Which fish is best in a traditional British fish pie?

A combination of skinless white fish (such as cod or haddock) and salmon provides balanced flavour, delicate flakes and appealing colour. Avoid oily fish like mackerel, which overpowers the delicate parsley sauce.

Can I add prawns to this recipe?

Yes. As an optional variation, add 150g raw peeled king prawns to the poaching liquid for the final 2 minutes until pink, then arrange with the flaked fish. Note that prawns add crustacean allergens.

How do I check if the fish pie is safely cooked?

Use a clean digital probe thermometer in the centre of the pie to confirm it reaches at least 70°C held for two minutes, or 75°C instant. The fish should be completely opaque and the sauce steaming.

Can I assemble fish pie in advance?

Yes. Assemble the fish, sauce and potato topping, cool quickly, cover and chill for up to 24 hours. When baking from cold, add 10–15 minutes to the oven time and verify the internal temperature.

Fish Pie Recipe with Creamy Mash | Our British Kitchen

Golden fork-ridged mashed potato crust on a freshly baked British fish pie in a white oven dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

A balanced combination of tender white fish and salmon poached gently in milk to retain delicate moisture and clean flavour.
Fluffy Maris Piper mashed potato piped or fork-ridged to achieve a crisp, golden crust under the oven grill.
Silky parsley cream sauce made with the infused poaching milk, butter and double cream that binds without heaviness.
A comforting, family-friendly dinner cooked in a single baking dish with flexible fish substitutions.

Gentle Poaching and Sauce Balance

Delicate fish requires gentle heat. Simmering the milk gently rather than boiling prevents the fish proteins from tightening and turning rubbery. Reserving the poaching milk captures natural fish essences that form the foundation of a rich, velvety sauce. Flaking the fish into generous 3–4cm pieces rather than breaking it finely ensures it holds structure beneath the weight of the potato layer.

What You Need

Chunks of white cod and rich salmon, whole milk infused with bay and peppercorns, a velvety parsley roux sauce enriched with double cream and fluffy mashed Maris Piper potatoes.

Cod and salmon fillets, Maris Piper potatoes, whole milk, cream, butter, flour and flat-leaf parsley.

Skinless cod or haddock fillets – Cut into 4cm chunks; haddock offers slightly firmer texture while cod is mild.
Skinless salmon fillet – Cut into 4cm chunks; adds rich colour, flavour contrast and healthy oils.
Whole milk – Used first to gently poach the fish, then reserved as the fragrant sauce base.
Dried bay leaf – Infuses the poaching milk with subtle herbal aroma.
Whole black peppercorns – Gently seasons the milk; strained out before sauce making.
Unsalted butter (for sauce) – Combined with flour to create the roux base.
Plain white flour (for sauce) – Thickens the strained poaching milk into a velvety coating sauce.
Double cream – Enriches the parsley sauce with smooth body.
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped – Stirred into the sauce for fresh herbal contrast and vibrant flecks.
Floury potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper or King Edward) – Peeled and cut into uniform chunks for smooth, fluffy mash.
Unsalted butter (for mash) – Beaten into hot steamed potatoes for creamy richness and golden browning.
Warm whole milk (for mash) – Loosens the mash to an easily spreadable, pipeable texture.
Fine sea salt and ground white pepper – White pepper keeps the pale parsley sauce and mash visually pristine.

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How to Make Traditional Fish Pie with Creamy Mash Topping

Step 1: Poach the fish

Pour 450ml milk into a wide pan with the bay leaf and peppercorns. Warm over low heat until steaming gently. Slide in the cod and salmon chunks and poach on low for 4–5 minutes until just beginning to flake at the edges. Carefully lift the fish with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Strain and reserve approx. 400ml of the poaching milk, discarding the aromatics.

Step 2: Boil and mash the potatoes

Boil the potato chunks in salted water for 15–18 minutes until completely tender. Drain thoroughly and leave in the colander for 3–5 minutes to steam dry. Mash with 50g butter and 60ml warm milk until smooth and fluffy. Season with salt and white pepper.

Step 3: Make the parsley cream sauce

Melt 40g butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the reserved warm poaching milk until silky and lump-free. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until thickened, remove from heat, then stir in 100ml double cream and chopped parsley. Season with salt and white pepper.

Step 4: Assemble the pie

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas Mark 6. Break the poached fish into large, gentle flakes and arrange across a 28 x 20 cm ovenproof dish. Pour the warm parsley cream sauce evenly over the fish. Spoon the mashed potato on top, spreading to seal the edges, and rake ridges across the surface with a fork.

Step 5: Bake until golden

Bake on the middle shelf for 25–30 minutes until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the potato peaks turn deep golden. Verify the centre is steaming hot and reaches 75°C (or at least 70°C for 2 minutes). Rest for 5 minutes before portioning.

Food-Safe Chilling and Single Reheating

Refrigerate leftover fish pie covered within two hours and consume within 24 hours. Because fish has been cooked twice (poaching and baking), do not reheat more than once. Reheat individual portions in an oven preheated to 180°C / 160°C fan for 20 minutes, or in a microwave, verifying with a food thermometer that the centre is steaming hot and reaches 75°C throughout.

Fish Selections and Optional Prawns

Smoked haddock can replace half of the white fish for a gentle smoky character; reduce added salt if using smoked fish. Pollock and coley are sustainable, economical alternatives that perform identically to cod. For a lighter sauce, double cream can be swapped for crème fraîche or omitted entirely.

How We Serve It at Home

Serve generous portions straight from the baking dish at the table, showing off the layers of flaky fish and creamy sauce under the golden-crested mash. Steamed garden peas, green beans or tenderstem broccoli make the classic accompaniment.

A plated portion of traditional fish pie showing creamy fish filling and golden mash with steamed peas.

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