A confession: In a blind taste test, I don't think I would be able to tell the difference between a homemade biscuit and a biscuit from out of a can; they both taste like doughy, buttery heaven to me. And while I really enjoy cooking things from scratch most of the time, I am not sure I'll ever abandon the ease and yumminess of the canned biscuit (even just for the pleasure of popping them open — so satisfying). I started thinking to myself, these canned biscuits are so fast and easy to make, but can they be used for anything else? I mean, I love a warm, flakey ball of butter dough just as much as the next person, but can we take this love affair a little further?
Oh yes; we can. Here are three totally unexpected (and totally delicious) ways to use canned biscuits.
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Chicken-&-Herb Dumplings
Yields 4 servings
Biscuit Benefit: Make dumplings to rival grandma’s version, all with the secret weapon of a can of biscuits.
Ingredients
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cups finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped chives
1 can (14.3-ounce) Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits
1 rotisserie chicken, meat taken off the bones and cut into pieces (about 4 cups meat)
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup heavy cream Instructions
1. In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, add carrots, celery, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. 2. Meanwhile, add parsley and chives into a Ziploc bag. Remove biscuits from can and cut each one into quarters. Add biscuits into the Ziploc bag a few at a time, rolling them in the herbs to coat each biscuit piece. A handful at a time, add herb biscuits into the boiling chicken broth. Cover pot with a lid and reduce heat so the soup is at a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes. 3. Gently stir chicken, peas, and heavy cream into pot. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Serve.
Biscuit Benefit: Make dumplings to rival grandma’s version, all with the secret weapon of a can of biscuits.
Ingredients
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cups finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped chives
1 can (14.3-ounce) Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits
1 rotisserie chicken, meat taken off the bones and cut into pieces (about 4 cups meat)
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup heavy cream Instructions
1. In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, add carrots, celery, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. 2. Meanwhile, add parsley and chives into a Ziploc bag. Remove biscuits from can and cut each one into quarters. Add biscuits into the Ziploc bag a few at a time, rolling them in the herbs to coat each biscuit piece. A handful at a time, add herb biscuits into the boiling chicken broth. Cover pot with a lid and reduce heat so the soup is at a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes. 3. Gently stir chicken, peas, and heavy cream into pot. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Serve.
Ham, Egg, & Spinach Quiche With Biscuit Crust
Yields 4-6 servings
Biscuit Benefit: No pre-baking of a crust needed when biscuits are used instead of a pie crust. Also, the eggs seep beneath the crust, creating a middle layer of dough that makes this quiche both unusual and irresistible. Note: Do NOT use Grands biscuits in this recipe, as they are too thick to cook properly.
Ingredients
1 can (7.5-ounce) Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
2 cups frozen spinach
1 tbsp water
1 cup cubed ham steak
1/4 cup chopped chives or scallions
1 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
4 large eggs
3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp red hot chili flakes (optional) Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray. Remove biscuits from the can and press into the bottom of the dish, making sure to press until they cover the majority of the pan’s bottom.
Yields 4-6 servings
Biscuit Benefit: No pre-baking of a crust needed when biscuits are used instead of a pie crust. Also, the eggs seep beneath the crust, creating a middle layer of dough that makes this quiche both unusual and irresistible. Note: Do NOT use Grands biscuits in this recipe, as they are too thick to cook properly.
Ingredients
1 can (7.5-ounce) Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
2 cups frozen spinach
1 tbsp water
1 cup cubed ham steak
1/4 cup chopped chives or scallions
1 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
4 large eggs
3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp red hot chili flakes (optional) Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray. Remove biscuits from the can and press into the bottom of the dish, making sure to press until they cover the majority of the pan’s bottom.
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2. Place the spinach and water into a small Ziploc bag and seal. Cook in the microwave until spinach is steamed, about 1 minute. Open Ziploc bag and drain all the liquid out. In a medium bowl, add spinach, ham, chives, and 1 cup cheese. Mix to combine and then transfer mixture to the pie plate.
3. Next, add eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and (optional) chili flakes into the bowl; whisk with a fork to combine. Pour into the pie plate over the ham mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
4. Bake until the top is very golden but the middle is entirely cooked (check that a toothpick comes out entirely clean), about 65 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pulled Pizza Bread
Yield 4-6 servings Biscuit Benefit: A cross between garlic knots and pizza, all without the wait of yeast to rise for pizza dough. You’ll be the star of any gathering if you bring this. Note that the sun-dried tomatoes and pepperoni can be chopped by hand, but if you don’t mind dirtying a food processor, it’s easier and creates more ideal, smaller pieces. Ingredients
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (12-ounce) Pillsbury Grands
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained of oil)
1/2 cup pepperoni slices
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a nonstick, 8-inch-deep loaf pan with cooking spray. 2. In a medium bowl, add butter and garlic; warm in the microwave until butter is melted. Stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Cut each biscuit into six pieces: First, cut in half, and then into thirds. Add biscuit pieces into the bowl and combine to make sure each one is coated with butter and spices. 3. Into the bowl of a food processor, add sun-dried tomatoes and gently pulse. Then, add pepperoni and pulse until both are finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix with the mozzarella. 4. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the sun-dried tomato mixture. Add half the biscuit pieces, topping with another 1/3 layer of sun-dried tomato mixture. Repeat again with remaining biscuit pieces and sun-dried tomato mixture.
Yield 4-6 servings Biscuit Benefit: A cross between garlic knots and pizza, all without the wait of yeast to rise for pizza dough. You’ll be the star of any gathering if you bring this. Note that the sun-dried tomatoes and pepperoni can be chopped by hand, but if you don’t mind dirtying a food processor, it’s easier and creates more ideal, smaller pieces. Ingredients
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (12-ounce) Pillsbury Grands
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained of oil)
1/2 cup pepperoni slices
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a nonstick, 8-inch-deep loaf pan with cooking spray. 2. In a medium bowl, add butter and garlic; warm in the microwave until butter is melted. Stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Cut each biscuit into six pieces: First, cut in half, and then into thirds. Add biscuit pieces into the bowl and combine to make sure each one is coated with butter and spices. 3. Into the bowl of a food processor, add sun-dried tomatoes and gently pulse. Then, add pepperoni and pulse until both are finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix with the mozzarella. 4. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the sun-dried tomato mixture. Add half the biscuit pieces, topping with another 1/3 layer of sun-dried tomato mixture. Repeat again with remaining biscuit pieces and sun-dried tomato mixture.
5. Bake in the oven until biscuits are fully cooked, about 45 minutes, making sure to cover with foil at the 25-minute mark. Check with a toothpick or a knife into the center to make sure the middle of the biscuits are fully cooked. Remove from oven and serve from the pan or, when slightly cooled, use a knife to loosen the edges and then flip onto a plate.