Anna Louise Fish pie is one of those dishes that manages to feel both indulgent and wholesome at the same time. A creamy white sauce, infused with the gentle smokiness of haddock, studded with chunks of salmon and plump prawns, all topped with a thick layer of buttery mashed potato that turns golden in the oven.
It is comfort food in its purest form, and it is far more straightforward to make than its reputation as a “special occasion” dish might suggest.
Mary Berry’s fish pie gets the balance exactly right. The sauce is made properly — a roux-based béchamel infused with the milk used to poach the fish, so every spoonful carries that flavour through.
A mixture of fish — smoked and unsmoked, plus prawns — gives you variety in both flavour and texture. And the mash on top, finished with butter and a little cheese, provides that essential golden, comforting crust.
This is the meal I make when I want something that feels like a proper treat but does not require any complicated technique — just good ingredients, handled with care.
What Makes a Great Fish Pie?
Poach the fish in milk first. This gently cooks the fish while infusing the milk with flavour — that infused milk then becomes the base of your sauce, so nothing is wasted and every element of the dish carries the same underlying flavour.
Use a mixture of fish. Smoked haddock provides that distinctive smoky depth that is almost the signature flavour of a great fish pie. Salmon adds richness and colour. Prawns add a different texture and a touch of sweetness. Together they create something far more interesting than any single fish alone.
Do not overcook the fish. Fish continues to cook in the oven under the mash, so the initial poaching should be brief — just enough to firm the fish slightly and infuse the milk. Overcooked fish becomes dry and flakes apart too much, disappearing into the sauce rather than providing distinct, satisfying chunks.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Fish Pie
For the Fish and Poaching Milk
- 400g smoked haddock fillet, skin removed
- 300g salmon fillet, skin removed
- 600ml whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 black peppercorns
- 150g raw or cooked king prawns
For the Sauce
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (plus extra to serve)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (optional but traditional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Mashed Potato Topping
- 1.2kg floury potatoes, peeled and chunked
- 75g unsalted butter
- 100ml whole milk, warmed
- 75g mature cheddar, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Mary Berry Fish Pie — Step by Step
Step 1 — Poach the Fish
Place the smoked haddock and salmon fillets in a large, wide pan. Pour over the whole milk — it should mostly cover the fish. Add the bay leaf and peppercorns.
Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat — do not let it boil. Poach for 5 to 6 minutes until the fish is just cooked through but still very slightly underdone in the centre — it will finish cooking in the oven. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the fish out onto a plate. Strain the poaching milk through a sieve into a jug, discarding the bay leaf and peppercorns, and reserve it for the sauce.
Once the fish has cooled slightly, flake it into large chunks, removing any remaining bones. Set aside.
Step 2 — Make the Sauce
Melt the butter in the same pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to form a smooth paste — this is your roux. Cook for a further minute, stirring, to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually add the reserved poaching milk, a splash at a time, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Once all the milk is incorporated, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and stir in the dill, parsley, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper — go gently with the salt as the smoked haddock already carries some saltiness.
Step 3 — Assemble the Filling
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. In a large ovenproof dish — approximately 2 litre capacity — gently combine the flaked fish, prawns, frozen peas, and the quartered hard-boiled eggs if using. Pour the sauce over the top and fold gently to combine, taking care not to break up the fish too much. Spread evenly.
Step 4 — Make the Mashed Potato
While the sauce is cooking, boil the potato chunks in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until completely tender. Drain thoroughly, then return to the pan over low heat briefly to dry out any excess moisture. Mash thoroughly until smooth.
Beat in the butter and warm milk until creamy. Stir in half the grated cheddar. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 — Top and Bake
Spoon the mashed potato over the fish filling, spreading to cover completely and sealing the edges. Use a fork to create ridges across the surface for extra texture and browning. Scatter the remaining grated cheddar over the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. If the top is not browning enough, finish under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully.
Leave to stand for five minutes before serving — this lets the filling settle and makes serving neater. Scatter with extra fresh dill before serving.
My Top Tips for the Best Fish Pie
Do not overcook the fish during poaching. The fish should still be very slightly underdone when you take it out — it finishes cooking gently in the oven under the mash. Overcooked fish at the poaching stage becomes overcooked and dry by the time it comes out of the oven.
Always use the poaching milk in the sauce. This is the step that ties the whole dish together. The milk has absorbed flavour from the fish and the bay leaf and peppercorns — using it as the base of your sauce means every spoonful of the finished pie carries that flavour through.
Use a mixture of smoked and unsmoked fish. The smoked haddock provides the signature flavour of a great fish pie — without it, the dish lacks character. But all-smoked can be overpowering. The combination with salmon (or another unsmoked white fish, such as cod or pollock) gives you balance and variety.
Add raw prawns if you can. Raw prawns added directly to the assembled filling will cook perfectly in the time it takes to bake the pie — they stay plump and tender. Pre-cooked prawns work too, but can occasionally become slightly rubbery if overcooked in the oven, so add them a little later if using pre-cooked.
Season the sauce carefully. Smoked haddock carries its own saltiness, and the cheese on top adds more. Taste the sauce before adding salt and adjust gradually — it is easier to add more than to fix an oversalted pie.
Use a fork to create texture on top. As with shepherd’s pie, ridging the mashed potato with a fork before baking increases the surface area for browning and gives you a beautifully textured, golden top.
Serving Suggestions
On its own — fish pie is a complete, satisfying meal. With steamed green vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, or spinach for some freshness and colour alongside the richness of the pie. A glass of crisp white wine — a Sauvignon Blanc or a Picpoul — complements the dish beautifully.
How to Store Mary Berry Fish Pie
In the fridge: Cover and store for up to 2 days. Because the dish contains fish, it is best not to keep it longer than this. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 25 to 30 minutes until piping hot throughout, checking the centre carefully.
In the freezer: Freeze before baking for up to 2 months. Defrost completely in the fridge overnight before baking as directed, adding a few extra minutes if baking from cold. Freezing after baking is possible but the texture of the fish can suffer slightly.
Mary Berry Fish Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Poach haddock and salmon in milk with bay leaf and peppercorns for 5–6 minutes until just cooked. Lift out fish, strain and reserve milk. Flake fish into chunks.
- Melt butter, stir in flour to form a roux. Cook 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved milk. Simmer 4–5 minutes until thickened. Stir in dill, parsley, and mustard. Season.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Combine flaked fish, prawns, peas, and hard-boiled eggs in a 2 litre dish. Pour over sauce and fold gently. Spread evenly.
- Boil potatoes 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and dry over low heat. Mash thoroughly. Beat in butter, warm milk, and half the cheddar. Season.
- Top filling with mashed potato, sealing edges. Fork ridges across surface. Scatter remaining cheddar.
- Bake 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes. Scatter with extra dill before serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary Berry Fish Pie
Can I use different fish?
Yes — cod, pollock, hake, or any sustainable white fish can be used in place of or alongside the salmon. The smoked haddock is the element I would most strongly encourage you to keep, as it provides the characteristic flavour of a classic fish pie.
Can I make fish pie ahead of time?
Yes — assemble the pie completely up to the point of baking, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake fresh when needed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold and checking the centre is piping hot.
Why is my sauce lumpy?
The milk was added too quickly to the roux. Add it gradually, a splash at a time, whisking continuously, especially for the first few additions. If lumps do form, you can whisk vigorously or pass the sauce through a sieve to smooth it out.
Can I leave out the hard-boiled eggs?
Yes — they are traditional in many fish pie recipes but entirely optional. Some people love the addition, others prefer to leave them out. The pie is delicious either way.
Can I add other vegetables?
Sweetcorn is a popular addition alongside the peas. Leeks, gently sautéed in butter before being added to the sauce, are also a wonderful addition that pairs beautifully with the fish.
Why is my fish pie watery?
Usually because the sauce was not thickened enough before assembly, or because frozen prawns were added without being properly drained, releasing excess liquid as they cook. Make sure your sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly before assembly, and pat any frozen seafood dry before adding.
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