Irish fish pie with salmon, cod, peas, and leek baked under a mashed potato topping. A simple, comforting dish often served in Irish pubs.
Irish fish pie is a classic comfort dish made with pieces of fish and vegetables in a creamy sauce, covered with mashed potatoes and baked until the top turns golden. It's a popular pub meal, but it's also something many people cook at home.
I make mine with salmon and cod, plus peas and a bit of leek. It's an easy dish, and once the filling and the mashed potatoes are ready, the oven does the rest.
If you enjoy traditional Irish food, you might also like Irish Bangers and Mash, Irish Stew, or a slice of Guinness Wheaten Bread with your meal. And if you like cooking with Guinness, have a look at the Beer-Braised Short Ribs with Guinness as well.
Ingredients: 12 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Fish: I use salmon and cod for this fish pie. Salmon is always part of the fish pies I make, and cod is a firm white fish that holds its shape well. You can also use other firm white fish like haddock, pollock, or halibut.
- If you like, you can add a handful of raw shrimp; small or medium peeled shrimp work best and cook quickly in the filling.
Potatoes: All-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold work well for the mashed potato topping.
Leek: Use the white and light green parts of the leek. Wash them well, as leeks often contain sand between the layers. Read Roasted Leeks to learn more about cleaning leeks.
Peas: Frozen peas are convenient and work perfectly here. Defrost them before adding them to the filling.
- The Chicken and Ham Pie is also made with frozen peas and white sauce.
Milk: The fish cooks briefly in milk before the sauce is made. Keep the milk; it is used to prepare the sauce for the filling.
Cheddar: A bit of grated Cheddar is mixed into the mashed potatoes and sprinkled on top before baking.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Irish fish pie?
Step #1: Cook the potatoes, drain, and mash them with butter, milk, and seasoning.
Step #2: Heat the milk and spices in a saucepan.
Step #3: Add fish and vegetables and simmer for a few minutes. Strain and reserve the milk. Place the fish and veggies into the baking dish.
Step #4: Melt the butter and whisk in the flour.
Step #5: Slowly add the reserved milk and simmer the white sauce until thickened. Stir in ½ of the cheese.
Step #6: Pour the sauce over the filling in the baking dish. Mix gently.
Step #7: Cover with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Step #8: Bake until bubbly and golden.
Tips
Fish pieces: Cut the fish into fairly large chunks. Smaller pieces tend to break apart too much when the pie is mixed and baked.
Leek preparation: Slice the leek and wash it well in a bowl of water. Sand often hides between the layers.
Browning the top: Use a fork to make a few ridges in the mashed potatoes before baking. Those edges brown more nicely in the oven.
Make ahead, store, and reheat
Make-ahead: You can prepare the fish filling and mashed potatoes in advance. Store them separately in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. When ready to bake, assemble the pie and bake as instructed. This keeps the mash from drying out and makes assembly quick.
Refrigerate: Let the Irish fish pie cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F / 175°C until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.
Freeze: You can also freeze portions for up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Irish Fish Pie
Equipment
- Pot for cooking the potatoes
- Saucepan for the fish filling
- Fine-meshed sieve
- Jug
- Baking dish about 10x8 inches/ 25x20 cm
Ingredients
Mashed potatoes:
- 2.2 lbs potatoes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- a few gratings of nutmeg
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- ½ cup Cheddar grated
Fish filling:
- 9 oz salmon fillets defrosted, if frozen, Note 1
- 9 oz cod fillets defrosted if frozen
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 2 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small leek about 4 ½ oz/125 g, the chopped whites and the light green parts
- 1 cup frozen peas defrosted
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Cheddar
Instructions
Mashed potatoes:
- Boil the potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes. Place them in a pot, cover them with cold water, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain them and return them to the pot. Keep the pot on low heat for about one minute, shaking it occasionally so that any remaining water evaporates.2.2 lbs potatoes + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Mash the potatoes: Add the butter, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mash with the potato masher until smooth and adjust the seasoning.½ cup milk + 2 tablespoons butter + a few gratings of nutmeg + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Prepare the filling while the potatoes are cooking.
Fish filling:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Prepare the fish and leeks: If the fish is defrosted, pat it dry with kitchen towels to remove excess moisture. Cut it into larger cubes, about 1 inch/ 2 ½ cm. Chop the leeks. 9 oz salmon fillets + 9 oz cod fillets + 1 small leek
- Heat the milk: Pour the milk into the saucepan, add the cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer the milk for 3 minutes.2 ½ cups milk + 2 cloves + 2 bay leaves + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cook the fish and vegetables: Add the fish, peas, and chopped leek. Cover the pan, leaving a small crack open, and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.1 cup frozen peas
- Strain the mixture: Pour everything through a fine-meshed sieve into a jug; you will need the milk to make the white sauce. Wipe the saucepan clean with a paper towel. Discard the cloves and bay leaves and transfer the fish and vegetables to the baking dish.
- Make the white sauce: Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add the flour and stir for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden. Slowly start adding the milk while whisking continuously to avoid clumps. Simmer the sauce for about 3 minutes until thickened. Stir in half of the grated Cheddar and adjust the seasoning if necessary.2 ½ tablespoons butter + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour + ½ cup Cheddar
Assemble and bake:
- Assemble the pie: Pour the white sauce over the fish and vegetables in the baking dish and mix gently. Spread the mashed potatoes on top, creating a few peaks and dents with a spoon or fork to help them brown. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.½ cup Cheddar
- Bake the fish pie: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the cheesy top is melty and golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Frozen fish: I make fish pie with frozen and defrosted fish most of the time. Once defrosted, pat it dry very well using paper towels; otherwise, the filling can become too watery.
- Type of fish: I always use salmon and a firm white fish like cod. Other good options are haddock, pollock, halibut, or tilapia. You can also use a mix of fish if you like.
- Leek: I mostly use the white and light green parts of the leek. You can also use frozen chopped leeks. In this case, defrost them first and drain them well.
Peter says
I was curious to try this after making your bangers and mash a few days ago. Another winner for all.
Adina says
So happy to hear it, Peter. We love them too.