Description
A comforting and hearty fish pie mac ’n’ cheese combining creamy cheddar sauce, tender macaroni, and a tasty mix of smoked fish, white fish, and salmon, baked to golden perfection. This dish is perfect for a family meal, served with a fresh green salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Filling
- 650ml milk
- 40g plain flour
- 40g butter
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 150g mature cheddar, grated (reserve a handful for topping)
- 180g frozen peas
- handful of parsley, chopped
- 300g fish pie mix (smoked fish, white fish, and salmon)
Pasta
- 300g macaroni
To Serve
- green salad (optional)
Instructions
- Make the white sauce: Pour the milk into a large pan and add the flour and butter. Set it over medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture turns into a smooth, thick white sauce. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add flavors and vegetables: Stir in the Dijon mustard, most of the grated cheddar (saving a handful for topping), frozen peas, and chopped parsley into the white sauce to combine everything evenly.
- Cook the macaroni: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until just tender. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Combine pasta and fish mixture: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven, gas mark 6). Stir the drained pasta into the white sauce and add half of the fish pie mix, folding everything together gently.
- Assemble the dish: Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to a large baking dish. Evenly distribute the remaining fish pie mix over the top, pressing it slightly into the pasta. Scatter the reserved cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm, accompanied by a green salad if desired. Leftovers can be chilled for up to three days or frozen for up to a month. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Notes
- Use a mix of smoked fish, white fish, and salmon for best flavor and texture.
- You can substitute macaroni with other short pasta like penne or fusilli.
- Adding mustard to the cheese sauce enhances the tangy flavor.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and stored refrigerated or frozen for convenience.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven or microwave until piping hot to ensure food safety.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: fish pie mac ’n’ cheese, baked macaroni and cheese, fish pie recipe, cheesy fish pasta bake, comfort food, British casserole
