Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
This is the most delicious way to serve the classic Fish Pie!
I’ve been wanting to upload a fish pie recipe for quite some time now. I went to test it, but after the success of my Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes, I thought there might just be another way of creating a fish pie (you see where we’re going here 😂). Follow me…
Fish Pie Filling
A classic fish pie filling is made up of 4 components:
- Fish – boneless, skinless and diced into chunks.
- Sauce – typically a creamy sauce with a base of milk, cream or creme fraiche. Here we’re using a mix of milk and cream.
- Seasoning – salt and pepper, alongside nutmeg.
- Extra goodies – we’re going to add leek, alongside chives and parsley. Then we’re adding in a vegetable Oxo/bouillon cube for an extra boost of flavour.
To thicken the sauce we’ll be making a roux with butter and flour. It’s important the sauce is nice and thick; a watery filling will make the potatoes go soggy!
What kind of fish should I use?
I go for smoked haddock, cod and salmon. Other popular options for fish pie are king prawns and pollock. Some fishmongers/supermarkets will also sell ‘fish pie filling’ packages! I recommend using some sort of smoked fish as it adds loads of flavour to the filling.
Process shots: fry leek (photo 1), stir in flour (photo 2), stir in milk and cream (photo 3), stir in herbs and seasoning (photo 4), add fish (photo 5), carefully fold in (photo 6).
Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
For the potatoes, you’ll want to use baking potatoes like Maris Pipers or Russets. They also need to be pretty big so you can stuff enough filling inside. Just coat them in oil and salt and bake until crispy, golden and fluffy, then slice off the top and scoop out the centre.
Fish Pie Topping
To mimic a classic fish pie topping, we’ll use the inside of the potato to make mashed potato. I like using butter and cream then going in with some cheddar and English mustard for a punch of flavour.
From there, you can add the fish filling to the centre of the potatoes, plonk on the mash then bake!
Process shots: coat potatoes in oil and salt (photo 1), bake (photo 2), slice off top (photo 3), scoop out centre (photo 4), add to bowl with mash fillings (photo 5), mash (photo 6).
Fish Pie Baked Potatoes FAQ
Do I have to pre-cook the fish?
Nope! It cooks as the potatoes bake. Fish can easily overcook so definitely no need for pre-cooking.
How do I know when these are ready?
The mash on top will be golden and crisp, with the sauce bubbling around the edges. Timings will depend on the size of the fish pieces – it should be opaque, flaky and piping hot. You can peek under the mash if you want to check.
What types of fish should I avoid?
Any fish that tends to dry out easily or is very delicate/thin. Tuna springs to mind as a no-go.
Serving Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
I always like to finish with some extra chives! These are great as they are but veg is always welcome on the side i.e. green beans, peas, sweetcorn etc.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these fish pie baked potatoes shall we?!
How to make Fish Pie Baked Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)
Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- Large Baking Tray (for baking potatoes)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pan & Wooden Spoon (for filling)
- Large Mixing Bowl & Potato Mash (for topping)
- Jug (for milk)
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
Potato/Topping
- 6x large Baking Potatoes (approx 350g/12oz EACH)
- 100g / 1 cup Cheddar, grated
- 60ml / 1/4 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 2 heaped tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp English Mustard
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Filling
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 large Leek, dark/firm part removed then finely diced
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 300ml / 1 1/4 cups Milk, at room temp
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp
- 2 tbsp finely diced EACH: Fresh Parsley, Fresh Chives, plus more to serve
- 1x Vegetable Oxo/Bouillon Cube, crumbled
- 1/8 tsp EACH: Ground Nutmeg, White Pepper, or to taste
- 450g / 1lb boneless skinless Fish, patted dry and diced into small chunks (see notes)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place the potatoes on a large baking tray and coat in a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Place in the oven for 1 hour, or until deep golden, crispy and knife tender.
- Once cool enough to handle, slice off the top (3/4 of the way up) and scoop out most of the centre into a large bowl, leaving a thin wall to keep the potato sturdy. Mash the potato with butter, cream, mustard, cheese and plenty of salt & pepper to taste (I typically use 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper).
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the leek until soft and just starting to take on colour, then stir in 2 tbsp flour. Gradually add in the milk and cream, stirring as you go to ensure no lumps form. Stir in the chives, parsley, Oxo, nutmeg, pepper and salt (I typically do around 1/8-1/4 tsp salt but work to taste – just make sure the sauce is well-seasoned). If the sauce needs to thicken up just gently simmer until it does (see video for reference). Turn off the heat and gently fold in the fish, ensuring it doesn’t break up too much.
- Place the potato skins back on the baking tray and spoon in the filling. Top with a few heaped tbsp of the mash (you likely won’t need it all, save the rest for a rainy day). Place back in the oven at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, or until the mash is golden and crisp and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Timings will depend on the size of the fish pieces – it should be opaque, flaky and piping hot. You can peak under the mash if you want to check.
Video
Notes
b) Sauce – Needs to be fairly thick otherwise it’ll turn the potatoes soggy. Just simmer BEFORE adding the fish. Don’t simmer with the fish or it’ll overcook.
c) Serving – Perfect with your veg of choice (green beans, peas, sweetcorn etc).
d) Calories – Per potato.
Nutrition
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Baked Potato Recipes
- Classic Baked Potato
- Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes
- Tuna Baked Potato
- Jalapeno Popper Loaded Baked Potatoes
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