Name: Exactly How To Reheat Fish Pie
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 whole fish pie; 1 slice fish pie

Table of Contents

Fish pie is a dish that can really fill you up, which means there’s a good chance you’ll have some leftovers to enjoy the next day.

However, with ingredients that range from cheese sauce to steamed fish, with a few veggies thrown in, reheating it can be a bit of a challenge.

So, what’s the best way to reheat fish pie without drying out the fish or leaving an oily mess?

I tested three different methods to find out.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer:

The best way to reheat fish pie is in the oven. First, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Transfer the fish pie to an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. A single portion will reheat in 10-15 minutes and a whole pie in 30-40 minutes. Double the reheating time for frozen fish pies.

A note on my experiment

I baked double my usual quantity of fish pie for supper, with heaps of cheesy sauce and veggies to accompany the flaky, white fish.

This left me with plenty of leftovers to test out my three reheating methods, which were:

In the oven (best result)
In the microwave (okay if you’re in a rush)
In a skillet (messy but delicious)

The oven reheated my fish pie perfectly. It is great for large portions of the pie because it heats through evenly.

The microwave is okay if you only have a slice or two to heat up. It’s quick and easy, but you risk rubbery fish.

Frying the fish pie was a bit too messy for my liking, but it tasted pretty good, so it wasn’t a total write-off.

Reheating fish pie in the oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Allow your fish pie to reach room temperature, and then cover the oven-proof dish with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and reheat a slice for 10-15 minutes (30-40 minutes for a whole pie). Remove the foil for the last few minutes of heating to crisp the top.

You can also add some fresh cheese to really bring the dish back to life.

How to reheat fish pie in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Allow your fish pie to reach room temperature and transfer it to an oven-safe dish. A room temperature pie will heat more quickly and evenly.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Place in the oven and reheat single portions for 10-15 minutes or 30-40 minutes for a whole pie. For frozen fish pies, allow up to double the time.
Remove the foil for the last few minutes for a crispy cheese topping (add fresh cheese for extra zing).
Check the middle of the pie has heated through before removing it from the oven.

You can use a knife to test if the pie is heated all the way through.

Insert it into the dish and feel how hot the metal is when you pull it out. If it’s warm to the touch, your fish pie is ready.

If you’re in a hurry, you can microwave the fish pie for 30-60 seconds first before placing it in the oven.

This will give the pie a headstart on heating (just make sure that your dish is microwave proof i.e no foil!).

My verdict

This was my favorite way to reheat fish pie.

Although it is slower than the other methods I tried, it produced the best result.

It’s an easy method that leaves your pie with a freshly-baked texture and aroma.

The only thing to watch out for is dry fish. This can happen if you leave the pie in the oven too long.

Reheating fish pie in the microwave

Put your fish pie on a microwave-safe plate. Set the power to 50% and reheat for 30 seconds. Check the pie’s temperature and continue reheating at 30-second intervals until heated through. When hot, remove the pie from the microwave and (optionally) crisp the top under the broiler.

How to reheat fish pie in the microwave:

Put your fish pie on a microwave-safe plate or in a microwave-safe container without the lid.
Place the pie in the microwave.
Set the power to 50% and reheat for 30 seconds.
Check the pie’s temperature and continue reheating at 30-second intervals until heated through.
When hot, remove the pie from the microwave.
Optionally, crisp the top under the broiler.
Allow the pie to rest for 1 minute before serving.

Only reheat 1-2 portions of pie in the microwave at a time to ensure even heating.

As the fish is delicate and prone to over-cooking, I recommend that you only use 50% power to give you more control over the reheating process.

My verdict

The results of this test were okay, but not nearly as nice as when using the oven.

The sauce ended up a bit watery, and some of the fish (the shrimps especially) had an unpleasant rubbery texture.

That said, I would use the microwave again if I was in a rush – it’s just so quick!

Reheating fish pie in a skillet

Heat a skillet with a light covering of oil on medium-low heat. Take the fish pie straight from the refrigerator and place it in the skillet. Add a splash of water or stock and cover the pan with a lid. Reheat the pie for 4-5 minutes. The mixture may require some stirring to ensure even reheating.

How to reheat fish pie in a skillet:

Lightly cover a skillet with some oil.
Heat the skillet on medium-low heat.
Take the fish pie straight from the refrigerator and place it in the skillet when hot. Refrigerated pie will be more sturdy and easier to maneuver than room temperature pie.
If required, add a splash of water or stock (unless the sauce is already watery).
Cover the pan with a lid.
Reheat the pie for 4-5 minutes.

Keeping the heat low helps to avoid cooking the fish.

You just want to reheat it, not cook it further.

You can stir the potato and the filling together to heat the mixture more quickly, but it can end up a bit like baby food.

My verdict

Although this is not the most visually appealing or easiest method to reheat fish pie, it did keep the dish nice and moist.

How to store fish pie

To store fish pie, wait for it to reach room temperature and then cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Alternatively, place the fish pie in an airtight container. Fish pie will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer-term storage, you can freeze the pie.

Always wait until your fish pie is at room temperature before covering it. Otherwise, condensation will build up in the container and leave you with soggy potatoes.

If you think the pie will take longer than 2 hours to completely cool, you can speed the process up by putting the dish in the sink and surrounding it with cold water.

Or split the fish pie into smaller portions.

Can you freeze fish pie?

Fish pie makes a great freezer meal. It will stay good in the freezer for 2-3 months, and you can reheat it straight from frozen if you want. Simply wrap the fish pie in plastic wrap or foil before freezing. If you’re freezing individual portions, you should use these within 1 month.

How to freeze fish pie:

Allow the fish pie to reach room temperature.
Wrap a whole fish pie (in its baking tray) with plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil.
You can individually pack smaller portions into airtight containers.
Label the fish pie with a use-by date and freeze.

It’s important that you avoid putting a warm fish pie in the freezer.

The resulting condensation turns into large ice crystals that destroy the texture of your fish.

How to reheat frozen fish pie

To reheat the frozen fish pie, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the foil and plastic wrap from the baking tray and place it in the oven. Reheat for around 60 minutes (or until fully heated through). Alternatively, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat for approximately 30 minutes.

Summary

Fish pie can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or skillet. For best results, reheat the fish pie in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until piping hot. Fish pie can be reheated in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals. To regain a crisp topping, broil for the final minute of reheating.