Beef Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits

A cozy beef pot pie includes a ground beef and vegetable filling that’s coated in rich gravy and topped with fluffy, cheesy drop biscuits. This down-home, country-style comfort food is a perfect family-friendly dinner recipe for chilly nights! Pair it with a crisp green salad to round out the hearty meal.

Ground Beef Pot Pie

Forget about rolling out a pie crust or fussing with delicate pastry! Instead, this beef pot pie recipe is topped with flavorful cheddar herb biscuits that come together quickly with help from a box of Bisquick mix. The easy dinner includes ground beef (which cooks much faster than stew meat), vegetables, a simple gravy, and a fluffy biscuit topping for an entire meal that bakes in the oven in just one dish.

This recipe is really a combination of a couple of our other favorite meals. You get a filling that’s similar to cottage pie (or shepherd’s pie), but instead of spreading mashed potatoes on top, I borrowed the cheese biscuits from my popular chicken and biscuits recipe. It’s the best of both worlds, and it’s sure to become a cool-weather staple on your dinner table, too!

The Difference Between a Meat Pie and a Pot Pie

“Pot pie” is the North American term for a specific type of savory meat pie with a top crust. This top crust is often made with flaky pie pastry, but you’ll also find versions that use a puff pastry sheet or biscuits for the topping. The filling might consist of chicken, seafood, pork, beef, or just vegetables. You can cook pot pies in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a pie iron over a campfire. What Americans call a “pot pie” might be referred to more broadly as a “meat pie” in Australia or England.

The Cheesy Bisquick Drop Biscuits

A convenient shortcut — Bisquick mix — gets this beef pot pie recipe on the table fast! You’ll stir in some buttermilk (or regular milk, if that’s what you have), as well as grated cheddar cheese and parsley. Drop the biscuits onto the beef filling and pop it in the oven. When the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, brush them with garlic butter for even more delicious flavor.

You can mix up the cheese that you use in the biscuits, so try freshly-grated Parmesan, mozzarella, Colby, or Swiss. You can also play around with the herbs, or add garlic to the actual biscuit dough. Thyme, rosemary, or chives would also be delicious!

If you don’t want to use a box of Bisquick mix, you can substitute with a homemade Bisquick blend, or use your own favorite drop biscuit recipe from scratch.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for a beef pot pie. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Ground beef: the base of the filling. Substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken, if you like. You can also use leftover pot roast or another shredded beef.
• Mushrooms, carrots, and onion: the vegetables for the filling.
• Tomato paste: thickens the gravy and adds rich flavor.
• Garlic: for even more flavor.
• All-purpose flour: to thicken the gravy.
• Red wine: choose a dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir. You can substitute with extra beef broth for a non-alcoholic version.
• Beef broth: to thin the gravy.
• Worcestershire sauce: adds salty, savory umami flavor. If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, then soy sauce would be an adequate substitute.
• Frozen peas: no need to thaw them first. Just add the peas at the end so that they stay green and vibrant, rather than turning mushy and brown.
• Fresh thyme: adds earthy, savory flavor to the filling.
• Bisquick: an all-purpose baking mix that’s perfect for quick, easy drop biscuits.
• Buttermilk: yields tender, fluffy biscuits. You can substitute with regular milk if you prefer.
• Cheddar cheese: adds so much flavor to the biscuit topping.
• Parsley: fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes will both work.
• Butter and garlic powder: brush the melted garlic butter on top of the finished biscuits for a delicious finishing touch!

How to Make Beef Pot Pie

This simple, homemade beef pot pie is a cozy, satisfying, dinner in one dish! If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, simply transfer the beef mixture to a 2 ½ -3 quart casserole dish to bake the pot pie in the oven.

1. Prepare the beef pot pie filling by browning the ground beef in olive oil over medium-high heat, and cooking the mushrooms, carrots, and onions in the same skillet. Bring the gravy to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas, cooked ground beef, and thyme at the end.
2. Stir together the Bisquick, buttermilk, cheese, and parsley until a soft dough comes together.
3. Drop about ¼-cup of the biscuit dough at a time onto the top of the filling. I use an ice cream scoop for this step so that all of the biscuits are the same size, and therefore cook through in the same amount of time.
4. Bake the pot pie, uncovered, in a 425°F oven for about 12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
5. Brush the tops of the biscuits with garlic butter and serve!

How to Thicken

This recipe yields a thick gravy, so you shouldn’t need to worry about thickening it much more. If you find that you’d like your sauce thicker, however, you can either sift in small amounts of flour (while the mixture is still in the skillet), or you can let the gravy simmer on the stovetop without a cover before adding the biscuit topping.

If it looks like the filling is too thick, gradually add extra beef broth to thin until it reaches the desired consistency.

What to Serve with Homemade Beef Pot Pie

You’ve got the meat, veggies, and biscuits all in one casserole, so you really don’t need much more to make it a meal. If you’re looking for a few extras, here are some easy sides that go well with beef pot pie:

• Green Salad with red wine vinaigrette, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Fall Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing, Caesar Salad, or Wedge Salad
• Southern Collard Greens
• Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
• Southern Squash Casserole
• Sauteed Zucchini
• Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Asparagus
• Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
• Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Three Bean Salad

Make Ahead

If you’d like to cut down on the last-minute prep, you can make the beef filling up to 48 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add the biscuit topping. Before topping with the biscuit dough, make sure that the filling is hot and bubbly by covering the skillet and warming the filling over low heat on the stovetop.

Storage

Wrapped tightly, leftover beef pot pie will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat the leftovers, allow the dish to sit on the counter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or just until heated through.

How to Freeze

After baking, let the freezer-to-oven-safe dish cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, reheat the dish directly from the freezer (still covered with foil) for 1 hour in a 350ºF oven. Alternatively, you can thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, let the dish come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes, and then bake (covered) until warmed through, about 20-30 minutes in a 350ºF oven.

Recipe Variations

• If you don’t have a large oven-proof skillet, transfer the beef filling to a 2 ½ – 3 quart casserole dish. Then add the biscuit topping and bake in the oven. For a thicker filling and biscuits that are closer together, use a smaller 2-quart baking dish.
• Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey, shredded chicken, leftover roast beef, or leftover pot roast. You’ll need about 3-4 cups of cooked meat. Leftover beef stew made from stew beef would also be a great pot pie filling!
• Instead of dicing fresh carrots, use a bag of frozen peas and carrots that you stir into the filling at the end.
• If you don’t want to use Bisquick for the biscuit topping, you can make a homemade Bisquick mix or use your favorite drop biscuit recipe.
• If you’re cooking for a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in a 1 ½-quart dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
• Add more herbs to both the filling and the biscuits, if desired. Thyme, rosemary, chives, and parsley are all delicious in this recipe.

Tips for the Best Beef Pot Pie Recipe

• Dice the carrots and onions into small pieces so that they soften in the filling, and are about the same size as the peas.
• Do not thaw the frozen peas before adding them to the filling.
• Choose a dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir. You can substitute with extra beef broth for a non-alcoholic version.
• Season the filling with plenty of salt and pepper. There are a lot of meat and vegetables, so you really need a good amount of seasoning so that it doesn’t taste “flat.”
• Buttermilk helps tenderize the biscuits and gives them a slightly tangy flavor, but you can substitute with regular milk if that’s all that you have on hand.
• Make sure that the biscuits are cooked all of the way through before pulling the casserole out of the oven. They should be golden brown on the outside and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

More Savory Pot Pies to Try

• Cottage Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
• Ground Beef Casserole with Cornbread Crust
• Classic Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
• Mom’s Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Dump-and-Bake Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
• Tamale Pie
• Frito Pie
• Bisquick Cheeseburger Pie
• Quick and Easy Pizza Pot Pie

Beef Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits

5 from 3 votes

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour

Servings 8 people

Calories 491 kcal

A cozy beef pot pie includes a ground beef and vegetable filling that's coated in a rich gravy and topped with fluffy, cheesy drop biscuits. Total comfort food!

Rate RecipePin RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FOR THE FILLING:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 ¾ cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

FOR THE BISCUITS:

• 2 cups Bisquick
• ⅔-¾ cup cold buttermilk (or sub with regular milk)
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley (or ¼ teaspoon dried parsley)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

PREPARE THE FILLING:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as you stir, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the fat and transfer the beef to a separate bowl.
• Heat additional 1 tablespoon of oil in the now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, carrots, and onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring and scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, frozen peas, and thyme. Taste the filling and season with salt and pepper, as necessary.

PREPARE THE BISCUITS:

• Use a fork to stir together the Bisquick mix, buttermilk, cheese, and parsley until a soft dough forms.
• Use a large scoop to drop about ¼-cup of the biscuit dough at a time onto the beef mixture. You should have about 7-8 biscuits on top of the dish.

BAKE THE POT PIE:

• Bake, uncovered, for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in a biscuit comes out clean.
• Stir together melted butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits and serve.

Notes

• If you don’t have a large oven-proof skillet, transfer the beef filling to a 2 ½ – 3 quart casserole dish. Then add the biscuit topping and bake in the oven. For a thicker filling and biscuits that are closer together, use a smaller 2-quart baking dish.
• Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey, shredded chicken, leftover roast beef, or leftover pot roast. You’ll need about 3-4 cups of cooked meat. Leftover beef stew made from stew beef would also make a great pot pie filling!
• Instead of dicing fresh carrots, use a bag of frozen peas and carrots that you stir into the filling at the end.
• If you don’t want to use Bisquick for the biscuit topping, you can make a homemade Bisquick mix or use your favorite drop biscuit recipe.
• If you’re cooking for a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in a 1 ½-quart dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
• Add more herbs to both the filling and the biscuits, if desired. Thyme, rosemary, chives, and parsley are all delicious in this recipe.
• Dice the carrots and onions into small pieces so that they soften in the filling, and are about the same size as the peas.
• Do not thaw the frozen peas before adding them to the filling.
• Choose a dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir. You can substitute with extra beef broth for a non-alcoholic version.
• Season the filling with plenty of salt and pepper. There are a lot of meat and vegetables, so you really need a good amount of seasoning so that it doesn’t taste “flat.”
• Buttermilk helps tenderize the biscuits and gives them a slightly tangy flavor, but you can substitute with regular milk if that’s all that you have on hand.
• Make sure that the biscuits are cooked all of the way through before pulling the casserole out of the oven. They should be golden brown on the outside and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipeCalories: 491kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 31gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 809mgPotassium: 746mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2942IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 166mgIron: 4mg

Keyword: beef pot pie, ground beef pot pie

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

Don’t Forget to Share a Pic of What You Made!

Tag me on Instagram at @theseasonedmom