Nothing beats a creamy fish pie for some hearty comfort food. My award-winning recipe is always on our recipe rotation at home.
This recipe has been handed down to me through generations and has been tested HUNDREDS of times.
Fish Pie with Cheesy Mash is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods.
Although it’s usually difficult to get my carnivorous family to skip the meat for a day, I know that my fish pie will always ensure everyone’s plates are clear.
Usually I make a large fish pie and plonk it in the middle of the table. My intention is to let everyone help themselves, and then for me to save leftovers for lunch the next day.
After everyone’s gone back for second (and usually third) helpings though, my leftovers tend to consist of one solitary pea – that probably got dropped on the floor by one of the kids.
So we all leave the table, undoing our top buttons with that mashed-potato-overload-comatose feeling.
One of these days I will learn how to portion control!
This Creamy Fish Pie recipe was the one I cooked up on stage in a live-cookoff at the Big Feastival a few years ago (I added some crumbled up Piper’s cheese and onion crisps on top for a little twist on that one).
As part of the cook-off, we had to make a giant version so the audience could taste-test the recipe and vote for their favourite. And that audience was scarily huge (see below)!
🏆 My recipe won 🏆 – and that was the beginning of a wonderful working relationship with Neff (who put up the prize of £10k of Neff kitchen equipment), and who I’m still working with!
So now you know my award-winning recipe! I hope you love it as much as I do.
What do have with fish pie?
- I usually serve my fish pie with peas and sweetcorn. The kids love this combo
- Sugarsnap peas/snow peas/mange tout also work really well.
- I personally LOVE kale so that’s always an option too!
- These simple butter pepper carrots are also a delicious side dish.
- Or My Garlic Green Beans
Watch How To Make It
More Fish or seafood recipes 🐟
- Crispy Fish Burger with Shoestring Fries – one of the kid’s favourites!
- Baked Fish and Chips with Lemon Smashed Peas – a lighter option than going to the chippy.
- Pan Fried Salmon and Spaghetti with Lemon Cream Sauce – Super quick and tasty.
- Garlic Bread Crusted Salmon – an impressive special dinner with an easy hack.
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake – a reader favourite!
- Thai Fish Cakes
- Easy Salmon Recipe
- Honey Garlic butter Baked Salmon
- Or my Salmon Sushi Bowl
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Fish Pie with Cheesy Mash
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 1/2 lb) floury potatoes such as maris piper, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 1 ½ tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- large pinch salt and pepper
- 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) full-fat milk
- 2 boneless salmon fillets
- 1-2 boneless cod or haddock fillet
- 15 king prawns shrimp these can be cooked or raw (make sure they’re de-veined)
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour OR 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water for gluten free
- 1 ½ tbsp butter
- 150 g (1 1/2 packed cups) grated mature cheddar cheese
- pinch black pepper
To serve:
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- peas
- sweetcorn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan).
- Place the potatoes into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.1 kg (2 1/2 lb) floury potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and then mash with a potato masher or ricer. Stir in half of the butter, the cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put to one side.1 1/2 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp double cream, large pinch salt and pepper
- Place the milk in a large saucepan with the salmon fillets and the cod/haddock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes (if you're using raw prawns, add them in for the last minute of cooking). By this time your fish should be cooked and starting to flake apart.600 ml (2 1/2 cups) full-fat milk, 2 boneless salmon fillets, 1-2 boneless cod or haddock fillet, 15 king prawns
- Place the flaked fish and prawns (add the cold, cooked prawns at this point if using) in a large baking dish, remove and discard the skin if the fish wasn't skinless.15 king prawns
- Pour the cooking liquid into a jug and keep to one side
Regular Version of the sauce:
- Melt the remaining butter in the milk pan, then stir in the flour. Heat through on a medium heat whilst mixing with a wooden spoon for a minute.2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour, 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- Slowly add in the reserved milk that you cooked the fish in whilst stirring with a balloon whisk (don't whisk it hard though, or you'll end up with a frothy sauce). The sauce will begin to thicken after a few minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir through half the cheese and a pinch of black pepper.150 g (1 1/2 packed cups) grated mature cheddar cheese, pinch black pepper
Gluten Free version of the sauce:
- Pour the reserved milk back into the milk pan and heat until barely simmering – don't let it boil. A bit at a time, stir through the cornflour/water mixture using a balloon whisk. Keep adding the cornflour mix until the milk thickens. Turn off the heat and stir through half the cheese and a pinch of black pepper.
Assembly:
- Now it's time to assemble fish pie. Pour the sauce over the fish/prawn mixture.
- Spoon the mashed potato over the top and then use a fork to spread it out and give it a lined pattern (this gives the mash more surface area to crisp up).
- Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Top with chopped chives and serve with peas, and sweetcorn.1 tbsp chopped chives, peas, sweetcorn
Video
Notes
Can you reheat fish pie?
Yes, quickly cool, cover and refrigerate any leftovers. It should be fine in the fridge for up to a day. Place the leftovers (still in the oven dish) in the oven, covered in foil for 20-25 minutes at 200C/400F until piping hot throughout. You can remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of cooking to crisp up the top again.Can you freeze fish pie?
Yes!I find the mashed potato can be a little watery after freezing, but so long as the pie is fully defrosted before reheating, it should be fine after cooking and crisping up in the oven. Make the fish pie right up to the point before you put it in the oven. Then quickly cool, cover and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight (ensure it’s fully defrosted throughout before reheating), then place in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C/400F until the potato is golden brown and the sauce is starting to bubble up at the sides.
Other topping ideas:
- If you want to go with the exact recipe I cooked on stage, then take the cooked fish pie out of the oven, sprinkle over a couple of handfuls of crushed Piper’s Cheddar and Onions crisps and place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes, just to heat the topping through. Lovely and crunchy!
- Try adding add a spoonful of mustard to the mashed potato for a bit of a kick (I would use dijon mustard).
- Use half regular potatoes and half sweet potatoes for the topping for a sweeter taste and a vibrant topping!
- Stir cooked and chopped little florets of broccoli into the mashed potato before you spoon it over the fish mixture.
What type of fish to use for fish pie:
I use a mixture of salmon, king prawns and white fish such as cod or haddock. You can replace some of the fish if you prefer.- You can replace the cod/haddock with pollock, halibut or hake.
- Replace the salmon with trout (this has a slightly milder flavour than salmon).
- I sometimes replace half of the cod/haddock with smoked haddock – this adds a lovely smoky-salty flavour to the dish. Just using 1 smoked haddock fillet means the smokiness won’t be overpowering.
- I’ll sometimes leave the prawns out entirely and add an extra salmon/cod fillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first published in July 2015. Updated in October 2019 with new photos, recipe video, step-by-step photos and recipe tips. Updated in Aug 202 for housekeeping reasons.
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I’m guessing you can freeze this lovely dish?
Really nice, simple recipe but very tasty. Skipped the prawns as not a big fan, used 50:50 cod and salmon. Added a handful of frozen peas at the ‘assembly’ stage. About to run up 2nd time this evening. Thanks.
I’m in the USA. I made my fish pie with perch filets, canned salmon and extra sharp Cabot Cheddar. It was delicious. I will definitely make it with fresh haddock and salmon in the future. Thank you.
M
I have made this recipe a few times and it’s delicious every time, I added some leeks to the fish pot, and I didn’t have enough potatoes at one time and mashed turnips into the potatoes came out delicious. Thanks for the recipe 😊
Have made this recipe 4times and it’s delicious made some changes along the way, added leeks, white pepper, I didn’t have enough of potatoes, so I added some rutabaga in with the mash potato, it was delicious. I made so much for two I froze it? Probably will have to thicken it up sure! But regardless a great recipe.
Please oh please tell me how you stop the praws going tough as they have more than avery limited time of cooking
I can’t get off this site, so many good recipes. Going to try your Cheesy Fish Pie next and after watching your Cranberry and Brie bites video, that’s definitely going on the list! 🙌
Hi….the oven temperature of 200c is that a conventional oven rather than a fan assisted?
Can the dish be made up to the point of placing in the oven a couple of hours before this final step?
The dish is delish having previously served to friends but just want to clarify the above points.
Thanks.
Hi Duncan, the 200C is for a fan oven.
Yes you can make it up a couple of hours ahead. I would cover and refrigerate, then remove from the refrigerator an hour before cooking. It may need a longer in the oven to ensure it’s hot throughout, as the fish will be going into the oven from a cooler temperature.
You can check it’s piping hot in the middle by sticking a knife in the middle and feeling if the knife comes out very hot (careful not to burn your fingers though!). Hope you enjoy 🙂