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When it comes to family-friendly meals, I think my classic gluten free fish pie recipe has to be at the top of the list!
This fish pie recipe is an absolute classic I’ve developed from fond childhood memories.
A creamy sauce with a trio of fish and juicy prawns, topped with the best cheesy mash potato, makes this a proper feel-good meal.
The best fish pie recipe
Fish pie is great because it’s a dish which can so easily be made gluten free.
The only specific ‘free from’ item you’ll need is some gluten free flour for the sauce – the rest is naturally all gluten free.
A lot of the ingredients can also be bought either frozen, or they have a long life.
It’s the sort of thing where you’ll quite often have most of the ingredients hanging around the cupboards anyway.
I always think fish pie is just a great comfort food for autumn and winter.
Now the nights are getting cooler, I like to batch cook it and then store some in the freezer so I can just defrost it on those lazy, cold evenings where I need some comfort.
What goes into fish pie?
For me, the best fish pie should have an even mix of white fish, smoked white fish and salmon.
The white and smoked fish could be something like cod or haddock, or try basa for a cheaper option.
I tend to buy those ready-made frozen ‘fish pie mixes’ such as these as it makes it nice and easy to prepare.
But you can buy all the fish separately if you want to pick and choose what goes into it.
I also think the perfect fish pie recipe should definitely contain prawns.
King prawns are my favourite but you could add the smaller, cold water prawns instead – either work really well!
If you’re trying to make this meal on a budget, my Mum used to add some gluten free pasta to the fish and sauce as well to help bulk it out.
It’s not quite a traditional ingredient but it’s certainly a great money saving tip and adds a different texture instead of prawns.
The best fish pie topping?
For me, fish pie has to be fully loaded with cheesy mash potato.
This should be perfectly creamy and lumpy free, with a crisp cheese top, baked to perfection.
You just cannot beat this – though I have seen some inventive variations before.
I’ve seen fish pies topped with sliced potatoes, chunky chips or even gnocchi, but for me cheesy mash just cannot be beaten.
It’s also super simple and easy to prepare.
I always use white potatoes such as King Edwards in my mash, but you could use sweet potato or a 50/50 split for something a bit different.
My gluten free fish pie recipe
This classic fish pie recipe is a firm family favourite and serves 4 people – or more if you have smaller mouths to feed.
You can also make it in advance and bake when needed, or freeze any leftovers for those lazy, don’t-want-to-cook evenings.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And if you loved it, please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
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Classic Gluten Free Fish Pie
This gluten free fish pie recipe is a really easy, family-friendly dinner. A cheap and quick meal to make for everyone. This recipe serves 4 and freezes well.
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes
- 1 knob butter
- 100g mature Cheddar cheese (grated)
- 400g frozen fish pie mix (see notes)
- 100g frozen raw king prawns
- 130g frozen peas
For the sauce:
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g gluten free flour
- 450ml semi-skimmed milk
- 50ml white wine (optional - if not using replace for 50ml milk)
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200'C / Fan 180'C / Gas Mark 4. Peel the potatoes and roughly chop into chunks. Add to a pan of cold, salted water, bring to the boil and cook until tender when poked with a knife (around 20-25 mins depending on the size of the chunks).
- While the potatoes cook, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large, non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Add the gluten free flour and stir until it forms a thick paste. Cook, stirring continuously, for around 30 seconds - 1 minute.
- Pour the white wine (if using) into a jug with the milk, then start to add the milk/wine mix to the pan a little at a time. Add around 100ml of milk and whisk until it forms a paste with no lumps. Continue to do this until all the milk/wine mixture is gone and you have a thick, lump-free sauce. Make sure you constantly whisk while doing this to avoid any lumps or the sauce sticking.
- Add the tomato ketchup, dijon mustard and parsley to the sauce, season generously with salt and pepper and then stir to mix. Once mixed, add the fish, prawns and frozen peas to the mixture. Stir well and then remove from the heat.
- When the potatoes are done, drain them and then add a knob of butter and 75g of the cheese to the pan. Mash using a potato masher or stick blender until they are smooth.
- Pour the fish sauce mixture into a large ovenproof dish and spread out evenly. Next, spoon the mashed potato on top and use a fork to spread it evenly over the fish, so there are no gaps. Smooth down the top and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.
- Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the mashed potato is golden and crisp on top. Remove from the oven and serve hot with some steamed vegetables.
Notes
- I like to buy a fish pie mix containing white fish, smoked fish and salmon - though you could also buy an equal amount of each type of fish individually if you prefer. You can also use fresh fish instead of frozen.
- Feel free to use smaller, cold water prawns instead of king prawns if you prefer too.
- If you're making this ahead of time, carry out steps 1-6 and then refrigerate the pie. It can then be cooked when needed - but if cooking straight from the fridge allow another 5-10 minutes cooking time.
- Once baked you can also freeze the fish pie and then defrost and reheat when needed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 760Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 1035mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 8gSugar: 12gProtein: 36g
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Need some more gluten free meal inspiration?
If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free dinner recipes on the blog, why not give some of these a try? They’re perfect for baking away all of your troubles.
- Chickpea and sweetcorn fritters (vegan)
- Vegan and gluten free chickpea curry
- Tuna pasta bake with cheesy topping
- Easy spinach pasta with ‘no cook’ sauce
Giving this recipe a go? Let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
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