because you build everything in one oven-safe skillet. Less time washing, more time going back for seconds.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter: unsalted, for the filling vegetables
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped: about 1 cup
• 2 celery stalks, diced: adds a gentle crunch
• 1 medium carrot, diced: a little color and sweetness
• 2 garlic cloves, minced: use fresh for the best flavor
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour: thickens the filling
• 2 cups seafood stock or clam juice: warm before adding to prevent lumps
• ½ cup heavy cream: makes the sauce luxe without being heavy
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning: or your favorite seafood seasoning blend
• ½ tsp fine sea salt: adjust depending on how salty your stock is
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 lb mixed seafood: a combination of raw shrimp (peeled and deveined), bay scallops, and lump crabmeat works beautifully
• 1 cup frozen peas: no need to thaw
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed: for the biscuits
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese: from a block for the best melt
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour: for the biscuit dough
• 2 tsp baking powder: gives the biscuits lift
• ½ tsp salt: for the biscuit dough
• ½ tsp garlic powder: the secret Cheddar Bay flavor
• ⅔ cup whole milk: cold
• 2 tbsp melted butter: for brushing
• ½ tsp garlic powder: mixed into the melted butter
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley: for the finish

Variations and Substitutions

• Seafood mix: swap in a pound of just shrimp, or use cooked lobster or crawfish tails. Firm white fish like cod cut into chunks works too.
• Spice: a pinch of cayenne or a dash of hot sauce stirred into the filling wakes everything up.
• Dairy-free: use a plant based butter, a neutral non-dairy milk, and your favorite shreddable vegan cheddar. Choose a dairy-free heavy cream alternative for the sauce.
• Gluten free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in both the filling and biscuits. Check your baking powder for hidden gluten.
• Vegetables: stir in a drained can of corn or a handful of chopped fresh spinach when you add the peas.

Leftover Beef Stew Pot Pie is a cozy soup to serve with this pot pie.

How to Make One-Dish Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie

Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables

Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) so it’s ready when you are. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron works great), melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and the onion looks translucent.

The kitchen will start smelling sweet and savory right about now. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, just until fragrant, keeping an eye so it doesn’t brown.

Step 2: Simmer the Creamy Seafood Filling

Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This cooks the raw flour taste out and gives the sauce something to grab onto. Slowly pour in the warm seafood stock while whisking, then add the heavy cream and Old Bay seasoning.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it bubble softly for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the salt and pepper. Gently fold in the mixed seafood and the frozen peas. Cook for only 2 to 3 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, then remove the skillet from the heat.

Step 3: Mix the Biscuit Dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1½ cups flour, baking powder, salt, and the ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Toss the 4 tablespoons of cold cubed butter into the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter bits.

Stir in the shredded cheddar, then pour in the cold milk. Fold everything together with a spatula just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour pockets remain. A light hand keeps the biscuits tender.

Step 4: Drop the Biscuits on the Filling

Use a ¼-cup scoop or two large spoons to drop 8 mounds of biscuit dough evenly across the top of the seafood filling. The biscuits should nestle together but still have a little room to expand.

The filling will be hot and thick underneath, which will hold the biscuits up as they bake rather than letting them sink.

Step 5: Bake Until Golden

Slide the skillet into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is bubbly around the edges and the biscuits are deeply golden on top. A toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit should come out clean.

If the biscuits are browning too fast before the 20-minute mark, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top.

Step 6: Brush with Garlic Butter and Serve

As soon as the skillet comes out of the oven, stir the remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder into the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Brush this garlic butter generously over the hot biscuits and scatter the chopped parsley on top.

Scoop straight from the skillet while everything is steaming and the biscuits are at their flakiest.

Tips for the Best Biscuit Topped Pot Pie

• Cold butter and cold milk are non-negotiable for biscuits that rise tall and tender. Work quickly with your fingertips so the butter doesn’t soften.
• The filling should be visibly thickened before you top it with the dough. If it’s too thin, the biscuits will sink instead of sitting proudly on top.
• Use seafood that’s fully thawed if frozen, and pat it dry with paper towels. Extra moisture will thin your sauce.
• For an extra punch of garlic, add a small grated garlic clove to the melted butter instead of the powdered garlic.

Bake times by dish:

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate: Cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. The biscuits will soften slightly overnight, but the flavor holds beautifully.

Reheating: Warm individual portions in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or until the filling is hot and the biscuit topping re-crisps. A microwave works in a pinch, but the biscuits won’t stay flaky.

What to Serve with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie

A crisp green salad with a lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the creamy filling. The acid brightens every bite. Steamed or roasted asparagus alongside, with a drizzle of olive oil and salt, keeps the meal light while still feeling special.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a biscuit mix instead of making the dough from scratch?

Yes. Prepare one package of biscuit mix (like Bisquick) according to the package directions, but fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar and ½ teaspoon garlic powder before dropping. Brush with the same garlic butter after baking.

What’s the best seafood combination for this pot pie?

A mix of shrimp, bay scallops, and lump crabmeat gives you a nice balance of textures, from meaty to delicate. All shrimp works too, or swap in cooked lobster tails for a special occasion.

Why did my filling separate or look curdled?

Usually this happens if the dairy was too cold when it hit the hot roux. Use room temperature heavy cream and warm stock, and keep whisking as you pour them in slowly. A steady gentle simmer instead of a hard boil also helps.

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 680

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups seafood stock or clam juice
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 lb mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, crab)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt (for biscuit dough)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (for biscuit dough)
• ⅔ cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (for garlic butter)
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Melt 2 tbsp butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrot for 5 to 6 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
2. Sprinkle 3 tbsp flour over vegetables, stir 1 minute. Slowly whisk in warm seafood stock and heavy cream. Add Old Bay. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in seafood and peas, cook 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp are pink. Remove from heat.
3. In a bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp garlic powder. Cut in the 4 tbsp cold butter until pea-sized. Stir in cheddar. Add milk, stir just until combined.
4. Drop 8 mounds of biscuit dough over the seafood filling.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbly.
6. Combine 2 tbsp melted butter with ½ tsp garlic powder, brush over hot biscuits, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you’d like to assemble this ahead, prepare the filling and refrigerate it separately from the unbaked biscuit dough. When ready to bake, reheat the filling on the stove until hot, top with the dough, and bake as directed, adding 3 to 5 extra minutes.