Restaurant-style British fish pie – easy to make 🇬🇧

This British fish pie is a baked layered dish combining white fish, king prawns, and hard-boiled eggs in a creamy herb sauce, topped with rich mashed potato.

About British Fish Pie

Origins:
British fish pie, often called Fisherman’s pie, developed as a practical way to use both preserved and fresh fish in home cooking. Its origins are tied to older English and Irish dishes that combined seafood with root vegetables or cereal-based toppings. Unlike pastry pies, fish pie uses mashed potatoes as a topping, which became more common from the 18th century onwards when potatoes were more widely cultivated. The use of smoked fish came from coastal preservation methods, particularly in Scotland and northern England. Over time, the dish became associated with frugal, hearty family meals.

Tradition:
Today’s typical fish pie in Britain is made with a mix of white fish, often including smoked haddock, and sometimes cod or salmon, in a thick béchamel-style sauce. The sauce may include cream, cheese, mustard, or fish stock for extra richness. The fish is usually combined with boiled eggs, and sometimes with peas or spinach in the filling, then topped with plain mashed potatoes made with butter and milk. It’s served as a main course.

This recipe:
For a more refined take on traditional British fish pie, I used hake, monkfish, pollock and king prawns. The fish is drizzled with lemon juice, then coated in a creamy herb sauce infused with parsley and dill. I added sliced hard-boiled eggs directly over the seafood before topping everything with mashed potatoes. The mash is flavoured with Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and a touch of cream, with peas folded through for colour and texture. Once assembled, the pie is baked until the top is golden and lightly crisped.

Restaurant-style British Fish Pie Ingredients

• fish – Use a mix of white fish such as hake, monkfish, and pollock.
• prawns – Best use king prawns. Peeled and deveined; fresh or frozen and thawed.
• hard-boiled eggs – Boil in advance, then peel and slice.
• lemon juice – Freshly squeezed, not bottled.

Mashed potatoes:

• potatoes – Choose starchy types like Maris Piper or King Edward for mashing.
• butter – Unsalted.
• Dijon mustard – Just a small amount to lift the flavour of the mash.
• ground nutmeg – Adds subtle warmth; go easy.
• cream – Use double cream or heavy cream for richness.
• peas – Use frozen or cooked fresh peas.

Sauce:

• fresh parsley – Finely chopped; flat-leaf preferred.
• dill – Fresh or dry.
• butter – Use unsalted.
• flour – Plain white flour or all-purpose flour.
• milk – Whole milk gives better flavour and texture.

How to make British Fish Pie

Make the mashed potato topping

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into small chunks. Place in boiling water with a pinch of salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain, return to the pot, and add the butter, cream, mustard, freshly ground pepper, and nutmeg. Add extra salt if needed, depending on how you usually season mashed potatoes.
• Mash everything together until smooth and well combined. The mash should be on the firmer side; don’t loosen it too much, as it may break down when baked with the fish.

If using peas, cook them first, then stir them into the mashed potatoes just before spreading the mash over the filling.

Make the sauce and assemble the fish pie

• Boil the eggs for 10–12 minutes, then peel and set aside to cool slightly.
• Cut the fish fillets into bite-sized pieces. Combine them with the prawns and lemon juice, then place the mixture in a baking dish. Season with salt if needed.
• In a small pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the finely chopped parsley and dill, and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring often. Keep the heat very low to avoid browning. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, then gradually whisk in the milk, stirring all the time. Cook until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
• After placing the fish and prawns in the baking dish, pour over a little milk, which helps prevent the fish from drying out. Spoon the herb sauce evenly over the top, letting it settle over and around the fish. Layer the hard-boiled eggs over the sauce — you can slice them to cover the fish more evenly, or cut them into wedges and nestle them throughout the filling before adding the mash.

Assemble and bake the fish pie

• Spoon the mash over in portions, then gently spread it out with a fork. While smoothing, lightly press the egg slices into the sauce so they stay in place.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and lightly crisped.
• Once out of the oven, let the dish rest for 15–20 minutes before serving. Scoop out portions with a large spoon, as you would a baked casserole.

How to serve British fish pie

Fish pie is best served hot, scooped directly from the dish into shallow bowls or plates. It goes well with simple cooked vegetables such as steamed carrots, green beans, or buttered peas. For a lighter option, serve it with a crisp green salad.

Full Recipe