Let’s Dive Into This Seafood Biscuit Pot Pie (With a Tangled Tale or Two)

Okay, so picture this: it’s raining buckets, and my family is pacing around like a squad of hungry seagulls. Everyone’s pulling for something warm and cheesy, and honestly, I just want a dinner that won’t leave me stuck at the stove all night. Enter my take on Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie—comfort food that owes about as much to a Red Lobster menu as it does my freezer stash. First time I made it, I pretty much winged it with leftover shrimp and that “just add water” biscuit mix, but goodness, it turned out way better than I deserved. Now the kids ask for it when it gets chilly, which is like, October through May around here. (Also, last time, my brother-in-law insisted on calling it “seafood stew with a biscuit hat,” which, honestly, kinda works.)

Why You’ll Love This (Or, When I Make It…)

I make this when I want to clear out the crisper bin and don’t want to fuss with anything fancy—plus, my family goes nuts for those garlicky cheddar biscuits (I mean, who doesn’t?). It’s a one-pan deal, if you don’t count the bowl for the biscuits. Honestly, it’s a good way to sneak vegetables in, too (not that you’d catch my daughter anywhere near a pea otherwise). Oh! Also, it reheats like a champ. Unless, ya know, someone eats the whole thing straight out of the dish before it’s even properly cooled. (Not naming names. But I see you, Uncle Mark.)

What You Need (But I’m Flexible, Trust Me)

Seafood: 2 cups cooked shrimp, scallops, crab, whatever you have. I usually grab the frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s, but sometimes I toss in tilapia chunks if I’m low on shellfish.
Mixed vegetables: 1.5 cups frozen peas, carrots, and corn combo. Fresh is gorgeous if you’ve gotten your act together. Canned? Eh, choose your own adventure.
Cream of celery soup: 1 can (about 10 oz). Cream of mushroom or chicken works—my grandma swore by Campbell’s but I just grab what’s on sale.
Milk or cream: Half a cup (ish). I’ve even used plain Greek yogurt in a pinch.
Old Bay Seasoning: A hearty teaspoon, or even a little more if you like a kick (I do).
Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix: 1 packet (usually 11 oz or so, from the grocery store). Or homemade (here’s a recipe I tried once, and yes, it works!).
Cheese: A generous handful of shredded cheddar. Optional, I guess, but why would you skip it?
Butter: About 4 tablespoons, melted (split between the biscuits and brushing on top afterward).
Garlic powder & parsley: A good sprinkle of both (if you want that Red Lobster magic).
Salt & Pepper: To taste, or based on your seafood mix.

How You Actually Make It (Loosey Goosey Version)

Preheat your oven—425°F, or whatever your biscuit package says (mine nearly always says 425, so there we go).
Grab a big bowl. Dump in your seafood, veggies, soup, milk (or whatever dairy weirdness you ended up using), Old Bay, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until it looks scary creamy. This is where I sneak a baby shrimp, just to “check for seasoning.” You can too. No judgment here.
Spread that mixture into a big casserole dish (I use my beloved 9×13 Pyrex, but any ovenproof pan will do. Once did it in a Dutch oven because all my dishes were in the sink). Don’t fuss if it’s lumpy. It will be.
In a separate bowl, mix up your Cheddar Bay Biscuit dough according to the box, then fold in a bit of shredded cheese and some garlic powder. Or just dump it all on top. (To be honest, those days when I forgot to fold things in? Still delicious.)
Dollop biscuit dough all over the top of the seafood stuff. Like clouds. Uneven is fine. Voila, rustic vibes!
Bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, until the biscuits are exactly the right mix of golden and gooey, and the sides are bubbling just enough to be terrifying. Don’t worry if it looks slightly odd before baking, it all comes together.
Melt your butter with more garlic powder and parsley (or just parsley flakes, whatever you have). Brush over the hot biscuits as soon as it’s out. This is the step I sometimes skip if the kids are, like, clawing at my legs for food.
Let it sit about 10 minutes if you can, so you don’t melt your tongue. Serve hot. Or warm. Or, if you’re my cousin, directly from the fridge at 2 am.

Notes That Save My Skin (Most Days)

Don’t overbake the biscuits, unless you prefer your pot pie with a bit more crunch (my husband loves it extra browned for reasons I cannot explain).
I actually find it tastes better the second day—the flavors hang out together more. You decide, though.
Sometimes the filling looks way too runny when it goes in the oven, but it thickens as it bakes (and, okay, thickens even more after cooling down a bit).
Honestly, add a squeeze of lemon to the seafood mix if you like a little brightness; I don’t always remember, but when I do, yum!

I Tried These Variations (With Mixed Results)

Once I swapped crab for chopped lobster tails after a special (okay, expensive) grocery haul—felt super fancy, still worked.
I did a version with leftover rotisserie chicken instead of seafood for my seafood-phobic niece. Shocking no one, it also tasted great. Just swapped Old Bay for poultry seasoning.
Tried making it with almond milk once and…let’s just say, it wasn’t my best idea. The filling separated a bit. Live and learn.

Stuff I Use (Or Improvise When I Have to)

Casserole dish or baking pan—if all else fails, use a deep skillet that goes in the oven. I’ve pulled it off in a big Dutch oven before too.
Mixing bowl & mixing spoon—once I used a giant measuring cup as a bowl because everything else was dirty. It worked (sort of).
Basting brush for butter—no brush? Use a spoon or even a paper towel.

How to Store It (If, Miraculously, There Are Leftovers)

Just pop the pan in the fridge covered with foil/plastic wrap. Should last 2-3 days, but honestly, it rarely survives the first 24 hours around here. Reheat in the oven so the biscuits stay kinda crisp. Microwave is fine if you’re not precious about the texture.

How We Like to Serve It (And a Weird Family Custom)

We usually just spoon this right into shallow bowls—no sides needed, unless you count a little salad. My aunt likes hot sauce sprinkled over the top, and my daughter, for reasons that escape me, must have cucumber slices on the side. Go figure.

If I Could Do It Over: My Pro Tips

I once rushed the biscuit part and, trust me, under-mixed dough never puffs right; take the extra minute, you’ll thank yourself.
Don’t skip the butter-brushing part at the end. I have, and it just feels a little sad in comparison.
Honestly, I keep the seafood mixture fairly thick—one time I thinned it out with too much milk and ended up serving biscuit soup. Tasted good, looked… questionable.

I sometimes check out biscuit inspiration on King Arthur’s website when I want to get nerdy about crumb texture, but usually I just wing it.

Burning Questions (From Family Texts, Mostly)

Can I make it with just shrimp? 100 percent. Honestly, all shrimp is tasty, just watch salt—you might need less.
Does it freeze well? Kind of. The filling holds up, biscuits get a tad soft—but hey, still edible. Make sure you let it cool before freezing or you’ll get ice crystals and nobody wants that.
What if I don’t have Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix? You could use regular biscuit mix, throw in extra cheese, garlic, and parsley. Or, this DIY recipe has worked in a pinch for me.
What veggies do you recommend? I mostly use frozen because it’s quick. If you have bell peppers or leeks they’re great—just cook them down first to avoid odd crunchiness.
Can you double this for a crowd? Oh boy, yes. Just use a huge pan and add another box of biscuit mix. And pray you have fridge space left.

And that’s basically it. Next time you’re staring at those frozen shrimp and extra Cheddar Bay mix from your last Target run, maybe give it a whirl? Let me know if you add your own twist—I’m always up for stealing (I mean, um, borrowing) good ideas!

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Seafood Pot Pie