Canned red salmon became a Depression-era pantry staple, turning this humble potato pie into a budget-friendly protein bomb families relied on.
Salmon & Potato Pie
Dive into the deliciousness of our Salmon & Potato Pie, where tender canned salmon meets creamy potatoes, all wrapped in a flaky, golden crust! Infused with fresh dill for a burst of flavor, this comforting dish is perfect for any meal. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this easy and satisfying recipe!
Prep
40
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
10
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This tinned-salmon-and-spud pie is basically New England fisherman's pie wearing a British pastry disguise, born when Maritime Canadian and American coastal cooks in the 1930s Depression stretched expensive fresh fish with canned salmon and cheap potatoes, wrapped the lot in pie crust because pastry makes poverty food feel like a proper Sunday dinner, even in Massachusetts.
Regional Twist
Along Nova Scotia's South Shore, cooks swap the canned red salmon for smoked haddock and stir in a spoonful of cream, giving this potato pie a proper Maritime smokehouse backbone that the original dill and thyme can barely keep up with.
๐ Ingredients
Serves 10๐ฅฌFresh Produce(3)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 6 potatoes, peeled
๐ฅฉMeat & Seafood(1)
- 1 (6 ounce) canned red salmon, undrained (170 g)can substitute with fresh cooked salmon
๐ฅDairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 tablespoon butter (14 g)
- 1 cup milk (240 ml)
๐งSpices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (5 ml)
- salt and pepperoptional
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (5 ml)
๐ฆOther(1)
- 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
308
Protein
8g
Carbs
36g
Fat
15g
๐จโ๐ณ Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain, cool and chop.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, cook onions, garlic and butter over medium heat until vegetables become transparent in color.
- 3
Add onion/garlic mixture, dill, salmon and thyme to cooked potatoes; mash all together with milk, adding just enough to bring about a mashed potato consistency; spread evenly into pie shell.
- 4
Place second pie shell over top of salmon mixture; cut slits into the upper shell, then pinch edges of both pie shells together; bake on lower rack of oven for 45 minutes.
๐ก Pro Tips
- โCook potatoes to 203-205ยฐF internal temperature (about 15 minutes for 2-inch chunks) rather than full tenderness because they'll continue softening during the 45-minute bake, preventing a mushy final texture.timing203-205ยฐF internal temp
- โReserve 3-4 tablespoons of starchy potato cooking water and use it instead of some milk (at a 3:1 ratio of water to milk) because the gelatinized starches create better structure and binding than milk alone, preventing the filling from separating.ingredient3:1 starchy water to milk ratio
- โMash potatoes while still warm (140-160ยฐF) because starch granules are more receptive to hydration; cold potatoes require 30-40% more mixing, leading to gluey texture from damaged starch cells.technique140-160ยฐF potato temperature
- โDrain canned salmon but reserve 2 tablespoons of its liquid to incorporate into the filling, as the fish liquid contains dissolved minerals and collagen that enhance savory depth and provide 15-20% more binding capacity than milk alone.ingredient2 tablespoons salmon liquid retained
- โBrush the top pie shell with 1 tablespoon melted butter mixed with 1 teaspoon water before baking to promote even browning at 400ยฐF; the water delays crust drying by 8-12 minutes, allowing Maillard reactions to develop fully.technique1:1 butter-to-water ratio for wash
Share this recipe
Prep
40
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
10
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Canned red salmon became a Depression-era pantry staple, turning this humble potato pie into a budget-friendly protein bomb families relied on.
Salmon & Potato Pie
Dive into the deliciousness of our Salmon & Potato Pie, where tender canned salmon meets creamy potatoes, all wrapped in a flaky, golden crust! Infused with fresh dill for a burst of flavor, this comforting dish is perfect for any meal. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this easy and satisfying recipe!
The Story
This tinned-salmon-and-spud pie is basically New England fisherman's pie wearing a British pastry disguise, born when Maritime Canadian and American coastal cooks in the 1930s Depression stretched expensive fresh fish with canned salmon and cheap potatoes, wrapped the lot in pie crust because pastry makes poverty food feel like a proper Sunday dinner, even in Massachusetts.
Regional Twist
Along Nova Scotia's South Shore, cooks swap the canned red salmon for smoked haddock and stir in a spoonful of cream, giving this potato pie a proper Maritime smokehouse backbone that the original dill and thyme can barely keep up with.
๐ Ingredients
Serves 10๐ฅฌFresh Produce(3)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 6 potatoes, peeled
๐ฅฉMeat & Seafood(1)
- 1 (6 ounce) canned red salmon, undrained (170 g)can substitute with fresh cooked salmon
๐ฅDairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 tablespoon butter (14 g)
- 1 cup milk (240 ml)
๐งSpices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (5 ml)
- salt and pepperoptional
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (5 ml)
๐ฆOther(1)
- 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
308
Protein
8g
Carbs
36g
Fat
15g
๐จโ๐ณ Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain, cool and chop.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, cook onions, garlic and butter over medium heat until vegetables become transparent in color.
- 3
Add onion/garlic mixture, dill, salmon and thyme to cooked potatoes; mash all together with milk, adding just enough to bring about a mashed potato consistency; spread evenly into pie shell.
- 4
Place second pie shell over top of salmon mixture; cut slits into the upper shell, then pinch edges of both pie shells together; bake on lower rack of oven for 45 minutes.
๐ก Pro Tips
- โCook potatoes to 203-205ยฐF internal temperature (about 15 minutes for 2-inch chunks) rather than full tenderness because they'll continue softening during the 45-minute bake, preventing a mushy final texture.timing203-205ยฐF internal temp
- โReserve 3-4 tablespoons of starchy potato cooking water and use it instead of some milk (at a 3:1 ratio of water to milk) because the gelatinized starches create better structure and binding than milk alone, preventing the filling from separating.ingredient3:1 starchy water to milk ratio
- โMash potatoes while still warm (140-160ยฐF) because starch granules are more receptive to hydration; cold potatoes require 30-40% more mixing, leading to gluey texture from damaged starch cells.technique140-160ยฐF potato temperature
- โDrain canned salmon but reserve 2 tablespoons of its liquid to incorporate into the filling, as the fish liquid contains dissolved minerals and collagen that enhance savory depth and provide 15-20% more binding capacity than milk alone.ingredient2 tablespoons salmon liquid retained
- โBrush the top pie shell with 1 tablespoon melted butter mixed with 1 teaspoon water before baking to promote even browning at 400ยฐF; the water delays crust drying by 8-12 minutes, allowing Maillard reactions to develop fully.technique1:1 butter-to-water ratio for wash