Easy British Fish Pie (2024)

Sep 20, 2021 by Victoria · This post may contain affiliate/paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read our full disclosure linked in the footer. · 11 Comments

Fish Pie, sometimes called Fisherman's Pie, is a classic British standby featuring a creamy, smoky fish stew topped with a rustic mashed potato crust. It's like a seaside rendition of shepherd's pie! Not only is it cozy and comforting, but it's relatively easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

(This recipe was originally published in March 2014, but was updated with new photos and content in 2021).

British fish pie is almost like a shepherd's pie or cottage pie crossed with creamy fish stew or thick chowder. It's comforting and flavorful with big chunks of flaky fish and fresh peas. No side dish necessary, except maybe a light, green salad for freshness.

This fish pie is slightly smoky from the inclusion of smoked fish with a nice seafood flavor that isn't too fishy. Lemon zest provides brightness and freshness and really enhances the flavor of the fish.

The key is to poach the fish in milk and then use that fish-infused milk to make the creamy sauce. It yields a beautiful white sauce for the fish pie filling which is thick and luscious, perfect for cloaking all the bites of fish and peas. Tucked beneath a topping of creamy potato mash, this British fish pie filling is perfectly balanced.

Ingredient notes

• White Fish: For the skinless, boneless white fish fillets, try using cod, haddock, halibut, snapper, or any other white fish you enjoy. Avoid swordfish as it is a bit too firm and dry for this preparation.
• Fresh Salmon: Use skinless, boneless salmon. If your salmon fillets are much thicker than your white fish fillets, cut the salmon into slightly smaller pieces so they cook evenly with the white fish. I cut mine into quarters.
• Smoked Fish: I use smoked salmon, but you can use any other smoked fish you enjoy such as smoked haddock, cod, or mackerel (skin and bones removed). Some people prefer using a lot more smoked fish than I do. If you prefer a super smoky fish pie, increase the amount of smoked fish and reduce the fresh fish proportionately.
• Potatoes: Floury potatoes (like Russets) are ideal for this recipe, but you can use any potatoes you enjoy using for mashed potatoes (yellow or gold potatoes are yummy too!).
• Cheddar Cheese: I would normally think it's crazy to put cheese anywhere near fish, but I've seen fish pie made with or without cheddar cheese in the mashed potato topping. It adds a sharpness and richness and even in conjunction with the fishy filling, it really works. It simply adds more flavor, and more flavor is never a bad thing. I've tried it both ways and both are delicious, so it's really up to you if you want to include cheese or not.

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil, then grease a 2-to-2 ½-quart baking dish and place it on the foil-lined baking sheet.

To make the topping: Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are tender and drain. Mash the potatoes with the milk, sour cream, butter, and cheddar cheese if using. Adjust seasoning with more salt, if needed. Cover and keep warm until needed.

To make the fish pie filling: Heat the milk and bay leaf to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the white fish and salmon and poach until they're cooked through and begin to flake.

Carefully strain out the fish with a slotted spoon and set aside, breaking it up into large bite-size pieces. Discard the bay leaves, but reserve the hot milk.

In a large pot add the butter and heat over medium-high. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Mix in the flour and stir to coat all of the onions with it.

Gently begin whisking in the hot milk (from poaching the fish). Whisk until smooth and then simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper (PHOTO 1). Stir in the peas, parsley, lemon zest, and smoked salmon (PHOTOS 2-3). Gently fold in the poached fish (PHOTO 4).

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish (PHOTO 5). Carefully top with the mashed potatoes, sealing in all the edges first (to prevent the filling from bubbling over the edges too much) (PHOTO 6).

Then cover the remaining filling with the remaining mashed potatoes. Use a fork to draw lines over the mashed potato topping to give it texture.

Bake the fisherman's pie until the filling is bubbling (it may bubble out of some of the edges) and the topping starts to brown.

At this point, you can broil the fish pie for a few additional minutes to brown it more, if desired. Serve immediately.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

Expert tips

To reheat leftover fish pie, transfer the leftovers as best you can to a smaller baking dish ensuring the mashed potato topping stays on top. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for about 20 to 25 minutes (or less if it's a small amount of leftovers) until heated through. Finish baking for a few minutes uncovered to re-crisp the top.

There are many different ways to make fisherman's pie, and you can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes. Consider replacing some of the fish with peeled and deveined shrimp or prawns and/or scallops. Quartered hard-boiled eggs are also a popular addition (simply tuck them into the filling before topping with the potato mash).

Other recipes you may like

• Guinness Bread
• Cottage Pies
• Individual Beef and Mushroom Pies
• Chicken and Mushroom Pies
• Chicken and Leek Pie
• Bangers and Mash
• Wrapped Salmon in Phyllo with Lemon Horseradish Cream Sauce
• Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
• Rock Cakes

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