Seafood Pot Pie

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A cozy & comforting Seafood Pot Pie recipe for the ultimate at-home seafood dinner! Smother shrimp, sea scallops, & lobster in a creamy, chowder-inspired sauce made with loads of veggies & hearty potatoes, then top with flaky puff pastry & bake until bubbling & golden. The BEST way to warm up on a chilly day!

Simple yet fancy-feeling, equally perfect for an easy cold weather dinner or special occasions like Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day or date night!

A finished seafood pot pie with a portion taken out fills a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. The pot pie is garnished with flaky salt and fresh chopped herbs. A gold spoon rests atop of the baking dish for serving and the baking dish is surrounded by a black and white window pane linen napkin, a gold oven mitt, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky salt, a small ceramic pinch bowl filled with fresh chopped herbs, and a small ceramic plate with a serving of seafood pot pie.

Creamy & Cozy Seafood Comfort Food to Warm You Up from the Inside Out!

The ultimate comfort food meal, IMO, should both warm your body up and put you in a feel-good mood. This seafood pot pie recipe does exactly that – it’s the type of hot-out-of-the-oven dish that instantly warms you up from the inside out. Perfect to cozying up on a chilly winter night!

The creamy, chowder-inspired sauce in this pot pie recipe is inspired by memories of my Mom’s killer seafood chowder. I like to use lots of aromatic vegetables, hearty potatoes, & a few seafood flavor boosters to create the ultimate pot pie filling. Pour it over your choice of seafood (my go-to is a combination of shrimp, scallops, & lobster), then top it off with golden & flaky puff pastry (straight from the store, for ease!). Every bite is equally crispy, creamy, & absolutely loaded with seafood.

The thing I love most about this seafood pot pie, though, is that it feels so restaurant-worthy but it’s actually quite simple to make. It’s the perfect humble-yet-decadent dish for brisk Sunday evenings or whenever you want to impress the people you love with a special at-home dinner. An all-around comfort food win!

Seafood Pot Pie Recipe Highlights

You’re going to love this super cozy pot pie recipe! It’s…

PEAK COZINESS. Creamy chowder, flaky puff pastry, & tender seafood reach new cozy heights when snuggled into a pot pie. This cold weather dinner is guaranteed to warm you up!

LOADED WITH SEAFOOD. This recipe uses lobster, scallops, & shrimp, but it’s also incredibly versatile. Feel free to load it up with your favorite fish & seafood – whatever you love!

SIMPLE YET DECADENT. Easy shortcuts like frozen puff pastry & seafood make this recipe super simple to throw together any night of the week. The result is a rich & creamy, fancy-feeling dish great for entertaining & impressing people you love – & no one will ever guess how easy it was to make!

Perfect for anyone whose love for pot pie is as deep as the sea! ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Seafood Pot Pie, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!

Key Ingredients

This easy seafood pot pie recipe comes together using just a handful of classic pot pie ingredients. The seafood is smothered in chowder-inspired sauce. It’s rich, creamy, & absolutely loaded with veggies. Simple to prepare, but super full-flavored!

Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.

You need…

  • Your choice of seafood – This recipe calls for a combination of lobster, scallops, & shrimp, but it’s honestly quite flexible. Feel free to use whatever is freshest or most readily available where you are. You could easily substitute hearty white fish or crab meat into seafood pot pies, too!
  • Puff pastry – While you can certainly top your pot pie with homemade pastry dough or made-from-scratch pie crust, I always opt for store-bought puff pastry. It’s just as good & saves tons of time!
  • Vegetables – I always build my pot pies around a hearty combination of onion, celery, carrot, garlic, frozen peas, & a hearty russet potato. Feel free to use other pot pie vegetables you love, though – frozen green beans & corn add beautiful pops of color, & naturally-sweet bell pepper is always a delicious pairing for seafood too!
  • Seafood sauce – The creamy chowder-inspired pot pie filling is made of dry white wine, clam juice, lobster base, & half & half or heavy cream. See the Recipe Notes for more info on clam juice & lobster base – essential seafood flavor-boosters!
Ingredient Spotlight

Cooking with Fresh vs. Frozen Seafood

If you live on the coast or have easy access to fresh, high-quality seafood, definitely feel free to use your best-looking fresh options here. Since this seafood pot pie recipe is super versatile, you can easily adapt it over & over based on what your local fisherman is catching.

Here in Minnesota, I typically turn to frozen seafood (it’s often fresher than what’s traveled to our grocery seafood counters). I use frozen scallops, shrimp, & lobster in this seafood pot pie.

How to thaw frozen seafood? ⇢ If using frozen seafood, it’s so important to thaw it safely & properly to preserve its integrity. The fastest & safest way to thaw frozen seafood is to submerge a bag of seafood in cool water, allowing things to slowly come up to room temperature. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more detailed thawing guidance!

How to Make Seafood Pot Pie

This seafood pot pie recipe comes together with a quick prep of 3 key components: loads of seafood, creamy & delicious chowder-inspired pot pie sauce, & a golden & flaky puff pastry crust.

A finished seafood pot pie fills a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. The pot pie is garnished with flaky salt and fresh chopped herbs. A gold spoon rests atop of the baking dish for serving and the baking dish is surrounded by a black and white window pane linen napkin, a gold oven mitt, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky salt, a small ceramic pinch bowl filled with fresh chopped herbs, and a stack of small ceramic bowls.

Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.

Preparing Flaky Puff Pastry

A good, flaky crust is a must-have for any pot pie – arguably the most delicious part! – so I always opt for extra-crispy puff pastry.

Before layering it on top of the creamy pot pie filling, the puff pastry needs to be partially baked). Since flaky pastry takes a little longer to cook than delicate seafood, par-baking ensures every element of the final dish finishes cooking at the same time. (As a bonus, par-baked pastry is also less likely to get soggy!)

1

Prepare the puff pastry. Roll the pastry out to the size of your baking dish – it should be able to fit over & fully cover the pot pie filling. From there, cut a few slits down the middle of the dough. Why? ⇢ These slits allow steam to escape as the pastry bakes, preventing it from puffing up completely. (As a bonus, they create a pretty finishing touch!)

2

Brush with egg wash. Lightly whisk an egg, then gently brush it over the surface of the pastry dough. Why? ⇢ Egg wash helps the pastry turn nice & golden as it bakes.

3

Bake! Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet & cook for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Important! ⇢ Once the pastry is par-baked, be sure to reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, the temperature needed to cook the seafood pot pie (400 degrees is too hot for delicate seafood!).

Seafood Pot Pie Assembly

While the puff pastry crust par-bakes, you’ll have the perfect window of time to multitask by preparing the pot pie sauce & assembling the seafood mixture.

Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.

1

Soften the vegetables. Sauté the pot pie veggies in a large skillet or large saute pan until softened & slightly browned. Sprinkle flour over the veggies & keep cooking for a few more minutes as everything continues to brown.

2

Build the pot pie sauce. Deglaze the skillet with dry white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan (they’re FULL of flavor!). Once the wine is reduced, finish the seafood-chowder inspired sauce by stirring in clam juice, half & half, lobster base, & plenty of black pepper. Once the sauce is thickened slightly, you’re ready for pot pie assembly.

Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.

3

Pot pie assembly. Layer raw scallops, shrimp, lobster, & frozen peas in your baking dish, then pour the pot pie sauce over the top. The seafood & peas do not need long to cook, so there’s no need to pre-cook them – they bake up perfectly in the oven! Gently place your par-baked puff pastry on top of the dish & it’s ready to go!

4

Bake the seafood pot pie until the filling is bubbling, the seafood is tender, & the pastry is golden brown. It should take about 20 minutes – just enough time to clean up! Tip! ⇢ Be sure to let the seafood pot pie rest for at least 5 minutes before digging in, giving the filling a chance to cool slightly.

A close up and macro shot of seafood pot pie inside of a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A portion of the seafood pot pie has been scooped out of the baking dish to reveal pieces of seafood and veggies inside of a seafood pot pie sauce. A small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky sea salt rests alongside the baking dish.

Serving Suggestions & Storage Tips

We serve seafood pot pie pretty simply here at the PWWB House. I like to scoop portions into individual bowls (being sure to grab plenty of creamy filling & flaky puff pastry, of course!), then finish with a little sprinkling of fresh herbs like thyme sprigs or finely chopped parsley for a pop of color.

You’ll love that this seafood pot pie feels like such a simple but special way to cozy up with friends, family, or on date night. Each bowl delivers restaurant-worthy decadence, but all in the comfort of your own home. Perfect for cold weather nights!

Leftovers

While seafood pot pie is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple of days & can be reheated in the microwave. Remember – delicate seafood has a slightly shorter leftover life than other proteins, so be sure to enjoy it within a few days. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance!

I can’t wait for you to try this Seafood Pot Pie recipe! Everyone who has tried it seriously loves it, & we think you will too. It’s seriously comforting & impressive all at once – no one will ever guess how easy it was to throw together!

If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!

Print
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A finished pot pie made with seafood with a portion taken out fills a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. The pot pie is garnished with flaky salt and fresh chopped herbs. A gold spoon rests atop of the baking dish for serving and the baking dish is surrounded by a black and white window pane linen napkin, a gold oven mitt, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky salt, a small ceramic pinch bowl filled with fresh chopped herbs, and a small ceramic plate with a serving of seafood pot pie.

Seafood Pot Pie

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: serves 810 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes, Seafood Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven, Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

There are few meals more cozy & comforting than classic pot pie, but Seafood Pot Pie takes it to the next level! This rich & creamy pot pie is filled with loads of seafood, a seriously creamy chowder-inspired pot pie sauce, & topped with flaky, golden brown pastry. Pot pie perfection! 😍

What you’ll love about this recipe is how well the seafood flavors come through, which really comes down to 2 things:

  1. Using lots of seafood. I love a hearty combination of shrimp, sea scallops, & lobster meat, but this recipe is pretty flexible & you can use whatever hearty fish or seafood looks best! Feel free to swap lobster for crab, shrimp for langoustines, or scallops for firm white fish – you really can’t go wrong. If you don’t live somewhere with abundant fresh options, frozen seafood works beautifully (that’s exactly what I use here in Minnesota!) – be sure to check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance. 
  2. Building a chowder-inspired pot pie sauce. This creamy sauce brings the entire dish together. Inspired by the killer seafood chowder my mom makes, it’s filled with hearty veggies & packs a big punch of seafood flavor thanks to smart flavor-boosting ingredients like clam juice & lobster base – we’ve linked our favorite products below for you.

Despite being a really impressive, restaurant-worthy dish, this seafood pot pie recipe is a simple dish you can easily prepare any night of the week. It’s perfect for sharing with the people you love most, especially on a chilly winter night. ♡ 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 ounces jumbo sea scallops (U/20-30), thawed if frozen (see Recipe Notes)
  • 12 ounces medium shrimp (U/41-50), peeled & deveined, & thawed if frozen (see Recipe Notes)
  • 8 ounces lobster meat, raw or precooked & thawed if frozen (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 sheet puff pastry (about 14 ounces), homemade or thawed from frozen (see Recipe Notes)
  • egg wash (1 large egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • ½ medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 small Russet potato, peeled & diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • scant ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup dry, unoaked white wine
  • ¼ cup clam juice (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 ¾ cups half & half
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lobster base (see Recipe Notes)
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment & set aside. Lightly spray a 2.5-quart baking dish (e.g. 9x9x2-inches or 11x7x2-inches) with nonstick cooking spray & set aside. If using frozen seafood, thaw (see Recipe Notes) & use paper towel to pat as dry as possible. Set aside. Gather & prep remaining ingredients (e.g. dice veggies, measure liquid ingredients, etc.) & set within an arm’s reach of the stovetop. Seafood pot pie ingredients arranged atop a creamy white textured surface: jumbo sea scallops, medium shrimp, lobster meat, a sheet of puff pastry, egg wash, unsalted butter, carrot, celery, yellow onion, Russet potato, garlic, all-purpose flour, white wine, clam juice, half & half, lobster base, and frozen peas.
  2. Par-bake the puff pastry: Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to gently roll the puff pastry out such that it will fit overtop your baking dish. Transfer to the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut 4-6 slits down the middle of the puff pastry, then brush the entire surface with egg wash. Transfer to the oven & bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned & puffy. Remove from the oven & set aside for seafood pot pie assembly. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Par-baked puff pastry rests atop a parchment lined baking sheet pan. The sheet pan sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  3. Soften the veggies: Meanwhile, as the puff pastry par-bakes, prep the seafood pot pie filling. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the carrots, celery, onion, & potato. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the veggies are softened and slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.Diced carrot, yellow onion, celery, and Russet potato fill a large white double-handled braising pan. The pan sits atop a creamy white textured surface with a wooden spatula resting inside for stirring.
  4. Build the seafood pot pie sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the softened veggies and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until deeply browned. While scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, slowly pour in the wine. It will bubble vigorously, almost cooking all the way down very quickly. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits that may have formed at the bottom of the skillet – that’s where the flavor is! While stirring constantly, slowly pour in the clam juice & half & half. Mix in the lobster base & season with ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Taste & season with additional kosher salt or ground black pepper as desired, then remove from the heat. Seafood pot pie sauce fills a large white double-handled pan that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A wooden spatula rests inside of the pan for stirring.
  5. Seafood pot pie assembly: Layer the scallops, shrimp, lobster, & peas in the prepared baking dish. Pour in the seafood pot pie sauce & gently transfer the par-baked puff pastry over top.
  6. Bake the seafood pot pie: Place the assembled pot pie on a baking sheet & transfer to the 375 degree F oven. Bake 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling & the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven & rest for 5 minutes. A finished seafood pot pie recipe fills a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. The pot pie is garnished with flaky salt and fresh chopped herbs. A gold spoon rests atop of the baking dish for serving and the baking dish is surrounded by a black and white window pane linen napkin, a gold oven mitt, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky salt, a small ceramic pinch bowl filled with fresh chopped herbs, and a stack of small ceramic bowls.
  7. Serve the seafood pot pie: Portion the seafood pot pie into individual bowls, being sure to top each with plenty of golden brown pastry. Finish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley as desired. Enjoy!A finished pot pie made with seafood with a portion taken out fills a large white baking dish that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. The pot pie is garnished with flaky salt and fresh chopped herbs. A gold spoon rests atop of the baking dish for serving and the baking dish is surrounded by a black and white window pane linen napkin, a gold oven mitt, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with flaky salt, a small ceramic pinch bowl filled with fresh chopped herbs, and a small ceramic plate with a serving of seafood pot pie.

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes: 
    • Seafood: The beauty of seafood pot pie is that it’s pretty versatile! While we like the combination of scallops, shrimp, & lobster meat, you can use whatever seafood you like most – provided it’s hearty enough to hold up to a 20-minute bake. Swap lobster for lump crab meat, swap scallops with 1-inch pieces of hearty white fish, etc. – have fun with it & use whatever looks best to you at the grocery store or fish market, aiming for about 2 lb seafood total. If you don’t live on the coasts, consider using frozen seafood, which is often fresher than what’s available at the seafood counter of a conventional grocery store. For this seafood pot pie, I use all frozen seafood (specifically, Luke’s Maine Lobster Meat is great, highly accessible frozen lobster!) – see below for thawing guidance. 
    • Thawing frozen seafood: The fastest & safest way to thaw frozen seafood is to place it in a zip-top bag & submerge in cool water. The steady, cool temperature of the water creates a really controlled environment for the frozen seafood to come up to room temperature. This is better from a food safety standpoint, since it limits bacterial growth. Refresh the water every 10 minutes or so, until the seafood is completely thawed – 25-30 minutes, tops!
    • Clam juice & lobster base: Aside from the seafood, the clam juice & lobster base are what give this pot pie its rich seafood flavor. Check your local fish market or purchase online (the brands we use are linked above). If you prefer to just use 1 instead of both, replace the clam juice with an equal amount of chicken stock/water & increase lobster base by 1 teaspoon. 
    • Puff pastry: While you can certainly make your own homemade puff pastry (this is a great recipe), this is an instance when store-bought options are just as good. Puff pastry is usually sold in the ‘dessert’ freezer section of the grocery store, next to bread dough & pie crusts. I really like the frozen puff pastry from Trader Joe’s. It’s really affordable, & 1 box contains 2 sheets. You will need 1 sheet for this seafood pot pie recipe. 
  • Storage, Reheating, & Freezing:
    • Seafood Pot Pie Storage & Reheating: Leftover seafood pot pie will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
    • Seafood Pot Pie Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze leftover seafood pot pie for an easy dinner down the road. Simply transfer leftover pot pie into a freezer container – I love using these freezer containers to freeze individual portions. Freeze up to 3 months. 
  • 15-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this seafood pot pie comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance – it takes 15 minutes, tops – & you can jump straight in to cooking during the week. Here’s what you’ll do:
    • Dice 1 medium carrot, 1 stalk of celery, & ½ medium yellow onion. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active)
    • Peel & dice 1 small Russet potato. Transfer to an airtight container, submerging the potato in water to prevent browning. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, refreshing the water every day. (<5 minutes active)

Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by KJ & Company, Kate Poskochil

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Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 1.13.23
    Krista Lombardo said:

    Hi! I cannot find puff pastry ANYWHERE right now! Do you think phyllo dough would work? Or, if I made my own puff pastry and the recipe yields 1lb of dough, how much should I use for this recipe? Thank you!!

    • 1.13.23
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Krista! Typically puff pastry will be found in the ‘dessert’ freezer section of most grocery stores. If you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, we really like their frozen puff pastry (it comes as a box of 2 sheets, you would only need one for this recipe & could save the other for another recipe).

      If you are still having trouble locating & would like to make your own we love this recipe. It will yield about 1 lb, as you mentioned, and typically 1 lb will yield about 2 sheets of dough. You’d just want to make sure to roll out a sheet & cut the puff pastry so that it would fit overtop of your baking dish (e.g. 9x9x2-inches or 11x7x2-inches works best!). Any leftover dough should be able to be frozen according to recipe directions. Hope that helps! Let us know if you have any additional questions!! 🙂

  2. 1.8.23
    Beverly said:

    I am cooking this on Tuesday when my lobster base comes in; how do you feel about putting a pastry sheet on the bottom also?

    • 1.9.23
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Beverly! Can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try! We’ve never tested with a puff pastry sheet on the bottom and we love the balance of having the warm, buttery pastry on top of the delicate seafood, so we can’t say for sure how it would turn out. If you do give it a try you’d likely want to parbake prior to assembling the pot pie with seafood, peas, and filling on top to avoid an underbaked or mushy bottom crust. Hope that helps!

  3. 12.29.22
    kate said:

    Hey, hope you are having a good holiday season! This looks amazing and I am planning on bring it up to the cottage this weekend. Do you think it would work if I completed up to step 5 then just cooked it the next day when I get there?

    • 1.4.23
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Kate! All of the veggies can be prepped in advance which can save a ton of prep time. We haven’t tested making this pot pie ahead of time but if you were to assemble prior to baking you would likely want to skip Step 2. Par-baking the puff pastry until just before baking as well to ensure the best flaky crust. Steps 3-5 could likely be completed in advance we just don’t know for sure if any of the textures of the seafood would be affected by sitting in the sauce overnight prior to being baked. If you do give it a try let us know how it goes!