Description
This pot pie pairs sweet lobster and juicy shrimp with a silky garlic-herbed cream sauce, then crowns the whole thing with cheesy, golden cheddar-bay style biscuits. It’s rich, comforting, and just fancy enough to serve when you want to impress without sweating the kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood filling
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, small dice
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups seafood stock (or chicken stock if that’s what you have)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ lb cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Cheddar-Bay biscuit topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cold butter, grated or cut into small pieces
- ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- ⅓ cup whole milk (plus 1 Tbsp if the dough needs loosening)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the base: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and sauté until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 4–6 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for about a minute to form a light roux.
- Slowly pour in the stock while whisking, then add the cream. Continue whisking until the sauce becomes smooth and begins to thicken — about 5–7 minutes.
- Season the sauce with Old Bay, salt, and pepper; taste and adjust if needed.
- Toss in the shrimp and cook until they just turn pink (2–3 minutes). Fold in the lobster and parsley, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Make the biscuits: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- Work the cold butter into the dry mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheddar and herbs.
- Pour in the milk and fold gently until a sticky dough forms. Add the extra tablespoon of milk only if the dough seems too dry.
- Assemble: Spoon the seafood filling into greased ramekins or into one greased baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the filling, spacing them so they cover the surface.
- Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20–25 minutes, or until the biscuit tops are deeply golden and a skewer inserted into a biscuit comes out clean.
- Let the pots rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so the filling firms up slightly.
Notes
- Frozen seafood? Thaw fully and pat dry before using. If your shrimp are pre-cooked, add them at the very end just to warm through.
- No lobster available? Increase the shrimp portion or use crab meat instead.
- Cheese options: Swap sharp cheddar for smoked gouda or Monterey Jack for a different profile.
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the filling one day in advance and refrigerate. Assemble and bake when you’re ready.
- Freezing: This pot pie freezes well either before baking (cover tightly) or after baking. Reheat from frozen at 375°F until warmed through.