Salmon Pot Pie with Sweet Potato

This cosy salmon pie is packed full of delicious, healthy ingredients.  In addition to the salmon, the filling contains sweet potato, spinach and a simple white sauce.  The crispy top consists of light and delicious puff pastry.  This is healthy comfort food at its finest!

What makes this salmon pie recipe special

• It doesn't require any side dishes. This salmon pot pie is a complete meal.
• It's healthy - low in fat, filled with veg and of course, nutritious salmon!
• It's a delicious way of using up salmon leftovers.
• This salmon pie is very simple to put together.
• You can prepare it ahead and bake later.
• It's perfect for everyday as well as special occasions.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Salmon: use salmon leftovers or prepare it from raw (see details below).
• Sweet potato: use white potatoes or a mixture of white and sweet potatoes instead if preferred.
• Spinach: I recommend baby spinach.
• Puff pastry: I used ready-to-roll puff pastry, but you can use any, including reduced fat puff pastry (if using frozen defrost fully before rolling out and making the pie).
• Egg wash: use milk instead if preferred.
• Butter: used to make the simple white sauce.
• Flour: thickens the sauce.
• Milk: adds creaminess.
• Fromage frais/fromage blanc: you can sub sour cream or creme fraiche (regular or reduced fat).
• Dijon mustard: adds flavour.
• Salt and pepper to taste: I like to use white pepper with most fish recipes, but black pepper is also fine to use.

How to prepare the salmon

This salmon pie is an ideal recipe for using up salmon leftovers. It's quick and easy to do and you’ll have another meal out of your leftovers.  But it’s also very easy to prepare salmon from raw. 

Simply season the salmon, drizzle with a little lemon juice and oil/butter and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes (see Instructions for details).  You can even do this ahead to save time making the actual recipe.

Salmon pie with puff pastry

Ready-made puff pastry is ideal to use in a fish pot pie recipe. It's easy to use and makes a lovely light and crispy pie topping.  I've used it to make these low fat mini chicken pies with asparagus as well as this festive mushroom turkey wellington.  The results in both recipes were fantastic! 

Top tip

It is important to bring your puff pastry up to room temperature so take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making the recipe.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.While you are waiting for the salmon to cook (if preparing from raw) prepare the sweet potato. Peel and cube the sweet potato, then pour 2 cm of water into a saucepan, add a bit of salt and toss in the potato cubes.  Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.  Drain.

2. Arrange in a single layer in your pie dish. Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7 (fan 200 C/gas mark 6).

3. By this time your salmon should be ready (if you are preparing it from raw).  Remove it from the oven and scatter over the sweet potato spreading evenly.  Season lightly.

4. To make the white sauce gently melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Add some of the milk, increase the heat and continue whisking until the mixture thickens.  Add the remaining milk and whisk until the mixture starts bubbling up. 

5. Remove from the heat, add the fromage frais, mustard, season to taste and stir thoroughly using a whisk.

6. Stir in the chopped spinach and season well. Ensure the sauce is hot so the spinach can reduce in volume and become thoroughly incorporated into the sauce.

7. Spoon the spinach mixture over the salmon.

8. Place the pastry sheet on top of your pie gently pressing in around the edges and removing any air pockets.  Trim to fit your dish and make a little cut in the middle to allow excess steam to escape. Brush your pastry with lightly beaten egg and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Remove your salmon pie from the oven, rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Serving suggestions

Even though this salmon pie can be served on its own (perfect as a weeknight family meal) you can also serve it with other dishes if you like.  It's delicious with garden peas, steamed or boiled broccoli, cauliflower or green beans as well as crispy salad. I also love it with beetroot chutney.

If you are making this salmon pie recipe during the holiday season it can be served with braised carrots or red cabbage, creamy brussels sprout slaw, cranberry chutney or festive holiday coleslaw.

Top tips

• Salmon: Use either salmon leftovers or prepare the salmon from raw. To do this simply season your fillet and drizzle with a little lemon juice and oil (or butter) and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. You can do this ahead to save time making the actual recipe.
• Puff pastry: Remember to bring the pastry up to room temperature so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before making the recipe.  When you are ready to use it gently roll it out and place over the pie.
• The white sauce: The sauce should be quite thick to start with but the raw spinach will release lots of water as it cooks, which will get incorporated into the sauce.
• Best served immediately (while the top is crispy). Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Preparing ahead and freezing

This salmon fish pie can be assembled ahead, covered and refrigerated (overnight). Brush with the egg wash just before baking (straight from the fridge).

Once assembled you can also freeze this pie uncooked, covered, for up to 3 months. Bake in a preheated oven from frozen (baking time will be a little longer).

Related recipes

• Healthy Fish Pie with Cauliflower Topping
• Salmon and Cabbage Bake
• Healthy Creamy Salmon and Potato Bake
• Herb Crusted Salmon with Lemon Sauce

Why not check out ALL my fish recipes as well as other easy meal ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make this salmon pie with spinach and sweet potato I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any substitutions? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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