Seafood Pie (luxury version of a fish pie)

Comforting yet gourmet, this seafood pie is made with salmon, prawns, mussels, and scallops in a creamy sauce topped with mashed potatoes

Updated 8 February 2026

There’s something deeply comforting and exciting about a warm, homemade pie coming out of the oven.

This seafood pie is my take on a classic fish pie, except I went completely overboard and turned it into a full seafood situation with salmon, prawns, mussels, and scallops in a creamy white sauce.

Of course, I had to grab some seafood and do a grocery shop before I could make this pie, and gosh, what an effort that was!

My 4-year-old is Mr Social right now and loves chatting to random strangers. That’s fine, awkward exchanges and off we go! Except Kai makes quick shopping impossible when he can’t decide if he wants to sit in the trolley or skip alongside it every two minutes.

Patience of a saint I am not. Instead of offering the next stranger he approached the chance to adopt him, I did what most exhausted parents do and handed him my phone and a lollipop so I could finish my shopping in peace.

The good news is I left with my sanity intact and all the ingredients I needed for this seafood pie, so let’s go!

Now, this Seafood Pie needs a little love because there are a few steps involved. It’s the dish you make when you have nothing else on. So, put on some music, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy yourself in the kitchen.

That said, every step is straightforward as long as you give yourself time and a bit of patience. I don’t always have either, but I still pulled it off, so I’m confident you will too!

The result is a pie that feels gourmet but still comforting. Chunky pieces of seafood tucked into a creamy sauce, topped with buttery, cheesy mashed potatoes and baked until golden and bubbling. It’s rich, cosy, and absolutely worth the effort.

Why you’ll love this Seafood Pie

Cosy yet fancy Christmas dinner

While Christmas is celebrated in summer here, the weather doesn’t always get the memo. Some years it’s rainy, gloomy, or surprisingly cool, and that’s when a dish like this seafood pie really shines.

If you’re lucky enough to be having a white Christmas or celebrating in colder weather, this pie feels especially fitting. It hits that sweet spot between cosy comfort food and something that still feels a little special.

Of course, you don’t have to celebrate Christmas to enjoy this pie. It’s perfect for sharing with your loved ones on any special occasion.

Generous on the seafood

There’s no skimping here. Tender poached salmon, prawns, mussels, and scallops are generously packed into the creamy filling, making every serving feel satisfying and worth the effort. You can also switch things up and use any combination of seafood you love.

Creamy white sauce and mashed potato topping

The seafood is gently cooked in a silky, creamy white sauce that brings everything together without overpowering the delicate flavours of the fish and shellfish.

It’s rich, comforting, and just the right base for a generous topping of buttery mashed potatoes. Finished with a sprinkle of cheese and baked until golden, the mash forms a soft, fluffy topping with a lightly crisp top that makes this pie hard to resist.

Ingredients for Seafood Pie

For the poaching milk and seafood

Fish

I used skinless, boneless salmon, but any semi-firm fish works well. Good options include perch, monkfish, cod, haddock, halibut, tilapia, barramundi, snapper, or ocean trout.

If you don’t mind a flakier fish pie, you can use whatever fish you like, as long as it’s skinless and boneless. For a different flavour profile, you can also mix in a small amount of smoked fish, such as smoked cod.

Seafood

I used a mix of salmon, prawns, mussels, and scallops. Apart from the salmon, the seafood was frozen and thawed before cooking. You don’t have to use the exact combination I did, and you can easily change the ratios to suit your taste.

If you prefer a classic fish pie, simply swap the seafood for fish using equal amounts. For this recipe, that would be 1050 g or 2.3 lb of fish. You can also create your own mix, such as 70% fish and 30% prawns.

Milk

Use full-cream or whole milk for poaching the seafood. Lower-fat or skim milk can cause a watery sauce once the pie has baked.

For the creamy sauce

Plain flour (all purpose flour)

Plain flour does not contain added salt or leavening agents such as baking powder, which makes it ideal for thickening sauces without affecting flavour or texture.

Double cream

Double cream has a high fat content of around 50 percent. It’s made by skimming the top layer of cream from cow’s milk, giving it a thicker, richer consistency than other types of cream. This helps create a luxurious, creamy sauce that is less likely to split during cooking.

For the mashed potato

Potatoes

Starchy potatoes work best for mashed potatoes. Good options include Coliban, Desiree, Dutch Cream, Sebago, Maris Piper, King Edward, Russet, or Yukon Gold.

Cheese

Any good melting cheese will work well here. Swiss, Monterey Jack, and most types of cheddar are great choices. It’s worth grating your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded varieties, as the anti-caking agents can prevent the cheese from melting smoothly once heated.

How to make Seafood Pie

Step-by-step guide with photos

Poaching the seafood

1. Pour the milk and fish stock into a medium sized saucepan. Add the onion, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves, then heat over medium heat until the mixture is just about to simmer. Reduce the heat to low.

2. Gently poach the salmon for 1 minute, then remove it with a slotted spoon or strainer and transfer to a colander. Repeat this process with the prawns, mussels, and scallops, poaching each briefly and removing as soon as they are just cooked.

3. Once all the seafood has been poached, strain the milk mixture to remove and discard the solids. Set the poaching milk aside, as it will be used to make the sauce.

4. Use a clean tea towel or paper towels to gently pat the poached seafood dry. This step is important to avoid a watery pie. Arrange the seafood evenly over the base of a large baking dish (approximately 30 × 19 × 6 cm or 12 × 8 × 2.5 inches), making sure each serving has a good mix of seafood.

Creamy white sauce

1. Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in the carrots and celery, then cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

2. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables. Pour in half of the reserved poaching milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick and sticky. Add the remaining milk and stir until smooth.

3. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce looks too thin, sprinkle 1 to 3 teaspoons of flour over the surface, one teaspoon at a time, stirring well after each addition until the desired thickness is reached.

4. The sauce should be thick enough to coat and hug the seafood. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then remove from the heat and stir through the parsley.

5. Pour the sauce evenly over the prepared seafood and use a spatula to level the surface.

For the mashed potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.

2. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and cover with water until the potatoes are submerged by about 2.5 cm or 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are very tender.

3. Drain the potatoes into a colander and leave them to steam dry for 5 minutes. This step helps remove excess moisture for a fluffier mash.

4. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer or masher. Add the butter and milk and mix until smooth. Stir in the egg yolks and salt until well combined.

5. Spoon the mashed potato over the seafood filling and level the surface. Use a fork to create swirls on top, then sprinkle evenly with cheese.

6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly crisp.

Tips for the best Seafood Pie

Don’t skip the poaching step

Poaching the seafood gently in milk and stock is essential for both flavour and texture. It lightly cooks the seafood, so it stays tender during baking, and it infuses the milk with seafood and aromatics.

That flavoured milk is then used to make the sauce, giving the pie depth and richness that you won’t get if you skip this step.

Don’t overcook the seafood

The salmon, prawns, scallops and mussels are quickly poached before baking to keep the seafood tender. It will finish cooking in the oven. Overcooking the seafood will make it rubbery or dry.

Choose the seafood you love

Use the seafood you enjoy most and adjust the mix to suit your taste. Just be mindful when using clams, octopus or squid, as they need either quick cooking or slow cooking to become tender. If not cooked properly, they can turn tough and chewy in a baked pie.

Avoiding a watery pie

Excess moisture is likely to cause a watery seafood pie. Make sure the seafood is well drained and gently patted dry after poaching. Using full-cream milk and double cream helps thicken the sauce. Lower-fat dairy can release more liquid during baking.

Getting the right sauce thickness

The sauce should be thick enough to coat and hug the seafood before it goes into the oven. If it looks too thin, thicken it on the stovetop rather than relying on the oven to do the work. A properly thickened sauce will stay creamy and cohesive once baked.

Even seafood distribution

Arrange the seafood evenly in the baking dish before adding the sauce. This ensures each serving has a good mix of seafood, so no one ends up with just fish and mash.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

Make ahead

This seafood pie can be assembled ahead of time, making it ideal for entertaining or busy days.

Prepare the pie up to the point of adding the mashed potato topping, then cover. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, add the cheese and bake as directed, allowing a few extra minutes, around 5 to 8 minutes, if baking straight from the fridge. To check that the pie is heated through, insert a skewer into the centre of the pie, wipe it clean and carefully feel the temperature of the skewer.

Storage

Once baked, allow the seafood pie to cool completely, then cover and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store leftovers in an airtight container or tightly covered baking dish to prevent the mash from drying out.

Reheating

To reheat without drying it out, cover the pie loosely with foil and warm it in a 170°C or 340°F oven until heated through. Removing the foil for the last few minutes will help re-crisp the top. Avoid reheating on high heat, as this can dry out the seafood and cause the sauce to split.

You could also microwave the pie over gentle heat until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prepare seafood pie the day before and bake it later?

Yes, seafood pie can be assembled the day before and baked later. Keeping it chilled allows the flavours to settle, and baking it the next day actually makes it easier to portion. Just expect a slightly longer bake time if it goes straight from fridge to oven.

Why is my seafood pie watery?

Excess moisture from the seafood or a thin sauce may lead to a watery seafood pie. Carefully strain and dry the seafood before placing in a baking dish. Use full-fat cream and milk as the lighter versions are more watery.

How do I know when my seafood pie is cooked?

The pie is ready when it is bubbling gently around the edges and heated through in the centre. The easiest way to check is to insert a skewer into the middle; it should feel hot to the touch when removed.

What can I use instead of mashed potatoes on top?

If you want something different, you can top the pie with thinly sliced potatoes, sweet potato mash, or even a buttery pastry lid. Just keep in mind that thinner toppings will bake faster than mash.

What size baking dish should I use for seafood pie?

A medium-sized baking dish works best, one that allows the filling to sit at a reasonable depth rather than being spread too thin. This helps keep the seafood moist and the sauce creamy.

Is seafood pie better baked covered or uncovered?

Seafood pie is best baked uncovered, so the mashed potato topping can brown and develop texture. If needed, it can be loosely covered partway through baking to prevent over-browning.

More Christmas recipe ideas

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is estimated using a third-party calculator and should be used as a guide only.

Australian Measurements

All measurements on this website use Australian standard cups and spoons. For conversion details, see my Australian Cooking Measurements page.

I’d love your feedback!

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below; it really supports my blog and helps others find the recipe. Your email address is required to comment (to prevent spam) but will not be published. If you share your dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag me. I’d love to see it! @3catsfoodie

Cheers – Cat T