I always loved eating a traditional French Fish Pie Parmentier de Poisson at Easter. It’s one of those dishes that just feels right for the occasion. Fish pieces are poached in a creamy dill béchamel sauce with leek and fennel, then topped with buttery mashed potato and baked until crispy. Let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
JB’s Fish Pie is one of those dishes that feels special but isn’t fussy to make. It’s got generous pieces of fish nestled in a white wine béchamel sauce that’s flavoured with butter sautéed leeks, fennel and onion, and finished with fresh dill. Nothing shouts on its own (except those crispy golden potato swirls) but the whole is far greater than the parts – properly occasion-worthy (hello, Good Friday). Or just simply tell everyone, “it’s French, darling!”.
PS I don’t want to brag, but I Fish Pie for breakfast – it was for recipe testing! What did you have? 😇
French Fish Pie
Every Friday back home, my mum would head to the village market early to pick up fresh fish – usually pollock – to cook for our family meal. This was a weekly Catholic tradition that we grew up with, so we would have never thought to have anything else on Easter Friday.
I can’t remember exactly what my mother used to make for Easter, but I remember this fish pie made an appearance on the table a few times because it was my favourite.
We call this Fish Pie “Parmentier de Poisson”, named after Monsieur Parmentier, the man who famously helped make potatoes a staple in France. A true hero to my eyes! 😂
It’s a simple pie to make and the things that make it distinctly French is the use of leek, fennel and fresh dill which brings freshness to the creamy white wine béchamel sauce. Just add a crusty baguette and you are good to go!
Ingredients in French Fish Pie
Here is what you need to make my favourite Easter fish pie:
1. FISH FOR THE PIE
The fish pictured throughout this post is ling which works well here. Commonly found in Australia and New Zealand, it is quite lean and firm, so it holds its shape nicely. See below for other suitable fishes for this recipe.
OTHER SUITABLE FISH
Any firm white fish fillets that are at least 2 cm/0.8″ thick will work here. Here are suggestions for common fish that are ideal for using in this recipe:
Australia: Barramundi, Blue eye cod / Trevalla, Basa, Bream, Cod, Flathead, Jewfish, Monkfish / Stargazer, Ocean perch, Snapper.
US: Above and below listed, plus Pollock, Catfish, Halibut, Pangasius, Tilapia.
UK/Europe: Above listed, plus, Pollack, Sea bass.
Salmon and trout will work too, though not traditional.
FISH TO AVOID
I recommend avoiding:
Fish that dry out easily when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin.
Delicate and thin-filleted fish – Like flounder, sole, plaice. The texture of the flesh is a bit too delicate for this type of cooking and these fish tend to be very thin fillets.
Oily, strong-tasting fish – Like mackerels, mullet and sardines.
2. FISH PIE FILLING + SAUCE
Fennel – Brings a light, slightly sweet anise savour that works well with fish.
Leek – Soft, mild onion flavour that blends nicely into the sauce.
Onion and garlic – Standard flavour bases.
Dry white wine – Gives the sauce depth of flavour. Without, it tastes like it’s missing something. Chardonnay is my favourite for cooking and that was the most commonly used at restaurants I worked at in France, but any other dry white wine will work. There is no need to use an expensive wine here. Can be skipped if non-alcoholic, or use non-alcoholic wine.
Milk and cream – I like to use both to bring a little extra richness into the sauce. You can substitute the cream with more milk, but it will reduce the richness. Lactose-free milk and cream work too.
Fresh dill – Adds freshness and lifts the whole dish. Key ingredient here that complements the fish perfectly.
Plain flour / all-purpose flour – Thickens the sauce so the filling holds together.
Extra virgin olive oil + butter – I’ve always cooked this using both, as the butter adds flavour while the oil helps prevent it from burning.
Cooking salt / kosher salt – Used for seasoning. If you’ve only got table salt, halve the amount. For salt flakes, increase by 50%.
Black pepper – Cracked black pepper, the one we commonly use in our recipes.
3. MASH POTATO TOPPING
Potatoes – Use starchy potatoes rather than waxy for a light and fluffy mash (Sebago in Australia – the dirt covered ones you see on the shelves, Russet in the US, King Edward or Maris Piper in the UK are perfect).
Unsalted butter – Adds richness and flavour. Add it before the milk so it melts into the hot potatoes and is incorporated evenly.
Milk – Full fat preferred for a creamier mash, though low fat works too.
Cooking salt / kosher salt – For seasoning. If you’ve only got table salt, halve the amount. For salt flakes, increase by 50%.
White pepper – Classic in mash, more subtle than black pepper and without the black speckles. You can use black pepper if that’s what you have.
How To Make French Fish Pie
Get the potatoes boiling for the mash first then start preparing the creamy filling with the fish. Then assemble the pie and bake. Once it’s out of the oven, I’ll leave the rest up to you. ☺️
1. FISH PIE FILLING
Season fish – Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt. Set aside.
Sauté vegetables – Heat oil and butter in a 26cm / 10″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, leek and garlic. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Stirring regularly.
I use an oven proof skillet because you can make the filling in it then bake it in the same vessel. However, if you don’t have one, just bake the pie in a casserole dish.
Make roux – Add flour, stir 30 seconds. Pour in white wine – it will simmer rapidly at first – then mix it in, it will look pasty.
Finish béchamel – Slowly pour in the hot milk and cream while stirring. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cook 1 minute until thickened.
The sauce should be quite thick, fully coating the back of the spoon then gently run down it.
Finish filling –Turn the heat off. Stir in dill. Add the fish pieces to the sauce, gently nestling them in so they’re mostly submerged. Then, using a spatula, carefully stir and move them around just enough to coat them in the sauce. Smooth the surface.
2. MASH POTATO TOPPING
Cook potatoes – Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25 minutes until very soft.
Rice / Mash – Drain well. Pass through a potato ricer or return to the pot and mash well with a potato masher.
Butter and milk – Add butter first with salt and white pepper, stir until combined. Then add warm milk. Stir until smooth. It should be creamy but not loose (so it holds its shape when pipped).
Piping bag – Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Set aside and keep warm. It must be warm to be piped because cold mashed potato is hard.
If you don’t have a piping bag, use a ziplock bag, or spoon dollops over the top spread mash across the surface and rough it up with a fork.
3. PIPING THE POTATO AND BAKING
Pipe mashed potato – Pipe mounds of hot mashed potato swirls across the surface, or whatever style you want. The swirls I did have a 4.5cm base (1.6″), about 4cm tall (1.4″).
Then fill gaps with small swirls/blobs. Make sure to use all the mash! Spray lightly with olive oil.
Bake – Bake 35 minutes, rotating halfway, until golden on top. I highly recommend placing a baking tray lined with foil at the bottom of your oven to catch any bubbling filling that may leak during baking. Easier to clean!
Rest for 10 minutes before serving to cool slightly and let the sauce thicken a bit more.
How To Serve French Fish Pie
To serve, scoop generous portions so you get both the creamy fish and the crispy-creamy potato on plates and serve it with roasted asparagus, a side of roasted broccoli or a simple green beans salad. And of course, some crusty bread – because in France, bread is always on the table.
And that’s a wrap for this one! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Wishing you a very happy Easter and enjoy every bite. Bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – French Fish Pie
Yes, you can absolutely make this ahead (up to two days), just assemble it a little differently.
Use a different baking dish and make sure the sauce has cooled completely first. Spread half of the sauce on the bottom, arrange the fish on top, then cover with the remaining sauce. Smooth the surface, then pipe the hot mash over the top.
Leave the dish on the counter for the mash to fully cool, then cover and keep refrigerated until you bake it.
See ingredients description above.
Yes, you can but keep in mind that it won’t be only fish anymore so the texture of the sauce might change. The cooking time stays the same.
That’s exactly what you want. The fish releases liquid as it cooks, then the sauce loosens in the oven and sets into a creamy filling as it cools.
Nagi and I started by deciding what we wanted to make for Easter, then I took the lead on developing the recipe and testing it. We tasted it together and worked through the changes as a team. I probably made it a couple more times before we were both happy with the final version, then Nagi tested it once more as a final check.
Also, just like with my mushroom tart, she took care of all the photos for me. Learning how to write a post properly takes a fair bit of time and I didn’t quite have enough of it to do it myself.
Watch How to Make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
French Fish Pie
Ingredients
- 500g / 18oz white fish fillets , skinless, ~2cm / 0.8" thick, cut into 5cm / 2" x 3cm / 1.2" pieces (any firm white fish like cod, barramundi, snapper) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt half for table salt, +50% for flakes
Fish pie sauce
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 1 brown / yellow onion , diced 0.6cm / 0.2"
- 1/2 fennel (stalks cut off) , diced 0.6cm / 0.2" (Note 2)
- 1 leek , (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, then cut into 2cm / 0.8" pieces
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour , (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine , any type (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 cups HOT milk, full fat preferred , but works with lite milk too
- 1 cup HOT thickened cream / heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh dill , finely chopped (substitute with parsley or 1/2 tbsp tarragon)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , half for table salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Mash potato topping
- 1kg / 2lbs starchy potatoes , peeled, cut into large chunks 5cm / 2" x 4cm / 1.6" (Aus: Sebago dirt brushed, US: Russet, UK: Maris Piper, King Edward)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter , cold, cut in small cubes
- 1/3 cup hot milk, full fat preferred , but works with lite milk too
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , half for table salt
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper , or black pepper
- olive oil spray (optional)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Sauté onion, fennel, leek and garlic, add flour, wine, milk, cream, salt and pepper to make the sauce, stir in dill and add fish. Pipe on mashed potato. Spray olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes until golden. Rest 5 minutes, then serve.
FULL RECIPE:
- First place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25 minutes until very soft. You can start making the sauce while the potatoes are cooking.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan). I highly recommend placing a baking tray lined with foil at the bottom of your oven to catch any bubbling filling that may leak during baking. Easier to clean!
- Season fish – Pat fish pieces dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt. Set aside.
- Sauté vegetables – Heat oil and butter in a 26cm / 10" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, leek and garlic. Cook 5 minutes until softened and light golden. Stirring regularly. (Note 5)
- Make sauce – Add flour, stir for 30 seconds. Pour in white wine. It will simmer rapidly at first, then mix it in, it will look pasty. Slowly pour in the HOT milk and cream while stirring. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cook 1 minute until thickened. The sauce should be quite thick, fully coating the back of the spoon then gently run down it. Set aside.
- Finish mashed potato – (see instructions below).
- Finish filling – Stir in dill. Add the fish pieces to the sauce, gently nestling them in so they’re mostly submerged. Then, using a spatula, carefully stir and move them around just enough to coat them in the sauce. Smooth the surface.
- Potato topping – Pipe mounds of mashed potato swirls on the surface. My swirls have a 4.5cm base (1.6"), about 4cm tall (1.4"), then I fill gaps with small swirls/blobs. Make sure to use all the mash! Spray lightly with olive oil. (Note 6)
- Bake – Bake 35 minutes, rotating halfway, until golden on top. If it's not golden enough, place it under the grill for a few minutes.
- Serve – Rest for 10 minutes before serving to cool slightly and let the sauce thicken a bit more.
MASHED POTATO:
- Finish mash – Drain well. Pass through a potato ricer or return to the pot and mash well with a potato masher. Do not use a stick blender, it will overwork the starch, turning the mash gluey instead of fluffy. Add butter, salt and white pepper, stir until combined then add hot milk. Stir until smooth. It should be creamy but not loose (so it holds its shape when piped).
- Piping bag – Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. (Note 7)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
In Memory of Dozer
This one takes me back to the old HQ again, when we had the (questionable) idea of building a barbecue pit. It was very much a work in progress… and honestly, not looking great at that stage!
Of course, Dozer had to come and inspect. Standing right in the middle of it, as if he oversaw the construction. To be honest I’m not sure he was convinced by my work! 😂
Made this fish pie for Good.Friday. Absolutely delicious. I added
some raw prawns as an extra.
Will definitely be making this again
Thank you Sue!! ♥️
So happy you’re featuring more French recipes! This one is simple yet elegant. Used monkfish, 2 % milk, cream and Chardonnay. I have also cut onion and garlic from most of my cooking which is so sad, I know, but find that I like using fennel and leek instead. Also my first time ricing potatoes and what a difference that made! I was surprised. Made for Good Friday and received compliments on the meal. 🙂 Thank you
Thanks Allison for making the pie! I agree, ricing the potatoes makes the mash so much smoother right!
Hi, I made the pie for Good Friday dinner, followed the recipe exactly, Used John Dory as the fish shop was out of ling. Piped the potato and it looked stunning. However, the sauce was gluggy and it was very bland. We were so disappointed, The best part was the potato on top!
Hi Margaret, thank you so much for making it, and I’m really glad to hear the potato turned out beautifully. John Dory is actually quite a delicate, mild fish, which can make the overall dish feel softer in flavour. I usually recommend slightly more robust fish for this recipe so the sauce and filling have a bit more depth. Sorry to hear it didn’t quite hit the mark this time, but I really appreciate you giving it a go and taking the time to share your feedback 🙂
I loved this. I usually make a fish pie reminiscent of pub meals we had in Ireland on many trips.
This was different and just as good. Subtly flavoured and very appetising but I cheated!!! I used a tin of John West pink salmon which worked out very well, and was convenient as I didn’t have to head out for fresh fish. The sauce with dill, leek, fennel and onion elevated the tinned salmon.
Thanks for publishing a recipe that was simple, substantial and full of flavour.
Thanks Dani for this lovely feedback! I should try with canned fish too!!
Good Friday dinner. Half the tabled said it was good/okay, the other half thought it lacked flavour. Maybe too much mash? Cooked exactly as written and used ling.
Hi Julie, thank you for your feedback. This dish is designed with more delicate, balanced flavours rather than bold ones, so if you prefer stronger seasoning it can come across as a bit mild. I am sorry it wasn’t a hit. Thank you so much for trying it 🙂
Delicious – made with coconut milk, coconut cream and GF pl flour. Worked well! Ling fish was very tasty. didn’t have fennel but still great.
Thanks Lee! So glad it was a hit!
We are a house divided. I liked it but my husband did not. It was good, but in my very humble opinion, it was a little bland.
Thanks Janet for leaving a honest feedback. This dish leans toward subtle, balanced flavours rather than bold or punchy ones. So if you’re used to stronger seasoning, it can come across as a bit gentle you are right. Thank you for making it 🙂
Thanks JB for this fantastic recipe. My partner and I really enjoyed it! Unfortunately I didn’t have time for piping so… next time! You guys rock! Have a great Easter!
Thanks Elissabete, happy Easter to you too!
Made this recipe as written, with the exception of adding a lot more dill and the chopped fennel fronds. This is not a strong flavored recipe, but it is pure comfort! The vegetables add a lot to this — I might double the fennel next time.
Hi Sue, thanks for the feedback 🙂
Just cooked this tonight for Good Friday. Amazing! Sauce so creamy and full of flavour.
I don’t usually comment, but had to on this one. Amazing thank you JB.
P.S. love Dozer memories – RIP ❤️
Thanks Barb for taking the time to leave a comment! I’m glad you loved it, and thanks for saying a few words about Dozer. 🙂
We had so much fun cooking this today! Added carrot peas and corn used red onions lots instead of fennel. Enjoyed the Chardonnay and oh yes we put it in too. A real hit with elderly parents. Will make it with chicken next time and part of the meal rotation. Thank you JB and Nagi. Happy long weekend.
Making it with chicken is an excellent idea! And I’m glad you were able to save some wine for the dish!!
Like many others I’m sure, made this today for a Good Friday family meal- followed the recipe exactly and everyone devoured it, even fussy kids. This is going into the rotation- special enough for guests, but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Next time I’ll try piping the mashed potato, ran out of time, though using a fork got lots of lovely crispy bits.
A perfect meal, no notes!
Thanks so much Katie!!
I’ve been looking for a fish recipe to use up snapper I had in my freezer. This looked great, though I needed to make a couple of substitutions. I made it gluten free, using equal amounts of rice flour and tapioca flour to make the roux. It worked! I didn’t have wine so I used chicken stock and added mustard and capers instead. My piping bag broke, so it was a bit rustic. Altogether delicious!
I made this tonight.I added some scallops, and a splash of pernod.
Cooks kiss, we loved it!
Great job Donna!!
Thanks Michelle for the feedback!
Yum! Family have devoured this for Good Friday dinner – thank you, super delicious and easy. I used barramundi and threw in some prawns too. Also did a puff pastry top to save a bit of time 🤗
Thanks Peta, you did a excellent job adapting the recipe to your needs!
Made this today for hood Friday’s lunch for the whole family. It was absolutely superb and a bit of joy to cook who doesn’t cook a lot. Thanks JB and Nagi for the great work you are doing with easy to follow recipes and the videos. It’s giving me more motivation to cook more. Will be cooking this dish again. I used monk fish and it was great.
Hi Steve, thank you telling me this. Giving motivation for people to cook at home, it’s exactly why we are doing this! ♥️
Cooked this today and was fantastic ,- everyone loved it. I put the mash back through the potato ricer onto the sauce to create a crunchy- noodle looking top.
That’s genius Peter! Great job!
Just finished our lunch on Good Friday and we all came back for seconds and devoured the lot. Perfect for a cooler day and served with a green salad and plenty of crusty bread. Thanks JB it was easy and delicious – we even piped the potato.
Thanks Glenys, great job on piping the mash!
Hello JB and Nagi—
I just got cut off twice in the middle of trying to comment … maybe overload on the site …?
1) Thanks so much for this splendid-looking recipe. I will be making it in quieter times after the holiday …
2) I only know one other fish pie recipe that adds in the fish fresh, rather than partially pre-cooking it. That was the BBC’s Good Food advanced-level fish pie. I found it made all the difference. Haven’t bothered with pre-cooking since. My question is: Why do most recipes prescribe pre-cooking the fish? Is this purely for possible health risks, or are the rest of them just lazy??? Can’t wait to try this one of yours …!
3) I am also intrigued by the way simplicity and economy seem to rule in so many European recipes, e.g. just fish, just one type of fish, just one veg or herb, compared with our Anglo traditions that seem to me often to add in far more complexity than is needed. Are we Anglos just trying to impress? (We always knew the French do it better … ?)
4) Thanks so much for giving us substitutes wherever possible. I live in rural Australia; can’t dash round the corner for some fennel or dill; that means a one-hour drive! We only get onions, potatoes and carrots within 10 minutes. And even online requires advance ordering. Your unfailing sensitivity to the needs of us, your subscribers and customers, is just so impressive.
Do have a restful break; in appreciation …
Hi Penelope, Thanks so much for your lovely message! Great question on the fish. Most recipes pre-cook it for a couple of reasons, it guarantees the fish gets perfectly cooked before baking and also because some fish release liquid, and pre-cooking helps avoid a really watery sauce (we are avoiding that by making a really thick béchamel here). That said… it often leads to overcooked, dry fish once it goes in the oven again. Cooking it straight in the sauce (like we do here) keeps it much juicier and more delicate. You’ve hit on something very true with Europeans recipes, they are less about impressing with quantity, more about balance and letting ingredients speak. And thank you for your last point, it really means a lot. We try to keep recipes flexible because we know not everyone has easy access to everything. Honestly, some of the best cooking comes from exactly that kind of constraint.I Really appreciate you taking the time to write and hope you get a chance to try it soon.
Perfect for our Good Friday meal, absolutely a make again. That sauce was fabulous. Thanks very much.
Thanks Keza, I’m glad it was a hit!
Hi, I am in process of cooking this- am very excited about it! Just one thing I’d wish for (and I know it’s probably a lot to ask)…, would it be possible to include weight for the onion and fennel and leek? I’ve adjusted my recipe down (it’s just three of us), so I get .83 onion, for example. Which throws me a bit, because who knows how big my onion is compared to yours 😉.
Generally- love your recipes!!!
Hi Renate, thank you for leaving a comment! As a general rule we always use medium size vegetables in our recipe. I hope that helps.