Can You Freeze Fish Pie?

Fish pie makes a delicious midweek meal. You can make it with the fish of your choice. Perhaps you enjoy cod, haddock, or pollock. Maybe you want to add seafood such as scallops or prawns.

Most fish pies also contain peas and lots of herbs such as parsley and tarragon. The majority of fish pies have a creamy mash on top with melted cheddar cheese but some do have pastry as the topping.

The question is, can you freeze fish pie if you’ve made more than you can eat in one sitting? You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days but you may not want to eat them again so soon. The good news is that you can freeze the fish pie (see also Is Freezing Cottage Pie A Good Idea?), and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze fish pie and how to defrost it. 

How To Freeze Fish Pie

1. Cool down the fish pie. 

You shouldn’t put the fish pie in the freezer while it is still warm as it will bring up the temperature and other food may start to defrost and spoil.

You also shouldn’t keep the pie out at room temperature for longer than two hours as, after this time, bacteria may start to form, and the fish will deteriorate and could even make you sick. It is a good idea to transfer the fish pie into a cold bowl to speed up the cooling down process.

2. Divide the fish pie into portions.

If you have a lot of fish pie left over, divide it into meal-size portions so that you only defrost what you need. This helps to avoid waste. 

3. Put the portions of fish pie in airtight containers.

Alternatively, you can put the fish pie in freezer bags but make sure that they are strong otherwise they could split, and you will end up with a mess in your freezer. If you do use freezer bags, squeeze out all the air so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn will ruin the taste and texture of your fish pie and may even strip it of its nutrients. Put labels on the containers or bags with the date frozen and the contents. 

4. Put the containers or bags in the freezer.

How To Freeze Fish Pie Variations

There are, naturally, many versions of fish pie but can you freeze them? We’ll take a look at some of them here.

Can You Freeze Fish Pie With Prawns?

You can if the prawns you use in the fish pie are fresh. If they are frozen, don’t freeze the pie as it’s not a good idea to refreeze fish. Ice crystals will form and will ruin the texture of your fish or seafood. The worst case scenario is that it will spoil and you will risk food poisoning. 

Can You Freeze Boiled Eggs In A Fish Pie?

Unfortunately, it’s not a good idea to freeze boiled eggs in a fish pie. The texture will change and the eggs will become rubbery. It’s not unsafe but you will find that your fish pie will be ruined.

Can You Freeze Fish Pie Made With Frozen Fish?

No, you shouldn’t freeze fish pie made with frozen fish. Always use fresh fish if you intend to freeze your leftovers. 

For How Long Can You Freeze Fish Pie?

You can freeze the fish pie for three months. After this time, the taste and texture will start to deteriorate and it may even spoil, possibly giving you food poisoning. Remember not to freeze fish pie with eggs as they will become rubbery. In addition, don’t freeze the fish pie with peas if they are frozen as they should not be frozen twice. If you want to add peas, use fresh peas. 

Another important factor is to keep the fish pie in an airtight container otherwise freezer burn might occur. It will probably still be safe to eat but it will lose taste, texture, and even nutrients. 

How To Defrost Fish Pie

The good news is that you don’t need to defrost fish pie. You can simply take it out of the freezer and put it in the oven or microwave until it is hot all the way through. Because it is frozen, it will take longer to cook than a fresh pie so if you want to save on cooking time, you can defrost the fish pie overnight in the fridge. It will take much less time to cook. 

A great touch is to add some extra grated cheese to the top of the fish pie before you cook it as it will add a lovely creamy touch. 

Can You Refreeze Fish Pie?

If you have used fresh ingredients in your fish pie you can refreeze it but there is a danger that the texture will change, and it won’t be as delicious. However, if you have used frozen fish and peas, you mustn’t refreeze the fish pie. Ice crystals will form, and the pie may spoil and cause food poisoning. To avoid having to refreeze, freeze your fish pie in meal-size portions so that you only defrost as much as you need for one day.

Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Fish Pie?

As long as you don’t have boiled eggs or frozen peas in your fish pie, you will be able to successfully freeze your fish pie leftovers. You can even make a batch of fish pies and freeze them so that you have fish pies for the next few months. Generally, you will find that frozen fish pie will taste as good as fresh. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing fish pie but in case you are still curious about fish pies in general, we have answered a couple of questions here.