Here’s my take on a classic Fish Pie with the most delightful combination of fish with lots of veggies in a creamy white sauce and topped with delicious mashed potatoes and cheese. This Fish Pie is a comforting, tasty and satisfying family favorite.
Fish Pie
I love this fish pie, it’s like a Shepherd’s Pie but with fish, so if you’re aiming to add more fish to your diet, this fish pie is for you. It’s the perfect comfort dinner, quite easy to make, even though there are a few steps involved, but it’s so satisfying to put together. My favorite part is that golden, cheesy mashed potato topping, can’t beat that!
It’s an easy casserole-type of meal, that the whole family will enjoy, that combines three types of fish that don’t even require poaching, with delicious herbs and veggies, all topped off with creamy mashed potatoes. A definite delight for a family night in.
A little bit of extra effort required, but so worth it!
Ingredient Notes
- Fish – I used a mix of raw cod, halibut and salmon. The great thing about this fish pie is that you can even use smoked fish and you’ll get some extra flavor. So feel free to use your favorite, other great fish is haddock, tilapia, whatever you like.
- Dill – Go with fresh dill for optimum flavor.
- Potatoes – Golden Yukon are my favorite to use for mashed potatoes, since they mash really well.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is best so we can control the sodium intake.
- Milk – I used 2% milk, even lactose free will work.
- Cheese – A nice sharp cheddar is perfect for this pie, whether it’s white or orange.
- Mustard – Dijon mustard will add a bit of tanginess to the filling.
- Veggies – Chopped carrots, frozen peas and green onions are my favorite veggies for this filling.
- Flour – A little bit of all-purpose flour is required to thicken our pie filling.
- Garlic – A little bit of minced garlic to enhance the flavor of our pie.
How To Make Fish Pie
Make The Mashed Potatoes
- Boil potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cubed potatoes. Cook for for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
- Mash the potatoes: Place the drained potatoes back in the pot or a bowl, add the 3 tbsp of butter, the ⅔ cup of milk and ½ tsp of salt. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until creamy. Set aside.
Make The Filling
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the veggies: In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onions, carrots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients: Slowly pour the 2 cups of milk to the skillet and whisk until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, dijon mustard and dill to the sauce and stir until the cheese melts. Add in the fish, gently stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and season with the salt and pepper.
Assemble The Fish Pie
- Assemble the pie: Pour the filling in a 9×13-inch ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Smooth with a spoon then take a fork and rough up the top a bit. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake the pie: Place the casserole dish on a baking pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top starts to get golden.
- Ready to serve: Garnish with more dill or parsley and serve.
FAQ’s & Expert Tips
FAQ’s
Fish pie is a great meal on its own, however, you can serve it with a side of sautéed peas. Other vegetable side dishes like broccoli, cauliflower or green beans are also good options.
Hearty fish such a haddock, salmon, perch, tilapia, basa, snapper, monk fish, trout, halibut or cod go great with this type of recipe and bring a meaty flavor to the dish. Smoked fish is also great in a fisherman’s pie.
There are many herbs that go well with fish such as fresh dill, parsley, tarragon or chives go especially well with fish. However rosemary, basil and basil are also widely used.
Tips
- Drain the potatoes well after boiling to you don’t get too much of a mushy texture when you place them mashed over your filling.
- When buying fish, make sure it doesn’t have a pungent, fishy smell – this is an indicator that the fish has gone bad. Look for firm-to-the-touch fillets that are moist and hold together well. Temperature is key to maintain the quality of your fish so it should either be on ice or in a well chilled area in the supermarket fridge or freezer.
- Also, when it comes to fish, sometimes frozen is in fact better. Vacuum sealed fillets that have been flash-frozen right after harvest maintain freshness much better than the fish at the seafood counter.
Leftovers
If you have any leftover pie, make sure to let it cool down to room temperature first. You can then store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer
To freeze, allow the fish pie to cool completely. Store in individual airtight containers or one large container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Fish Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For Mashed Potatoes
- 2 lb potatoes such as Yukon, peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- â…” cup milk
- ½ tsp salt
For Fish Pie
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 green onions cut into ½ pieces on the diagonal
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cup milk
- 2 cups white cheddar shredded, divided
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 2 lbs fish mixed such as cod, halibut, salmon, cut into 2 inch pieces.
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Make the mashed potatoes
- Boil potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cubed potatoes. Cook for for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
- Mash the potatoes: Place the drained potatoes back in the pot or a bowl, add the 3 tbsp of butter, the ⅔ cup of milk and ½ tsp of salt. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until creamy. Set aside.
Make the fish filling
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the veggies: In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onions, carrots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: Slowly pour the 2 cups of milk to the skillet and whisk until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, dijon mustard and dill to the sauce and stir until the cheese melts. Add in the fish, gently stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and season with the salt and pepper.
Assemble the fish pie
- Assemble the pie: Pour the filling in a 9×13-inch ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Smooth with a spoon then take a fork and rough up the top a bit. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake the pie: Place the casserole dish on a baking pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top starts to get golden.
- Ready to serve: Garnish with more dill or parsley and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Drain the potatoes well after boiling to you don’t get too much of a mushy texture when you place them mashed over your filling.
- When buying fish, make sure it doesn’t have a pungent, fishy smell – this is an indicator that the fish has gone bad. Look for firm-to-the-touch fillets that are moist and hold together well. Temperature is key to maintain the quality of your fish so it should either be on ice or in a well chilled area in the supermarket fridge or freezer.
- Also, when it comes to fish, sometimes frozen is in fact better. Vacuum sealed fillets that have been flash-frozen right after harvest maintain freshness much better than the fish at the seafood counter.
- If you have any leftover pie, make sure to let it cool down to room temperature first. You can then store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, allow the fish pie to cool completely. Store in individual airtight containers or one large container and freeze for up to 3 months.
I was wondering if instead of using a mix of fish, what about using scallops and shrimp? Would that work?
Yes, that’d be delicious. 🙂
I couldn’t believe how good this was! I’ve eaten a lot of fish in my life and was shocked how delicious it was, that I couldn’t stop eating it! Thanks Jo! I’ll be passing this winner on to friends and family.