Easy British Fish Pie

It's Also Known as Fisherman's Pie for a Reason

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
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.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/22/24
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 baking dish

If you love the comfort of classic British dishes like shepherd's pie or beef and Guinness pie, but want a dish that feels just a tad lighter, consider the fish pie. Also known as a fisherman's pie, this one-pot supper dish that is both easy to prepare and economical to cook with impressive results that make it dinner party-worthy.

British Fish Pie: Comfort on a Budget

The filling calls for using a combination of fish, so feel free to go with whatever you have on hand, or ask your fishmonger for a selection of fish scraps (usually, they will charge you less than the market price).

The fish is poached in a fish stock-milk mixture, combined with cooked leeks and parsley, then topped with a fluffy layer of mashed potatoes before baking until golden brown. Sprinkle on grated cheese for added richness. Serve the fish pie with peas or other fresh greens for a complete meal.

Tips for Making the Best Fish Pie

  • It's best to use fresh, seasonal fish whenever possible, but frozen is fine as long as you defrost it first. Using fish that isn't properly defrosted can lead to a watery fish pie.
  • Choose non-oily, fleshy fish such as salmon, cod, smoked haddock, and coley (aka pollock), which is similar to cod.
  • Either buy one type of fish or mix different fish, even shrimp or prawns, together.
  • Bake the pie in a 2-quart to 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
  • A homemade fish stock will give you the best flavor, but if you're in a time crunch, store-bought seafood stock works, too.
  • This is a great dish for using up leftover mashed potatoes!

What Wine Goes With British Fish Pie?

Choose a smooth, dry white wine. Unoaked chardonnay, chenin blanc, pinot gris, and sauvignon blanc are all good options. If you prefer a red wine, choose pinot noir or Beaujolais.

Easy British fish pie in a casserole dish

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
What You'll Need to Make This Fish Pie Recipe
A Sturdy Casserole Dish
A Handy Dandy Piping Bag
A Good Cheese Grater

"The fish pie was an easy preparation. All you need is some prepared mashed potatoes and the fish and sauce filling. My fish broth had some salt, so I only added about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Very tasty and made a nice meal with a salad." —Diana Rattray

Traditional British fish pie in a casserole dish with a wooden spoon
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fish stock

  • 1 cup milk

  • 12 ounces fish, skin and bones removed, cut into bite-sized chunks

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 1 medium leek, white part only, washed thoroughly and finely sliced

  • 2 ounces all purpose flour (a little less than 1/2 cup)

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

  • Salt, to taste

  • Dash ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (warm and creamy)

  • A handful of grated cheddar cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C.

    Ingredients for easy British fish pie gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Fish stock and milk in a large saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Fish pieces and bay leaf in the poaching liquid in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Poached fish on a plate next to poaching liquid in a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Leeks cooking with butter in a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. While still hot, add the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.

    Flour and leek mixture in a saucepan with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. 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 poaching liquid added to the flour and leek mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Adding poached fish and chopped parsley to the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. 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.

    Mashed potatoes over the fish stew in a casserole dish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Sprinkle with the grated cheese if using.

    Fish pie topped with mashed potatoes and cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the center of the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling beneath the potatoes. Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Easy British fish pie baked in a casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Recipe Variations

  • Give the pie a little crunch with a final sprinkling of crushed potato chips or panko crumbs.
  • Add extra flavor to the sauce with some chopped fresh dill or chives, or add a grating of nutmeg.
  • Boiled eggs are often added to fish pie. Chop 3 or 4 peeled, hard-boiled. Sprinkle the chopped eggs over the sauce mixture just before topping with the mashed potatoes.
  • A bit of wine can add complex flavor to the sauce. Just before adding the poaching liquid to the leek mixture, add about 1/3 cup of dry white wine.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Refrigerate leftover fish pie in a covered container for up to 3 days.
  • The whole pie or leftover pie may be frozen in the baking dish or another container. To freeze the pie, cover the baking dish or container tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Defrost the frozen fish pie in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the pie with foil and bake it in a preheated 375 F oven for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)
638 Calories
28g Fat
65g Carbs
33g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 638
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 1280mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 24%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 33mg 165%
Calcium 164mg 13%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 1485mg 32%
*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.)