Low Calorie Fish Pie

Low-Calorie Fish Pie has everything you expect of a fish pie with tasty chunks of fish, in a creamy sauce topped with mashed potatoes. It is really easy to make and has less than 300 kcal per portion.

I remember my Mum making fish pie quite often. We had a fish van that visited the village, in fact, my Mum still buys fish from a van, albeit a different van! 

Mum would usually buy whiting and smoked haddock to make her fish pie. Fish Pie is a good way to make a little fish go a long way for a growing family.

What kind of fish should I use Low Calorie Fish Pie?

I use a pack of fish pie mix for maximum convenience. If you use fresh fish then I recommend you include some smoked haddock and a white fish like haddock, whiting, pollock, or cod.

The fish pie mix includes salmon, so if you like salmon you can add a fillet of salmon too.

What kind of potatoes should I use?

I like to use Maris Piper potatoes as they are a good all-round potato and make a good mash. But any floury type of potato will do. New potatoes are not really suitable for mash, if they are all you have, then cook them and slice onto the top of the pie.

Can I use other vegetables in Low Calorie Fish Pie?

Yes, if you don’t want to use spinach you can use other vegetables. Here are some ideas:

• Frozen or fresh peas.
• Sliced leeks sauteed in a little butter and oil.
• Fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels.
• Baby broad beans sauteed or cooked for a few minutes in boiling water.
• Runner beans sauteed or cooked for a few minutes in boiling water.
• A mixture of any of the above.

How to make Low Calorie Fish Pie

For this recipe, I use ordinary ingredients that you can buy at the supermarket. Fish is naturally low in calories and a great source of protein.  Spinach is also a naturally low-calorie vegetable and is full of vitamins and minerals.

All quantities and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page

Peel and cook the potatoes

First peel, boil and mash the potatoes. If I plan to pipe the potatoes I put them through a potato ricer.

When I am short of time I don’t pipe the mash, I just roughly add it with a spoon. The crustier it looks, the more nice crisp bits will form in the oven – delicious.

Put the fish into the ovenproof dish

Next, I put the frozen fish into the base of an ovenproof dish.  There is no need to thaw the fish, it will thaw as it bakes in the oven

For fresh fish

To make the Low Calorie Fish Pie with fresh fish, just reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.

Put the spinach on top of the fish mixture

Place the spinach leaves on top of the frozen fish.  You will think there are too many but pack them down because spinach is full of water and reduces very quickly.

Spinach is a great low-calorie vegetable It is packed with vitamins and minerals and it’s only 7 calories per 100g!

Make the sauce for Low Calorie Fish Pie

Another of my Mum’s tips is to use cornflour to make the sauce rather than making a roux with butter and flour. This cuts down on the fat and calories, if the sauce is well seasoned then you won’t miss the butter.

Heat the milk in a saucepan on the hob or heat it in the microwave.  Use a big pan or jug so the milk doesn’t boil over and make a mess.

Mix the cornflour with a little cold milk to make a paste, then add the hot milk, stirring to mix.  Pop the mix back into the microwave or onto the stove to cook through.

Season well with sea salt and freshly ground pepper because it is seasoning the fish and spinach too.  Pour the sauce into the ovenproof dish over the spinach.

Top with the mashed potato

Pipe the mash on top of the pie using a large star nozzle. Or place spoonfuls until the dish is covered, you can rough it up with a fork if liked.

Brush with egg and bake

Beat the egg and brush the top of the mash with the beaten egg,.  This makes the topping a lovely golden colour once baked. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes with frozen fish or 30 minutes if using fresh fish.  Serve with a green vegetable.

More Low Calorie Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Low Calorie Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavour and comes in at under 300 calories. including a portion of quinoa.

There is no meat in these Mexican Spiced Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs, in fact, they are really not named correctly at all.  I thought about calling them Cauliflower Quinoa Balls but…well, no I didn’t think that sounded right at all!  

More Fish Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

• Cullen Skink – Scottish Smoked Haddock Soup
• Mexican Fish Tacos
• Kedgeree with Crispy Onions

More Low Calorie Recipes

• Spiced Chickpea, Carrot and Coriander Burgers – a  dairy-free, vegan burger from Tinned Tomatoes ( 257 kcal)
• Lemon and Rosemary Salmon  – a perfect quick summer dinner from Hungry Healthy Happy (262 kcal)
• Rainbow Noodle Salad with Tangy Peanut Dressing – hot, sour, salty, sweet, cool and crunchy is how Kellie at Food to Glow describes this colourful salad, sounds good to me (341 kcal)

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Low Calorie Fish Pie

Farmersgirl Kitchen

Tasty chunks of fish, in a creamy sauce, topped with mashed potatoes., total comfort food with fewer calories. 

4.04 from 26 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Servings 4

Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 400 g frozen fish pie mix or mixed fresh fish pieces
• 200 g spinach
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 450 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 500 g potatoes
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Peel and chop the potatoes and boil until soft.
• Push the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer or mash.
• Add a little semi-skimmed milk to get a creamy mash consistency.
• Make the sauce by mixing some of the cold milk with the cornflour to make a thick paste, then heat the milk to just below boiling point, about 3 minutes in the microwave or heat in a pan on the stove.
• Pour the hot milk into the cornflour paste and stir until thoroughly mixed, then heat for 1 more minute in the microwave until thickened.
• Season the sauce with salt & pepper or other seasonings of your choice. The sauce should be quite thick as the frozen fish and the spinach will release water while cooking in the pie.
• Place the frozen fish in an ovenproof dish, add half the sauce, then cover with the spinach leaves.
• Pour over the remaining sauce, the spinach will wilt with the heat of the sauce.
• Top the fish and spinach with the mash (you don’t have to pipe it, but it does look pretty).
• Beat the egg and brush the top of the mash with beaten egg.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 170C or until bubbling and golden brown.

Notes

If your sauce is not thick enough, then mix another teaspoon of cornflour with cold milk and pour into the hot sauce mix, stirring all the time.

Calorie Count: 400g fish pie mix 312 kcal; 200g spinach 14 kcal; 1.5 tbsp cornflour 81 kcal; 450 ml semi-skimmed milk 153 kcal; 500 g potato 462 kcal; 1 egg 78 kcal.

Total Calories – 1,100 kcal

183 kcal per portion if serving 6.

275 kcal per portion if serving 4 – add 50 g runner beans = 291 kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal

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As this Low Calorie Fish Pie is based on my Mum’s fish pie recipe, I’m linking up with Inheritance Recipes, the linky run by Coffee and Vanilla and Pebble Soup  This month the linky is being hosted at Coffee and Vanilla so pop over and check out the recipes.