Irish Fish Pie

5 from 1 vote

Irish fish pie with salmon, cod, peas, and leek baked under a mashed potato topping. A simple, comforting dish often served in Irish pubs.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Servings: servings

Calories: 750kcal

Author: Adina

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.

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 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.

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.