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    Home » Recipes » Fish and seafood recipes

    Cheesy fish pie with a crispy topping

    Published: Mar 15, 2021 · Modified: Jan 2, 2025 by VJ · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to recipe

    This is my tried and tested recipe for fish pie! Succulent fillets of fish and seafood in a cheesy sauce, covered with creamy mashed potatoes and a special crispy topping make this cheesy fish pie with a crispy topping rank head and shoulders above the rest. It never fails to deliver on both taste and flavour.

    Fish pie with a spoon removing a corner to show the inside.

    Who doesn't love succulent pieces of fish and seafood in a creamy sauce covered with crispy mashed potatoes?

    Jump to:
    • The only fish pie recipe you will ever need
    • What you will need
    • What to do
    • Can I freeze this fish pie?
    • Make in advance
    • Save for later
    • Related recipes
    • 📋The recipe

    The only fish pie recipe you will ever need

    Seriously, this is the best fish pie recipe I've ever tried, and I think you will love it.

    I've been making this cheesy fish pie for years, ever since my children were small, and now that they've grown up and have families of their own, they are making it too. This recipe for fish pie (some people call it a fisherman's pie) is truly a dish that has stood the test of time.

    • It's made with succulent fish fillets, a mixture of prawns, calamari and mussels, and chopped hard-boiled eggs and cheese in a deliciously cheesy creamy sauce.
    • The potatoes on top are mixed with cream and butter to make them luxuriously soft and creamy.
    • The topping of grated cheese is mixed with a packet of cheese and onion crisps to give a crispy, crusty finish to the whole dish.
    • I like to add peas or sweetcorn to this fish pie to provide little pops of colour and sweetness, but you could leave these out and serve on the side if you prefer.

    This cheesy fish pie is definitely a meal you will want to make over and over again.

    If you would prefer to try a similar fish pie, but made only with fish (without the seafood), why not try this delicious recipe for haddock au gratin?

    A fish pie, with a perfectly browned crispy topping.

    This fish pie with a crispy cheesy topping makes you want to grab a spoon and dive right in

    What you will need

    Equipment

    You will need a large saucepan for boiling the potatoes, and a frying pan for poaching the fish and making the sauce.

    For assembling the fish pie you will need a casserole dish large enough to hold fish and sauce plus the potato topping.

    Ingredients

    **Get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this fish pie on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**

    The ingredients given in the recipe are sufficient for a fish pie that will feed 4 people. You can easily scale the recipe up or down to feed more or less.

    Ingredients for fish pie.

    Seafood - you can use pre-cooked frozen seafood mix, readily available in the freezer section of your local supermarket. If you prefer you could substitute this for fresh or frozen prawns. If you don't like mixed seafood, just leave it out and add an extra piece of fish.

    Fish - I've used fillets of cod and salmon. You can substitute these with any firm filleted fish of your choice. Do make sure it's filleted though - you don't want anyone choking on a fish bone. In the UK you can buy frozen fish pie mix in the large supermarkets, which is a mixture of pieces of white fish and salmon.

    Potatoes - these are for the mash which is placed on top of the fish pie. You can use any floury potato that mashes well. I like to use King Edwards.

    Cream - this is for mashing with the potatoes to give an extra creamy taste. If you prefer you can use a mixture of half milk and cream, or if you are watching your weight, use plain milk instead.

    Grated cheese - used for mixing with the sauce for extra flavour, and also used for sprinkling on top of the pie before baking. I used cheddar - you can use any cheese that grates well.

    Cheese and onion crisps - I like to crush these and combine them with the grated cheese before sprinkling it over the fish pie. They add a great crunch to the topping. Leave them out if you prefer.

    Butter - some of the butter is used for mashing with the potatoes. The rest is used for making the sauce.

    Milk - used for poaching the fish. Once the fish is poached, the milk is reserved for making the sauce. This way you don't lose any of the delicious fishy flavour.

    Flour - used for thickening the sauce. You can substitute this with cornflour (or cornstarch).

    Eggs (not pictured) - I like to add chopped hard-boiled eggs to the fish pie, but this is totally optional.

    Peas (not pictured) - I think fish and peas go so well together so I always add a handful of frozen peas. If you prefer you can leave these out too, and perhaps serve the fish pie with a helping of peas on the side. If you are not a lover of peas, you could swap these out for sweetcorn kernels.

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper - for seasoning.

    What to do

    • Preparation time: about 20 minutes - assuming you poach the fish while the potatoes are boiling.
    • Cooking time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: this pie will serve 4 people.
    • Calories: 675 per serving

    Making the pie is easy. There are only a few steps.

    Make the mashed potatoes

    • Peel the potatoes and cut them into large evenly-sized chunks. Place them in a saucepan of salted cold water and bring them to a boil.
    • Add the eggs so that they can boil in the same pan (save on washing up 🙂 ).
    • Cover with a lid and allow to boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft enough to mash.
    • Drain the potatoes through a colander, return them to the saucepan pan and add butter and cream.
    • Mash with a potato masher, or use a potato ricer, until the potatoes are free from lumps. Then set the potatoes aside until you are ready to use them.
    • Put the boiled eggs into a dish of cold water to cool.

    Fish and cheese sauce

    Steps for poaching the fish and making the sauce.
    • Start by poaching the fish in the milk seasoned with salt and pepper, in a saucepan or a frying pan (image 1 above). This will take about 5 minutes. You will see the fish is done when it starts to flake. Don't worry if it is not quite cooked - it will finish off cooking in the oven.
    • Once the fish is poached, transfer it to a plate and pour the poaching liquid into a measuring jug. Top up the milk to make 1 and a half cups.
    • Flake the fish with a fork and remove any skin (if there is any) (image 2 above).
    • Using the same pan the fish was cooked in, melt the butter and then stir in the flour (image 3 above).
    • Add the milk that the fish was cooked in and continue to stir over low heat until the mixture thickens and a spoon leaves a trail when drawn through it (image 4 above).
    • The consistency of the sauce should be that of thickish custard.
    • Now stir the cheese through the sauce and allow it to melt. Add a little extra milk if the sauce seems too thick.

    Assemble and bake

    Steps for assembling fish pie.
    • Add the fish and seafood to the sauce. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and chop them coarsely. Add the peas. Mix to combine (image 1 above).
    • Taste for seasoning at this point and add more salt and/or black pepper according to your taste.
    • Transfer the fish mixture to a casserole dish.
    • Spoon the mashed potato carefully on top and spread it gently with a fork. Run the fork over the mashed potato to create little ridges.
    • Crush the cheese and onion crisps and mix with the remaining grated cheese.
    • Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the potatoes (image 2 above).
    • Place the fish pie into a pre-heated oven (200C / 400F) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
    • Remove from the oven and serve with vegetables of your choice or with a fresh garden salad.
    A fish pie with a spoonful removed to show the fish inside.

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    Can I freeze this fish pie?

    Yes, you can freeze the assembled pie for up to 3 months.

    I would be inclined to assemble it in a disposable aluminium baking tray so as not to tie up my casserole dish in the freezer.

    Bake in a hot oven (200C/400F) from frozen for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden.

    Make in advance

    Assemble the dish and then cover with tinfoil or plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    When you are ready to use it place it in a hot oven (200C / 400F) and bake for about 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.

    Save for later

    Why not pin this fish pie recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

    Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

    Related recipes

    You can find many ideas for using fish on my fish and seafood recipes page. Here are a few you might enjoy:

    • Two monkfish kebabs on a plate with vegetables and potatoes.
      Monkfish kebabs with cherry tomatoes and button mushrooms
    • A dish of seafood-stuffed pancakes covered in cheese sauce and garnished with parsley.
      Cheesy seafood-stuffed pancakes - (crepes au gratin)
    • Fish fingers covered in tartare sauce on a plate with french fries and peas.
      Crispy fish fingers with homemade tartare sauce
    • Close up of a piece of monkfish on a fork with a plate of peas and potatoes in the background.
      Pan-fried monkfish with parsley butter

    📋The recipe

    A fish pie, with a perfectly browned crispy topping.

    Cheesy fish pie with a crispy topping

    This is my tried and tested recipe for fish pie! Succulent fillets of fish and seafood in a cheesy sauce, covered with creamy mashed potatoes and a special crispy topping make this fish pie rank head and shoulders above the rest. It never fails to deliver on both taste and flavour.
    Recipe by: Veronica
    Main Course
    British
    Calories 675
    Prep 30 minutes minutes
    Cook 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes

    (Click the stars to rate this recipe)

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Frying Pan
    • 11" x 7" Casserole dish (28cm x 18 cm)

    Ingredients

    • 4 ounce (120g) fresh or frozen seafood mix defrosted
    • 6 ounce (170g) cod
    • 6 ounce (170g) salmon
    • 2 pounds (900g) potatoes
    • ¼ cup single cream
    • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese divided ⅔ / ⅓
    • 1 ounce (25g) cheese and onion crisps one small packet
    • 2 ounce (60g) butter divided ⅓ / ⅔
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • 2 medium eggs
    • ½ cup frozen peas
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F.
    • Peel the potatoes and cut them into large evenly-sized chunks. Place them in a saucepan of salted cold water and bring them to the boil.
      2 pounds (900g) potatoes
    • When the water is boiling, carefully lower the eggs to the same pan.
      2 medium eggs
    • Cover with a lid and allow to boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft enough to mash.
    • Drain through a colander then return to the saucepan pan and add ⅓ of the butter and all of the cream.
      2 ounce (60g) butter, ¼ cup single cream
    • Mash with a potato masher, or use a potato ricer, until the potatoes are free from lumps. Then set the potatoes aside until you are ready to use them.
    • Put the boiled eggs into a dish of cold water to cool.
    • Place the fish and milk into a saucepan or frying pan, season with salt and black pepper and bring the heat to a gentle simmer.
      6 ounce (170g) cod, 6 ounce (170g) salmon, 2 cups milk
    • Allow the fish to poach for about 5 minutes until it starts to flake.
    • Transfer the poachd fish to a plate and pour the poaching liquid into a jug.
    • Remove any skin from the fish and break the fish into flakes with a fork.
    • Melt the remaining ⅔ butter in the same pan that the fish was cooked in, then stir in the flour. Make sure you remove any lumps.
      2 ounce (60g) butter, 1 tablespoon flour
    • Add the milk that the fish was cooked in and continue to stir over a low heat until the mixture thickens and a spoon leaves a trail when drawn through it.
    • Now stir ⅔ cheese through the sauce and allow it to melt. Add a little extra milk if the sauce seems too thick.
      1 cup grated cheddar cheese
    • Add the fish and seafood into the sauce. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and chop them coarsely. Add the peas. Mix to combine.
      ½ cup frozen peas, 4 ounce (120g) fresh or frozen seafood mix
    • Taste for seasoning at this point and add more salt and/or black pepper according to your taste.
      ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • Transfer the fish mixture to a casserole dish and spoon the mashed potato carefully on top. Spread it gently with a fork to cover the fish completely. Run the fork over the mashed potato to create little ridges.
    • Crush the cheese and onion crisps and mix with the remaining ⅓ grated cheese and sprinkle on top of the potatoes.
      1 ounce (25g) cheese and onion crisps
    • Place the fish pie into the pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown.
    • Remove from the oven and serve with vegetables of your choice, or with a fresh garden salad.

    Notes

    Boil the eggs with the potatoes to save on washing up!
    You can use any firm white fish for this recipe.  If you don't want to use salmon you can replace this with cod or other fish.
    You can replace the seafood mix with an equivalent amount of white fish.
    When making the sauce, the consistency should be that of thick custard.  Add extra milk if it is too thick, or thicken with a little cornflour mixed with milk if it is too thin.
    You can leave out the eggs and peas if you wish.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories - 675kcal | Carbohydrates - 51g | Protein - 41.8g | Fat - 33.7g | Saturated Fat - 18g | Cholesterol - 232mg | Sodium - 850mg | Potassium - 1381mg | Fiber - 6.6g | Sugar - 10g | Calcium - 447mg | Iron - 4mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
    Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I'd love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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    About VJ

    Before I started my food blog I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, mostly made from scratch, using everyday pantry ingredients.

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