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Fish Pie (for Easter!)

By Nagi Maehashi
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A Fish Pie fit for a king! Flakes of fish smothered in a creamy white sauce, topped with mashed potato then baked until golden brown, a wonderful centrepiece for Easter you can make with fresh, smoked and even canned fish.

Use a combination of smoked fish and unsmoked fish for optimum flavour and texture, plus it’s more economical. Also see recipe notes for using canned tuna or salmon to make this!

Close up of Fish Pie in white baking dish showing creamy filling with fish flakes

Fish Pie

Let’s talk Fish Pie. Fish Pie for Easter! (Or any other time of the year 🙂 )

This recipe has a few more steps in it than my usual quick ‘n easy dinner recipes. But no more steps than usual pies – Cottage Pie, Beef and Mushroom Pie, Shepherds Pie.

A golden crusted, creamy mashed potato topping. A filling loaded with flakes of fish smothered in a beautiful creamy white sauce.

The extra pots and pans are totally worth it!

Fish pie in rustic brown serving bowl

The key element of Fish Pie is the broth used to make the creamy sauce. And the path to a great broth is using the right fish.

Best Fish for Fish Pie

I like to use a combination of both smoked and normal unsmoked fish. The smoked fish (the bright orange one) provides most of the flavour. But I find it a bit overwhelming to use only smoked fish which is why I use both smoked and unsmoked (normal raw) fish.

Here in Australia, our range of smoked fish is sadly lacking. The only one sold at my local fish shop and supermarkets (Woolies) is smoked cod. It’s great value – $10/kg ($5/lb), it’s well seasoned infused with good smokey flavour, so it’s fantastic for Fish Pie.

And yes, it’s dyed. But I can’t deny that I love the colour it adds to the pie filling!

Fish poaching in milk for Fish Pie

Flaking fish in white baking dish for Fish Pie

Poaching the fish with onions studded with cloves is a traditional method that I enjoy using. It adds a subtle hint of flavour into the broth to make this Fish Pie extra special.

I think you’ll be amazed at the flavour that’s infused into the milk with just 7 minutes of poaching time. It’s flavour that can’t be bought!!!

The flavour infused milk is then used to make the creamy sauce for the Fish Pie. I don’t think it’s strictly traditional to include sautéd carrots and celery in the sauce, but I like adding them because it adds even more flavour and it adds more texture to the filling.

This is a point of disagreement between myself and my brother who believes the filling should be just fish, whereas I find the texture too one dimensional for my taste. So I’ve included the carrots and celery as optional in the recipe – otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it! (Much like the fact that I tinkered with his famous Sausage Rolls recipe. He keeps going on and on and on about it 😂).

Creamy white sauce with Tarragon and Parsley for Fish Pie

Key tip for the sauce – make sure it’s pretty thick. Like honey thick – that’s the best way I can describe it. It won’t thicken any more in the oven and also it’s likely that the fish will seep some liquid while baking. So basically, make the sauce as thick as you want it to be when you cut into the pie.

I’ve added egg into my Fish Pie, keeping with what I believe to be old school tradition 😇. I have a memory of cutting into a Fish Pie in a pub in London, and was “fishing” around trying to find the egg. I wanted my egg! Give me my egg!

But it is optional. 😂

Fish pie filling in white baking dish with creamy white sauce

Top with mash, rough it up (more ridges = more crunch!), drizzle with butter, sprinkle with parmesan and bake…..

Fish Pie in white baking dish ready to go into oven

……and look what comes out.

I know I should be focussing on the filling, but let me have a moment. Look at that golden crunchy crust! It’s so good!!!!

Golden brown crusty mashed potato topping of Fish Pie

OK, now it’s the fillings’ turn.

LOOK AT THAT CREAMY FILLING loaded with the tender flakes of fish!!!!

Close up of Fish Pie in white baking dish showing creamy filling with fish flakes

This Fish Pie might be fit for a king, but it’s totally economical to make. If you purchase your fish from the supermarket (Woolworths), it should cost less than $20 and it serves 6 to 8 people. I’m sharing this with Good Friday in mind. Traditionally, meat isn’t consumed on Good Friday and while a side of salmon recipe is usually first to mind, I thought I’d share something a little different for this year! – Nagi x

PS Though if salmon is what you’re after, there’s plenty to browse. For gatherings, try this Baked Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce (firm personal favourite) or Salmon Gravlax. See all my Salmon recipes here!

More cosy pies

And more fish recipes:

Fish Pie in white baking dish with serving plates

Close up of Fish Pie in rustic brown serving bowl with fork

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Close up of Fish Pie in white baking dish showing creamy filling with fish flakes

Fish Pie

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Mains
British, Western
4.93 from 92 votes
Servings6 – 8 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe VIDEO above. A grand Fish Pie, fit for a king yet economical to make! Chunks of fish flakes smothered in a creamy white sauce, topped with mashed potato then baked until golden. Use a combination of both smoked and raw unsmoked fish for optimum flavour and texture. Fresh tarragon is also optional – it gives an extra edge to the flavour that people can’t quite put their finger on! 

Ingredients

Fish:

  • 400 g / 14 oz smoked fish of choice (Note 1)
  • 400 g / 14 oz raw unsmoked fish of choice , I used Perch (Note 2)
  • 3 cups / 750 ml milk , low fat or full fat
  • 1 brown onion , quartered (Note 3)
  • 4 cloves , optional (Note 4)

White Sauce:

  • 50 g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 small onion , finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot , finely chopped
  • 1 small celery stick , finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup / 50g plain flour (all purpose flour, Note 11 for GF)
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon , finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 tbsp parsley , finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Potato Topping:

  • 750 g / 1.5 lb floury potatoes , peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1″ pieces (Note 5)
  • 30 g / 2 tbsp+ unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml milk, any fat %

Pie:

  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 4 hard boiled eggs , quartered (optional) (Note 6)
  • 30 g / 2 tbsp butter , melted
  • 1/4 cup / 15g grated parmesan cheese , optional
  • Finely chopped parsley , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Fish:

  • Push a clove into the skin of each onion. Place in a pot or large skillet, add milk, turn stove onto medium high heat.
  • When milk is barely simmering, add fish – don’t worry if it’s not entirely covered, it can be turned / moved around.
  • Poach fish for 7 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer fish straight into a medium baking dish (Note 8).
  • Flake into chunks using forks. Remove bones if you see any.
  • Use slotted spoon to remove onion and cloves from milk, discard. RESERVE milk.
  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Boil water for potatoes.

Sauce:

  • Melt butter in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add celery and carrot, cook for 5 minutes until carrot is soft.
  • Turn heat down to medium low. Add flour, mix in – it will look gluey.
  • Add half the milk and quickly start mixing. Once incorporated, the mixture will thicken quickly. Add remaining milk and stir. (Video helpful here)
  • Turn heat up to medium and keep stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of honey – about 3 minutes. (Note 7)
  • Take it off the heat, stir through tarragon and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Pie:

  • Scatter top of flaked fish with peas, then pour over the Sauce. GENTLY stir through (don’t want fish to turn into mush!).*
  • Smooth top, then nestle egg in all over the pie.

Mashed Potato:

  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until soft. (Do this while making the Sauce).
  • Drain potato, add butter, milk, salt and pepper. Mash until creamy – add more milk if required.
  • Immediately dollop then spread onto pie (cold mash = hard to spread).
  • Use fork to draw squiggles on surface (rough surface = better golden bits).

Bake Pie:

  • Drizzle surface with melted butter, sprinkle with parmesan.
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until top is deep golden.
  • Stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with parsley if desired. See notes for reheating and make ahead.

Recipe Notes:

* I didn’t stir Sauce through the fish in the video, but I should have done. It disperses better.
1. Smoke fish –  I use smoked cod which is commonly found at fish shops and supermarkets in Australia and is good value ($10/kg at Woolies). Any smoked fish will be great – it really adds an element of extra flavour to the sauce and the dish as a whole.
If you can’t find smoked fish, what I would do is just use all normal fish (or prawns/shrimp! Use about 500g/1 lb small ones or chop large ones instead of smoked fish) and add 1/2 cup of grated parmesan into the sauce (stir it through at the end). That will add an extra flavour edge to the sauce to make up for not having smoked fish.
2. Fish – You can really use any kind of fish that can be flaked into large-fish chunks. Most common fish is suitable for this, including salmon, perch, tilapia, basa, barramundi, snapper, cod, monk fish, ocean trout. Tuna and swordfish are not suitable because they tend to go dry, and flounder is a bit too delicate and thin. But other than those fish, go nuts!
Canned fish – use 1 kg/2lb canned tuna or salmon (it’s denser than fresh fish, so you need a bit more by weight). Drain then gently scatter large chunks into the baking dish, pour over sauce and proceed with recipe.
3. Onion – Just trim a bit of the onion end so when you quarter it, it holds together.
4. Studding the onion with cloves is optional, it’s quite a traditional British way to make the poaching liquid. You can barely taste the cloves, it’s more a subtle fragrance.
5. Potatoes – Use any floury potatoes suitable for mashing. I use the dirt brushed potatoes (Sebago), if you’re in America, Russet is ideal.
6. Boiled egg is optional but again, is traditional. Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Gently lower eggs into the water using a slotted spoon. Cook at gentle simmer (adjust heat as required) for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs into a bowl of cold water. Leave to cool, then peel under running water.
7. Sauce needs to be fairly thick as it won’t thicken in the oven and what you don’t want when you cut into the pie is runny sauce.
8. My dish is 30 x 19 x 6 cm / 12 x 8 x 2.5″. Anything around this size will work, including an oven proof skillet around 28cm / 11″ wide.
9. WORKFLOW: There’s a few components to this pie! This is the workflow I use: Poach the fish first and while it’s poaching, chop all the veggies and prep the other ingredients. Once the fish is flaked, boil the water for the potatoes and get started on the Sauce. Cook the potatoes while finishing the Sauce. Pour Sauce over pie, then set aside while mashing the potato. Top pie then bake!
10. MAKE AHEAD: If making the whole thing ahead, only let the Sauce thicken to the stage where it’s like maple syrup rather than honey (honey is thicker than maple). Then assemble the pie but don’t bake it. Cover with plenty of cling wrap and refrigerate. Then bake on the day of for around 45 minutes at 180C/350F or until surface is deep golden.
Leftovers reheat pretty well, but I do find that the filling is not quite as saucy as I’d like but that’s a problem inherent with all pies like this because typically, if the sauce of the filling is perfect thickness when made fresh, then it tends to thicken when left in the fridge.
If you’re really determined to have great leftovers (and honestly, the Filling flavour gets better overnight), then remove the potato topping (it will lift on one piece easily). Drizzle over milk or cream and gently mix through as best you can until it’s saucy. Put potato top back on, spray with oil then bake to make the top crunchy again, or even microwave it! As it heats, the milk/cream you added into the Filling melds in with the Sauce. This is how I’ve been having leftover Fish Pie this week. 🙂
11. GLUTEN FREE: Skip the flour. Mix 1/4 of the poaching milk with 1/4 cup of cornflour / cornstarch until lump free. Add remaining milk into pan then the cornflour mixture. Stir and as it heats, sauce will thicken, make it the same thickness per video (honey thickness). Proceed with recipe.
12. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 323gCalories: 365cal (18%)
Keywords: Fish pie, Fisherman’s Pie
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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When I first got him, he was so shy he used to sleep with his head stuffed between cushions. Soooo cute…..! (Didn’t last long, he was ruling the house in no time).

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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239 Comments

  1. Anna says

    5 stars
    This was absolutely perfect. Make this recipe and don’t change a thing. I cannot thank Nagi enough! One of those recipes where you look at the finished dish and think ‘wow, i did that!’. All thanks to you Nagi!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thanks so much for letting me know Anna!! N x

      Reply

  2. Alexandra Uth says

    5 stars
    Delicious! It was a big hit with the family. I’m adding this recipe to my repertoire.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Woot! Awesome Alexandra!!

      Reply

  3. Christine says

    5 stars
    This was sooooo delicious! I had fish and shrimps on hand, but no smoked fish. So, I sautéed a piece of smoky bacon with the carrots and celery and added a dash of smoky paprika to make up for the smoked fish. I am sure that your original recipe is even better, and I will make it next time I can get my hands on some smoked fish. But, even without it, this dish is a winner. Nagi, your recipes are so reliable. You’ve never failed me! Tomorrow I’m making your recipe for beef pot pie using your recipe for braised beef cheeks. Can’t wait to see how good that will be!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Sounds like you nailed it Christine, perfect idea!

      Reply

  4. Rebecca says

    Hi there and thanks so much for your wonderful recipes! So, I just made the fish pie and I’m panicking because I cooked the sauce to a honey consistent and it didn’t really look as ‘saucy’ as yours🙄
    I’ve gone ahead and mixed it into the peas and pushed the egg in and topped with mad. It’s now 5 hours till I pop it in the oven (done the forking and covered in cling film.) I’ll drizzle the butter and sprinkle the Parmesan just before baking. I just hope it doesn’t turn out too dry because I let the sauce thicken too much?! Should I do the butter and Parmesan before I stick it in the fridge and bake in five hours?
    Sorry to sound like a dummy
    Btw I used barramundi,smoked cod and prawns 🙂

    Reply

  5. Jenny Cunliffe says

    Hi, Do you use green prawns or should I cook them first? I have everything ready and will be making your fish pie tomorrow night. Jen

    Reply

  6. Fatima says

    Hi nagi made your fish pie today
    It was delicious will be making this recipe from. Now on
    Thank you for sharing

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      You’re so welcome Fatima!

      Reply

  7. Esther says

    5 stars
    Back on your website to leave another comment (AGAIN) on how good your recipes are!! I made this for my family last night, and it was such a huge hit! I served it with salad on the side, but my parents actually DID NOT TOUCH the salad at all because they wanted to fill their stomach up with more of the delicious pie!! Mum said she can’t waste stomach space with boring salad when the main dish is outstanding hahaha!
    I, too, added a tbsp of mustard into the sauce, and also added in additional prawns, and had to put in a lot more flour to make the sauce become honey-like consistency, but the end result was BANG ON. You’ve done it again, Nagi!
    Now onto your next recipe… 🙂

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thats the BEST compliment Esther!! I’m so happy it was a hit! – N x

      Reply

  8. Diana says

    5 stars
    Stupendously good! We ate it and decided that this is The ultimate comfort food ever! A bit on the pricey side but the recipe warned about it. Anyway, we have no regrets! This is our go-to blog from now on. I particularly liked the timing instructions as to how to make the cooking most efficient! And 7 minute egg method finally gets me the perfect boiled egg I was hankering after since my childhood. OMG I had perhaps tried 10 different ways of boiling the egg. This one is the best! Thank you so much! We love you!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      That’s so great to hear Diana! Thanks so much for the feedback ❤️

      Reply

  9. Esther says

    Made this terrific fish pie for Good Friday lunch, and it was super. Added heaped tsp English mustard powder to the sauce and did potato and cauliflower mash for the topping. Thanks for another great recipe. Fab ideas on your website.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Sounds amazing Esther, I’ll have to give it a try!

      Reply

  10. Gen says

    4 stars
    I am a reluctant fish cook but wanted to try this pie for Easter. Divided it into 2 pies so my elderly parents could enjoy it as well. Very tasty and easy to prepare, we will be having it again.

    Reply

  11. Colleen says

    5 stars
    Absolutely beautiful,I put puff pastry instead of the potato,another great recipe,many thanks,and Dozer is adorable

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      I’m so happy you loved it Colleen!

      Reply

  12. Carmel Thomas says

    Hi Nagi, I love your cooking style and all your recipes, can’t wait to make this one too, always a hit with everyone. My granddaughter is a chef and she loves it when I cook your recipes, and we love Dozer too

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Thanks so much Carmel, I hope you love this one!

      Reply

  13. Olive Murtagh McWall says

    Hi Nagi, I laughed when I read about the smoked red fish, in Ireland years ago on a Friday this fish was always used, I mother used to make a simple white sauce to go with it, milk, corn flour, chopped up onion and a wee knob of butter delicious and simple! I use this recipe now.
    I must make this pie.
    Love your recipes Nagi!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      I hope you give it a go Olive ☺️ I’d love to know what you think – N x

      Reply

  14. Derek Arbon says

    Its a much better sauce with a teaspoon of Mustard and a good squeeze of Lemon.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Sounds like a good idea, I’ll have to give it a go one day!

      Reply

  15. Rod Prior says

    5 stars
    As Lisa says – love your work…
    I am in Australia and the fusion of flavours that are happening in the cooking world here at the moment are amazing!!!
    This fish pie is perfect…
    Did a half batch…
    But I’ll do a full batch next time and freeze my lunch time adventures.
    Thx Nagi

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      That’s great to hear Rod! Thanks for letting me know! N x

      Reply

  16. Lisa Schulz says

    Hi Nag!

    First, I would like to say I’ve been perusing your recipes and have printed so many, I can’t wait to make them. I love your instruction and how you explain things. So many recipes leave out tips and important information (and I find you very funny too!). I love the varety your blog offers and am very excited to have found it. Second, I have a question…….I reside in the US…….Smoked fish in my locality is expensive so I would like to use fresh fish with the prawns, but to get the smokey flavor….do you think using a bit of liquid smoke would be plausible for this receipe? Just a thought for those who may not be able to afford or obtain smoked fish. I made a seafood chowder a few weeks ago that was a huge hit and have been searching for something similar but with a twist….I found it in your receipe…thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Hi Lisa, I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes, thank you! I would skip the smoked fish. 🙂 You will still get fabulous flavour in this from the seafood!! N x

      Reply

  17. Joyanne says

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was so good! I had some reservations about the cloves and eggs, but decided to follow the recipe and I’m glad I did. Thanks for the epic fish pie recipe!😊

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      That’s wonderful to hear Joyanne! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 N x

      Reply

  18. Juanita Sheehan says

    5 stars
    Another winner from Nagi. This is going to be our favourite fish pie. Thanks so much for this recipe, even my son who does not like fish loved it.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know Juanita! N x

      Reply

  19. Amelia Kaonga says

    5 stars
    I made this fish pie for dinner tonight. It’s delicious. My family absolutely loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply

  20. Tiffany says

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe! I am making for the second time now. Both times my supermarket has run out of fresh smoked cod so I have used smoked tinned kippers and rainbow trout (deboned) and it worked a treat! We had leftovers for a couple of lunches. I bought frozen mash to cheat a bit as making when I get home from work and it saved quite a bit of time. Love this recipe so so delicious!!!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      That’s terrific! So pleased you enjoyed this Tiffany – N x

      Reply