Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Intermediate
Intensity: Hearty & Robust
Recipe Overview
This Sausage, Rich Gravy & Biscuit Pie is a celebration of classic flavors. It starts with well-seasoned sausage cooked with aromatics, built into a luxuriously thick and savory gravy with a hint of herbs, and finished under a blanket of buttermilk biscuits that bake to golden perfection. It’s a one-pan wonder perfect for chilly evenings, weekend gatherings, or anytime you crave the deepest form of culinary comfort.
Ingredients
For the Sausage & Gravy Filling:
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 ½ lbs (680g) good-quality pork sausage, casings removed (mild or hot, based on preference)
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup (45g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720ml) beef stock, preferably low-sodium
1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (5ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream or full-fat milk
1 cup (130g) frozen peas
Salt, to taste
For the Biscuit Topping:
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup (180ml) cold buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Filling:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large, oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan (approx. 10-12 inches), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until well-browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a roux.
Gradually pour in the beef stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens noticeably, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream and reserved cooked sausage. Fold in the frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if needed. Remove from heat while you prepare the biscuit topping.
2. Make the Biscuit Dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Using a fork, gently stir until just combined and a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
3. Assemble & Bake:
If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the filling to a 9×13 inch (or similar) baking dish.
Drop large, rough spoonfuls of the biscuit dough (about 8 portions) evenly over the top of the warm sausage gravy, leaving small gaps for steam to escape.
Brush the top of each biscuit mound lightly with buttermilk.
Place the skillet or dish on a baking sheet (to catch any potential bubble-overs) and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, and the filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges.
4. Serve:
Remove from the oven and let the pie rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the gravy to thicken slightly for easier serving.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Scoop directly from the pan, ensuring each serving gets a generous portion of rich gravy, savory filling, and a fluffy biscuit.
Chef’s Notes & Tips:
Sausage Choice: The flavor foundation of this dish. Choose a sausage with good seasoning. Italian sausage works wonderfully, or use a traditional breakfast sausage for a different profile.
Gravy Consistency: The gravy will seem thick before baking but will loosen slightly as the biscuits cook and release steam. If it appears too thick after resting, stir in a splash of hot stock or water.
Biscuit Secret: The key to fluffy biscuits is keeping everything cold and handling the dough as little as possible. Lumpy dough is good dough!
Make Ahead: The sausage gravy filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before topping with biscuit dough and baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if starting with a cold filling.
Vegetable Variations: Swap peas for corn, green beans, or mushrooms.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving – 1/6 of recipe)
Calories: ~680 kcal
Total Fat: 46g
Saturated Fat: 21g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Sodium: 1250mg*
Total Carbohydrates: 44g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 8g
Protein: 25g