Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this incredibly Creamy Seafood Pot Pie. Crafted with convenience in mind, this recipe utilizes readily available store-bought pie crusts, a delightful medley of shrimp, succulent lobster, flavorful crab, and a mix of frozen vegetables. This double-crust pie promises a rich, savory experience that will warm hearts and satisfy seafood lovers across the entire family. Its ease of preparation makes it a perfect choice for weeknight dinners or special gatherings, delivering gourmet flavors without the fuss.
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There’s something uniquely comforting about a classic pot pie, especially when it features a tender, flaky crust enveloping a perfectly seasoned, creamy filling. For this particular recipe, we’re diving deep into the ocean’s bounty to create a seafood masterpiece. As a true seafood enthusiast, crafting this dish was a must. However, if chicken is more to your liking, rest assured, this recipe is incredibly adaptable. Keep reading for tips on how to easily swap the seafood for chicken. And for those seeking a lower-carb option, be sure to check out my Keto Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Choosing the Perfect Pie Crust for Your Seafood Pot Pie
For ultimate convenience without compromising on taste, I highly recommend using a store-bought pie crust for this creamy seafood pot pie. Most boxes come with two pie shells, which is ideal for creating a double-crust pot pie – one for the bottom and one for the top. This layering truly elevates the dish, making it the epitome of comfort food with its rich texture and satisfying chew. However, if you prefer, a single top layer of crust will also work beautifully.
When selecting a pre-made crust, I often reach for those from Trader Joe’s. Found in the frozen food section, they offer great value and boast a simpler ingredient list compared to many major brands. Their crusts typically contain unbleached enriched flour, palm oil, water, unsalted butter, sugar, and sea salt. In contrast, some popular frozen pie crusts, such as Pillsbury, may include ingredients like bleached enriched flour, lard and hydrogenated lard (with BHA and BHT for flavor protection), wheat starch, rice flour, xanthan gum, various preservatives (sodium propionate and potassium sorbate), citric acid, and annatto extract for color. Opting for a crust with fewer, more recognizable ingredients can often lead to a cleaner flavor profile for your seafood pot pie.
For those who enjoy a homemade touch or follow specific dietary preferences, feel free to prepare your own pie crust. If you’re looking for a low-carb alternative, my Almond Flour Low Carb Pie Crust recipe provides an excellent option that pairs wonderfully with this savory filling.
Selecting the Right Vegetables for Your Seafood Pot Pie
Keeping this seafood pot pie recipe straightforward and quick is key, which is why frozen mixed vegetables are my go-to choice. They require no chopping and can be added directly to the pan without thawing. The vegetables will gently warm through as the seafood cooks and then finish softening in the oven, infusing the pot pie with their natural sweetness and vibrant color. A crucial tip: if you notice any excess water released from the frozen vegetables while they’re cooking in the pan, make sure to drain it thoroughly. Failing to do so can result in a watery or soupy pot pie filling, detracting from the desired creamy consistency. While frozen options offer convenience, you are always welcome to use any fresh vegetables you prefer. Just be sure to chop them into bite-sized pieces and sauté them lightly before adding to the filling mixture to ensure they cook evenly and integrate well into the pie.
Choosing the Best Shrimp for Seafood Pot Pie
When it comes to shrimp for your seafood pot pie, grocery stores offer a variety of options, including raw, pre-cooked, frozen, deveined, tails on, or tails off. My strong recommendation is to always opt for raw shrimp. Pre-cooked shrimp, while convenient, often suffers in taste and texture due to being cooked twice—once before packaging and again in your dish. This often leads to overcooked, rubbery shrimp. Raw shrimp, on the other hand, cooks in just a few minutes, resulting in a tender, flavorful addition to your pot pie.
For ease of preparation, look for shrimp that is already deveined. The “vein” running along the back of the shrimp is actually its digestive tract, which many prefer to remove for aesthetic and culinary reasons. While you can certainly buy shrimp with the vein and remove it yourself by making a shallow slit along the back with a paring knife, purchasing it already deveined saves valuable time. Lastly, opt for large shrimp over smaller varieties. Baby shrimp are generally better suited for lighter dishes like soups or salads, whereas large shrimp provide a more substantial bite in a hearty pot pie.
Can You Use Frozen Shrimp? How to Thaw It Properly
Absolutely, frozen raw shrimp is a fantastic and often more economical option for seafood pot pie, provided it’s thawed correctly. Proper thawing ensures the shrimp cooks evenly and retains its tender texture. To thaw frozen shrimp, simply place them in a bowl of cold water for approximately 20 minutes. Avoid using hot water, as this can begin to cook the shrimp and negatively affect its texture. Once thawed, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels before adding them to your pot pie filling. This extra step helps prevent excess moisture from making your filling watery and allows the shrimp to sear nicely for maximum flavor.
Selecting the Best Crab for Your Seafood Pot Pie
For a truly luxurious seafood pot pie, I recommend using lump crab meat. You can typically find it in the refrigerated seafood section of your grocery store. Lump crab meat consists of large, flavorful pieces that provide excellent texture and taste to the dish. While some people opt for imitation crab meat (sometimes labeled as “krab meat”), which is often more affordable and easier to find, it’s important to understand the difference. Imitation crab is a processed fish product, primarily made from surimi (deboned and minced fish paste), and does not contain actual crab meat, although crab extract may be added for flavor. If you choose to use imitation crab, ensure it’s high-quality to maintain the integrity of your pot pie’s flavor. Ultimately, the choice is yours, based on preference and availability. For those interested in learning more about imitation crab, you can read further What Imitation Crab Is here.
Choosing Lobster for Your Seafood Pot Pie
To keep things simple and ensure a high-quality lobster experience in your pot pie, I often turn to pre-cracked, wild-caught lobster claw and knuckle meat. Sources like Butcher Box offer this type of product, usually as an add-on item in 8oz packages. Their lobster is known for being sustainably harvested from cold waters, which contributes to its superior flavor and texture. Another excellent option for sourcing cold-cracked lobster is Crowd Cow, which also provides high-quality seafood. When buying lobster, I always prioritize wild-caught varieties. While these can sometimes be a bit more challenging to find in conventional grocery stores, specialty stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods often carry them. Opting for these trusted sources ensures you’re getting delicious, responsibly sourced lobster for your pot pie, enhancing its rich flavor profile significantly.
Achieving the Perfect Creamy Filling for Seafood Pot Pie
The secret to an exceptionally creamy and flavorful seafood pot pie lies in its rich sauce. Instead of relying on condensed canned cream of chicken or mushroom soup, which you’ll often find in many pot pie recipes, I prefer to make my own “Cream of Seafood Soup.” This homemade approach allows for better control over ingredients and seasoning, resulting in a fresher, more vibrant taste that truly complements the delicate seafood. Canned soups are often laden with excessive fat and sodium, and may contain processed ingredients like modified food starch for thickening, vegetable oil, added sugars, and artificial flavorings that obscure the natural taste of your ingredients. By crafting the sauce from scratch, you elevate the entire dish.
My homemade cream sauce is a simple yet effective blend of all-purpose flour, milk (any type of milk works perfectly, whether dairy or non-dairy), and a generous seasoning of Old Bay Seasoning or your preferred seafood seasoning blend, along with salt and pepper to taste. The flour acts as a thickening agent, creating a smooth, luxurious roux when combined with the milk, while the Old Bay seasoning infuses the sauce with that signature, aromatic seafood flavor. While I haven’t experimented with alternatives, this flour-based roux consistently delivers a creamy, luscious sauce that is far superior to its canned counterparts, making your seafood pot pie truly exceptional.
How to Make Seafood Pot Pie: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this delicious creamy seafood pot pie is simpler than you might think. Follow these general steps, and refer to the full recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed measurements and comprehensive instructions:
- Prepare the Seafood: Begin by cooking the lobster meat and shrimp until they are just tender and opaque. Be careful not to overcook, as seafood can become rubbery quickly.
- Combine Ingredients: Add your chosen frozen vegetables and the crab meat to the skillet with the cooked seafood. Stir them gently to combine and allow the vegetables to warm through.
- Introduce the Cream Sauce: Pour in your homemade cream of seafood soup, stirring everything together until well combined. This is where all the flavors meld into a rich, cohesive filling.
- Prepare the Pie Dish: Lightly brush the bottom and sides of your cast-iron skillet or glass pie plate with olive oil to prevent sticking and encourage a golden crust.
- Lay the Bottom Crust: Carefully place one of your store-bought pie crusts into the prepared skillet or pie plate, gently pressing it against the bottom and sides.
- Fill the Pie: Spoon the creamy seafood mixture evenly into the bottom pie crust.
- Add the Top Crust: Cover the filling with the second pie crust. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of both crusts together, creating a decorative border.
- Vent the Pie: Make several small slits in the center of the top crust. This crucial step allows steam to escape during baking, preventing a soggy bottom crust and a soupy filling.
- Bake to Perfection: Transfer the assembled pot pie to a preheated oven and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Optimal Baking Pans for Seafood Pot Pie
The choice of baking pan can significantly influence the final texture of your seafood pot pie, especially the crispiness of the crust. I highly recommend using a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Cast iron is renowned for its exceptional heat retention and even heat distribution, which helps create an incredibly flaky and perfectly browned crust, particularly on the bottom layer. A 10-inch skillet works perfectly with standard 9-inch pie crusts, allowing for a rustic presentation and delicious results. Alternatively, a 9-inch glass pie plate is also a suitable option. Glass pie plates allow you to monitor the browning of the bottom crust, but they may not achieve the same level of crispness as cast iron. Whichever you choose, ensure the pan is adequately greased to prevent sticking and facilitate easy serving.
The Importance of Venting Your Pot Pie
When preparing a double-crust pie, whether it’s a sweet dessert or a savory pot pie, cutting slits into the top crust is a crucial step that should never be skipped. These small openings serve as vents, allowing steam to escape from the filling as the pie bakes. If steam cannot escape, it will become trapped beneath the top crust. This trapped moisture will make the filling overly soupy and, more importantly, can lead to a soggy and unappetizing bottom pie crust. As the pie heats in the oven, the filling will begin to boil, producing a significant amount of steam. Proper venting ensures that this steam is released, maintaining the integrity of both your flaky top crust and your firm, delicious bottom crust. If you opt for a single-crust pot pie (with only a top layer), venting is less critical, as the sides are open for steam to escape.
The Secret to a Golden-Brown Crust: Egg Wash
An egg wash is a simple yet effective technique used to achieve a beautiful, golden-brown, and slightly shiny finish on your pie crust. It’s typically a blend of one beaten egg and a tablespoon or two of water, which is then lightly brushed over the top crust just before baking. While entirely optional, applying an egg wash adds a professional touch and enhances the visual appeal of your seafood pot pie. The protein in the egg and the moisture from the water create a rich color and a subtle sheen, making your pie look as delicious as it tastes.
Troubleshooting: Soupy or Runny Pot Pie Filling
A soupy or runny pot pie filling can be a common disappointment, but it’s usually easily preventable. One primary culprit is insufficient baking time; the pie needs to bake long enough for the filling to thicken properly. Another common cause is not allowing the pie to cool adequately after baking. The filling continues to set and firm up as it cools, so patience is key before slicing into your delicious creation. As previously mentioned, the use of frozen vegetables can also contribute to a watery filling. While frozen mixed veggies are convenient, some may release more moisture than others. To mitigate this, ensure there is no excess water in the pan after adding and warming the frozen vegetables. For denser or larger frozen vegetables, consider defrosting them first and draining any accumulated water before adding them to your filling. Always pay attention to the texture of your filling before pouring it into the pie crust – it should be thick and creamy, not watery. Additionally, proper venting of the pie crust is essential to allow steam to escape, which helps prevent a soupy interior.
Preventing a Soggy Bottom Pie Crust
A soggy bottom crust can ruin an otherwise perfect pot pie, but it’s a common issue with a straightforward solution. The primary reason for a gooey or soggy bottom crust is adding hot or warm filling directly into an unbaked pie crust. The heat from the filling will prematurely melt the fats in the crust, preventing it from baking up crisp and flaky. To avoid this, always allow your seafood pot pie filling to cool down completely to room temperature before pouring it into the pie shell.
Another helpful tip is to chill your pie crust. After placing the bottom crust into your baking pan, you can refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before adding the cooled filling. This helps to firm up the butter or fat in the crust, creating a barrier that resists moisture from the filling and leads to a much crispier result. Furthermore, ensure you vent your pie crust properly during baking, as trapped steam can also contribute to a soggy bottom.
Enhancing Your Seafood Pot Pie with Additional Vegetables and Substitutions
While classic mixed frozen vegetables offer convenience and flavor, you can certainly customize your seafood pot pie with a variety of other delicious vegetables. This allows for seasonal variations and personal preferences, making each pot pie unique. Here are some excellent additions and substitutions:
- Cooked Diced Potatoes: Add a hearty element and extra creaminess. Remember to cook and dice them beforehand, as raw potatoes won’t soften sufficiently during the pie’s baking time.
- Mushrooms: Sautéed mushrooms bring an earthy depth of flavor that complements seafood beautifully.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach wilts down nicely into the creamy filling, adding a touch of green and a boost of nutrients.
- Broccoli: Small florets of blanched or steamed broccoli add color and a mild, slightly bitter counterpoint.
- Asparagus: Tender asparagus tips can add a delicate flavor and elegant touch, especially when in season.
- Celery: Finely diced celery, sautéed with onions, provides a classic aromatic base and a subtle crunch.
When adding fresh vegetables, it’s always best to lightly sauté or blanch them first to ensure they are tender by the time the pie finishes baking and to prevent them from releasing too much moisture into the filling.
Elevating Your Cream Sauce with Additional Flavorings
While Old Bay Seasoning provides a fantastic foundational flavor for our creamy seafood pot pie, the cream sauce is a versatile canvas that can be easily customized with various seasonings to suit your palate. Experimenting with different blends can transform the flavor profile of your pot pie, making it a unique culinary experience every time. Here are some additional flavorings you might consider substituting or adding:
- Creole Seasoning: For a bold, spicy kick and a taste of Louisiana.
- Cajun Seasoning: Similar to Creole, but often with a slightly different spice blend, offering another layer of warm heat.
- Basil: Dried basil (or fresh, if available) can add a sweet, aromatic, and slightly peppery note, particularly good with seafood.
- Thyme: Earthy, minty, and subtly lemon-like, thyme pairs wonderfully with both cream sauces and seafood.
Feel free to mix and match these, or explore other herbs and spices like dill, parsley, or a touch of cayenne pepper for a little heat. Remember to taste as you go and adjust quantities to achieve your desired flavor intensity.
Adapting the Recipe: How to Use Chicken Instead of Seafood
If you love the comforting essence of a pot pie but prefer chicken over seafood, this recipe can be easily adapted. Simply swap out the shrimp, lobster, and crab for an equal amount of cooked chicken. For the creamy base, I recommend using my Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe. When preparing the chicken soup base for this pot pie, you’ll want to use approximately one-third of the ingredient servings from that recipe (divide each ingredient quantity by three). This adjustment ensures the right consistency and flavor balance for a pot pie filling rather than a standalone soup. Whether you use shredded rotisserie chicken or cook and dice your own, the result will be a delicious and familiar chicken pot pie that’s equally satisfying.
Preparing Seafood Pot Pie Ahead of Time
Preparing components of your seafood pot pie in advance can significantly streamline your cooking process. The homemade cream sauce (your “Cream of Seafood Soup”) is particularly well-suited for make-ahead convenience. You can prepare the sauce entirely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. This allows you to tackle the most time-consuming part of the filling in advance, saving precious time on baking day.
However, it is crucial not to assemble the entire pot pie and store it in the refrigerator before baking. The moisture from the creamy filling will quickly transfer to the unbaked pie crust, leading to a soggy and unappetizing result. For the best texture, always assemble the pot pie just before you intend to bake it. This ensures a beautifully crisp and flaky crust that is the hallmark of a perfect pot pie.
Reheating Leftover Seafood Pot Pie
Leftover seafood pot pie can be just as delicious as when it’s freshly baked, provided it’s reheated properly to preserve its texture. The best method for reheating is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and heat the pot pie for 10-15 minutes, or until it’s warmed through to your liking. This gentle heat helps the crust regain some of its crispness while ensuring the filling is hot. Alternatively, an air fryer can be an excellent tool for reheating smaller portions. Set your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the pie is warm and the crust is crisp. While convenient, reheating in the microwave is generally not recommended for pot pie, as it tends to soften the crust and make it soggy, detracting from the overall experience.
Freezer Tips for Seafood Pot Pie
Freezing is a fantastic way to enjoy homemade seafood pot pie later, either unbaked or as cooked leftovers. Properly freezing ensures convenience and preserves quality:
- Unbaked Pie: You can freeze an entire unbaked seafood pot pie for up to 3 months. Freezing it unbaked is a great option because it captures the crust’s fresh texture before moisture has a chance to make it soggy, which can happen if stored in the refrigerator overnight. To bake from frozen, you may need to add additional baking time and cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over-browning while the center thaws and cooks.
- Cooked Leftovers: Any leftover cooked pot pie can also be frozen. Ensure it’s tightly sealed in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn and maintain flavor. Cooked pot pie can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen pot pie (whether unbaked or cooked), it’s best to defrost it overnight in the refrigerator. This slow thawing process helps maintain the texture and quality of both the crust and the filling.
Delicious Pairings for Your Seafood Pot Pie
Seafood pot pie is a hearty and complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a variety of simple side dishes that complement its rich flavors and creamy texture. Here are some suggested recipes to serve alongside your pot pie:
- Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Asparagus
Explore More Seafood Delights
If you’re a true fan of seafood, don’t stop at this delicious pot pie! The world of seafood offers an incredible array of flavors and culinary possibilities. Here are some more fantastic seafood recipes to inspire your next meal:
- Baked Crab Legs
- Seafood Stuffed Shells
- Seafood Lasagna
- Seafood Mac and Cheese
- Seafood Pho Noodle Soup
- Seafood Shrimp Chili
Seafood Pot Pie
Brandi Crawford
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Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Pie Plate
- Pie Server
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil Divided into 1 teaspoon portions.
- 8 oz jumbo lump crab See notes.
- 8 oz lobster meat See notes.
- 5 oz raw shrimp Peeled, and deveined and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 store-bought, refrigerated pie crusts 9 inch.
- 1 egg Beaten.
- 2 tablespoons water
Homemade Cream of Seafood Soup/Cream Filling (Feel free to use a can of condensed cream of chicken soup if you want)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup milk Any milk will work fine.
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning You can use whatever seafood seasoning you like.
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Homemade Cream of Seafood Soup
- Add the chicken broth to a saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, milk, and spices. Whisk until the flour is fully incorporated and there are no clumps.
- Slowly pour the milk mixture into the boiling broth, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens to a creamy consistency, typically 6-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Vegetables and Seafood
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with one teaspoon of olive oil.
- Add the lobster meat and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the seafood is opaque and lightly pink.
- Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and crab meat. Cook for 1-2 minutes to warm through. If excess water is released from the vegetables, drain it before proceeding.
- Pour the cooled cream of seafood soup into the skillet with the seafood and vegetables. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings (spices, salt, and pepper) as needed. This mixture determines the final flavor of your pot pie.
Allow the entire mixture to cool completely before adding it to the pie crust to prevent a soggy bottom.
- Generously brush the bottom and sides of a cast-iron skillet or glass pie plate with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil.
- Place one of the refrigerated pie crusts into the bottom of the prepared pan, gently pressing it to conform to the shape.
- Evenly spoon the cooled seafood mixture into the bottom pie crust. Carefully place the second pie crust on top, covering the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal the top and bottom crusts together.
- Cut several small slits in the middle of the top crust using a sharp knife. This is essential for venting steam during baking.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with this mixture for a shiny, golden-brown finish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is beautifully browned and the filling is bubbling. If the crust edges start to brown too quickly, you can cover them loosely with aluminum foil.
- Allow the pot pie to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Cooling helps the filling set, making it easier to cut neat slices. The longer it cools, the firmer it will be.
Video
Notes
- Serving size is an estimate and will vary on how you slice up the pie. You can expect 6-8 servings.
- Feel free to use whatever seafood you want. You can make it an all-shrimp pot pie, substitute chicken, etc.
- Follow the pie package instructions for thawing (if using frozen crusts).
- I like to use a 10-inch cast iron skillet. They are the absolute best for a flaky crust. The 10-inch cast iron will work just fine with 9-inch crusts. You can also use a 9-inch pie plate.
- Be sure to oil the pan or pie plate well or you will have trouble removing the pot pie once baked.
- When you are making a double-crust pie (pie crust on the bottom and top layer), you will need to cut slits into the middle of the top crust. This will allow the steam produced by the pie to escape. If you are only doing one layer you don’t have to worry about this. Once you place the pie in the oven, the filling will start to boil and steam. Once the water turns to steam it will make the filling soupy and the bottom layer pie crust soggy if you don’t vent.
- An egg wash is a blend of water and an egg that gets brushed onto the top layer of crust prior to baking. It’s to produce a golden-brown crust. It’s optional.
- You will end up with soupy filling if you don’t bake the pie long enough or if you don’t let it cool long enough. Another reason could be the use of frozen veggies. When you add your frozen veggies to your pan with the filling, ensure there is no excess water in the pan.
- Typical mixed veggies (peas, corn, etc) will not emit a lot of water (I stick to these and don’t have any issue), but if you are using frozen vegetables that are thicker and larger they probably will. Consider defrosting your veggies first and draining excess water or take note of the filling texture prior to adding it to the pie crust and drain excess water.
- If your bottom crust is soggy it’s because you added hot or warm filling to the crust prior to baking. That will melt the pie crust and cause it to be gooey.
- If your pot pie falls apart when you slice into it, you didn’t let it cool long enough. Or it could just be that a lot of times the first slice of pie is the worst (ugliest) slice (even with dessert pies). If you cut 2 slices side by side before removing the first slice, it helps a lot.
- Feel free to make these into mini-pot pies if you wish.
- This dish is great for leftovers. I find that it’s easier to slice perfect pieces of the pie after it has been refrigerated overnight.
- I’ve seen pot pies made using Puff Pastry, but I haven’t personally tested it to provide cook time instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.