Easy British Fish Pie

Written by
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Elaine Lemm
Updated 07/10/19
Fish Pie Recipe

 The Spruce 
  • Total: 60 mins
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
422 Calories
19g Fat
51g Carbs
11g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 422
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Protein 11g
Calcium 203mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This British fish pie recipe is easy to make and can be economical to cook. It calls for pieces of a variety of fish; use fresh, seasonal fish whenever possible, but frozen is fine as long as you defrost it first. (If you don't, you will end up with a lot of water in the bottom of your dish.) Ask your fishmonger for a selection of fish scraps; usually, they will charge you less than the market price. If they aren't willing, then change your fishmonger.

Combining fish, leeks, milk, butter, and potatoes, a fish pie is a one-pot supper dish. Some like to sprinkle a fish pie with grated cheese but this is optional, as is the addition of hard-cooked eggs seen in some recipes. Serve the pie with peas or other fresh greens.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fish stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 12 ounces assorted fish pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium leek (white part only, washed thoroughly and finely sliced)
  • 2 ounces (a little less than 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (warm and creamy)
  • Optional: a handful of grated cheddar cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Fish Pie Recipe ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Heat the oven to 355 F/180 C.

  3. Pour the fish stock and milk into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  4. Add the fish pieces and bay leaf and poach for 5 minutes.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  5. Remove the fish pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the liquid in the pot.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook for 5 minutes until the leeks are soft.

    Fish Pie Recipe
    The Spruce 

  7. While still hot, add the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon.

    Fish Pie Recipe
    The Spruce 

  8. Pour the fish poaching liquid into the pan and stir again. Raise the temperature and cook for 3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened.

    Fish Pie Recipe
    The Spruce 

  9. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and add the poached fish and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Fish Pie Recipe
    The Spruce 

  10. Spoon the fish mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and fluff them up with a fork. For a more professional look, you can pipe the mashed potatoes using a piping bag with a large nozzle.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  11. Sprinkle with the grated cheese if using.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  12. Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the center of the heated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling beneath the potatoes.

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

  13. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Fish Pie Recipe
     The Spruce

Tips

  • Either buy one type of fish (skin and bones removed) cut into bite-sized chunks, or mix different fish and/or prawns together. 
  • Choose non-oily, fleshy fish such as salmon, cod, smoked haddock, and coley, which is similar to cod.

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