Fish Pie is a classic British comfort dish. I found this recipe while I was in the UK which is an effective way to consume all kinds of fish in British supermarkets.

Serving Suggestions

This dish is baked in the oven and is usually made in one large dish. Since the preparation takes a bit of time, it’s most commonly cooked as a single tray that serves around 3-4 people.

In the UK, fish pie is typically served as a main course. Everyone simply scoops out a portion from the dish, often accompanied by some simple sautéed greens or a fresh salad on the side.

It also works well as party food — just place it on the table and let everyone help themselves.

Checklist

Main Ingredient

Main Ingredient	Amount	Comments	Alternatives
Potatoes	150 g	-	Preferably starchy species like Maris Piper or King Edward in Britain
Fish	100 g	-	Preferably mix of white fish (cod, haddock, plaice) and smoked haddock. Frozen is fine. In my hometown Rizhao, I can try choosing other kinds of fresh boneless fish
Prawns	25-35 g	-	Optional
Milk	100 ml	For white sauce	Preferably whole milk
Flour		For white sauce	-

Supporting Ingredient

Supporting Ingredient	Amount	Comments	Alternatives
Cheddar cheese	25 g	For sauce and topping	Any sharp melting cheese

Seasoning

Seasoning	Amount	Comments	Alternatives
Butter	1 tbsp	For mashed potatoes and white sauce	-
Salt		For seasoning white sauce	-
Pepper		For seasoning white sauce	-

Cooking Tools

Cooking Tools	Comments	Alternatives
Saucepan	For making the white sauce and poaching seafood	Small flat-bottomed pot
Large pot	For boiling potatoes	-
Baking dish	For assembling and baking the pie	-
Peeler	For peeling potatoes	-
Potato masher	For smooth mash	Spoon
Jar	For containing milk	Large container
Mixing bowl	For mashing potatoes	Large container
Whisk	For lump-free white sauce	Chopsticks
Colander	For draining potatoes	Slotted spoon
Knife	For chopping fish and potatoes	-
Grater	For grating cheese	-
Fork	For roughening mashed potato topping	-

Method

Fish pie follows the standard method of making a pie: prepare filling and topping separately, then assemble and bake.

flowchart TD
    prepare-potatoes([Prepare potatoes, 15 min]) --> boil-potatoes[Boil potatoes, 10-20 min] 
    boil-potatoes --> mash-potatoes[Mash potatoes, 10 min]
    prepare-fish([Prepare fish, 5 min]) --> poach-seafood[Poach seafood, 10 min]
    poach-seafood --> make-white-sauce[Make white sauce, 10 min]
    mash-potatoes --> assemble-pie[Assemble pie, 10 min]
    make-white-sauce --> assemble-pie
    preheat-oven([Preheat oven, 5 min]) --> bake[Bake, 30-40 min]
    assemble-pie --> bake

    class prepare-potatoes cold
    class boil-potatoes long-cook
    class mash-potatoes cold
    class prepare-fish cold
    class poach-seafood cook
    class make-white-sauce cook
    class assemble-pie cold
    class preheat-oven long-cook
    class bake long-cook

    classDef cold fill:#90EE90
    classDef long-cold fill:#80d9ff
    classDef cook fill:#FFB6C1
    classDef long-cook fill:#FFA500

The estimated time is for serving 4 people. Total estimated time: 1.5-2 hours.

Preparation

Preparation Step	Action	Wait Until	Tips
Prepare potatoes	Wash, peel, cut into chunks	-	Keep chunks similar size for even cooking
Prepare fish	Cut fish into bite-size pieces	-	-
Preheat oven	Preheat oven to 180°C	Till 180°C	-

Cooking

Cooking Step	Action	Wait Until	Tips
Poach seafood	Heat seafood in the milk	Milk is hot but not boiling	Keep low heat
	Turn off heat and rest for a while	For a few minutes	-
Make white sauce	Low heat, melt butter	-	-
	Stir in flour	For 1-2 minutes	Keep low heat, stir constantly to avoid burning
	Stir in fish poaching milk gradually, whisk to avoid lumps	Sauce thickens and bubbles gently	Keep low heat, stir constantly to avoid burning. Keep the sauce thick enough to hold the filling but loose enough to spoon.
	Season with nutmeg, parsley, salt, and pepper	-	-
Boil potatoes	Boil potatoes in salted water	Potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork	-
	Drain potatoes, let steam off	-	Letting steam off prevents watery mash
Mash potatoes	Mash with butter and a splash of milk	Potatoes are smooth	-
Assemble pie	Spread the poached seafood in a baking dish	-	-
	Pour the white sauce over the seafood, gently fold in the fish	-	-
	Spread the mashed potatoes over the top evenly	-	-
	Roughen the surface with a fork	-	This helps browning
	Grate cheddar cheese over the top	-	-
Bake	Bake at 180°C	For about 40 minutes, until golden top and bubbling edges	-

Variations

I’ve tried adding the following ingredients to the filling for extra flavour and texture:

Spring onion while making the white sauce;
Diced bacon, fried until crispy, added to the filling;
Some vegetables like diced carrot, peas, sweetcorn, spinach mixed into the filling;
Smashed feta cheese for a salty contrast;
Hard-boiled or poached eggs, chopped, mixed into the filling;
English mustard added to the white sauce for a tangy kick.
Cheddar cheese mixed into the white sauce for extra cheesiness.