Creamy Fishless Pie — a plant-based British recipe by BOSH!
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Creamy Fishless Pie

This is one of those recipes we genuinely get excited about every single time we make it. There's something so comforting about a proper fish pie, and this plant-based version totally nails that creamy, hearty, warming vibe without any of the fish. The filling is rich and saucy, the mash on top is buttery and smooth, and the whole thing just feels like a proper hug in a dish. Whether it's a grey Tuesday night or you're feeding friends who reckon they'd never go near vegan food, this one wins everyone over every time. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Lasagne dish
  • Large saucepan
  • Large, high-sided frying pan
  • Potato masher

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp nori sheet
  • 1 tbsp caper brine
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Nooch
  • 480g wild mushrooms - chopped
  • 1 white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • 30g spring onions - finely chopped
  • 120g peas
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 60g parsley
  • 180ml oat cream
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp Nooch
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 60ml oat cream
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 600g potatoes
  • 30g chives

Method

1

Cooking the potatoes

  • For the mash; peel the potatoes, chop them into ¼‘s put them in a large saucepan, fill the saucepan with water & boil them for 12 minutes
  • Drain the potatoes, put them back in the pan, mash them with a potato masher
  • Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pan, whip them in with a wooden spoon & put them to one side
2

For the pie filling

  • Warm the olive oil in a large, high sided frying pan, pour in the minced onions & cook them until they’re soft
  • Add the capers, caper brine, white wine vinegar, garlic, nori, mushrooms, salt, pepper, lemon & spring onions to the pan & stir them until the mushrooms are well sweated
  • Turn the heat down & add the mustards, oatly cream, nutritional yeast to the pan & stir it in
  • Pour in the peas & parsley into the pan & stir them round so they’re well mixed in & the sauce is really nice and thick
3

Assembling the pie

  • Pour the filling ingredients into a lasagne dish, spoon the mashed potato on top of the filling ingredients, smooth the mashed potato with the back of a wooden spoon, use a fork to scrape lines into the top of the mashed potato
  • Bake the pie for 20 minutes (until the mashed potato starts to brown on top)
4

Time to serve

  • Take the pie out of the oven & garnish with chives. BOSH!

Tips & Variations

  • Get the mash right: We find this works really well when you whip the mash while the potatoes are still really hot. Cold mash goes gluey, so don't hang about.
  • Make it your own: Henry always adds a pinch of smoked paprika to the filling for a little extra depth. It gives it a subtle smoky edge that works so well with the creamy sauce.
  • Top it properly: Spread the mash right to the edges of the dish and rough it up a bit with a fork before it goes in the oven. You get these amazing crispy bits on top that everyone fights over.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting that mash really smooth and creamy so it forms a proper golden lid on top when it bakes. What really makes the filling sing is building up those layers of flavour in the pan before everything goes in together, don't rush that bit. Trust us on this one, it's what takes it from good to absolutely brilliant.