French-Canadian Salmon Pie Recipe with Sourdough Crust

This French-Canadian Salmon Pie is a family favorite. This recipe has seasoned salmon and potato with onions, baked in a flaky sourdough pie crust. Among my other French-Canadian recipes, this is another favorite to add to the list. If you like salmon, you will enjoy this pie.

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This recipe, originally a French-Canadian favorite, became popular in New England. This dish also tends to be most popular during Lent, in the weeks leading up to Easter. This recipe is a seafood version of the French-Canadian recipe Tourtière, a traditional meat pie that is also enjoyed throughout Canada and New England. This Salmon Pie as well as the Meat pie tend to be served at holidays. I find them to be a great, year round dish.

Ingredients for Salmon Pie

Like many recipes that I ask my mother about, her response is usually, “I don’t have a recipe, this is what I do.” or “I don’t measure, I just add…”. So in my efforts to remember these recipes, I make these recipes with the information she gives me and add my own touch as I see fit, but never enough to alter the flavor of it much, then document them on here. 

• Salmon – Typically canned salmon is used but I have also made it with fresh salmon fillets.
• Potatoes –  Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are best. The higher starch potatoes hold up best for the fluffy consistency and flavor with the other ingredients.
• Onions – Yellow onion is usually used but any type can work just fine.
• Garlic, Thyme, butter, milk, as well as 2 pie crusts.

Tools you will need for Salmon Pie

• Rolling Pin
• 1-  9 inch pie pan
• Large skillet – cast iron is best
• Potato masher or mixer
• Large mixing bowl or the pot you boiled the potatoes in

How to Make Salmon Pie with Sourdough Crust

Prepare the crust

First you will want to prepare your pie crust. You can use store bought or homemade pie crust forgoing the sourdough. I prefer to have the benefits of the fermented flour.

If you choose to long ferment your pie crust, “feed” your starter 24 hours before you plan to make your pie or you can use sourdough discard.

Add 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar to a large bowl, mix together. Add 1 cup of cold cubed butter and mix together. Don’t over mix, you want a chunky consistency. This may be easier to mix together with your hands or a potato masher to break up the butter into smaller pieces. Add in 1 cup of fed sourdough starter or discard and mix until combined. Divide into 2 sections and form a disk with each and wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate overnight to ferment. You could leave it out on the counter to ferment but refrigerating for the fermenting does best to make a flaky crust.

When your ready to make your pie, roll out your pie dough on a lightly floured surface to about an inch larger then your pie pan, about 9″ inches. Do this with both disks. Place the bottom crust in the pan and gently fold the second crust in half and put on top of the pan and place both in the fridge until your ready to add the filling.

Prepare the Salmon Pie Filling

Preheat your oven to 400 F

Next, add about 6 medium potatoes to a pot and fill till just covered with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and allow to cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Careful not to over cook them, you don’t want them to absorb too much water, it’ll make for a soggy pie.

You can peel the potatoes if you choose, if you don’t, just check for any discoloration or bruises and remove them.

While your potatoes are cooking, preheat a cast iron frying pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoons butter. Finely chop an onion and add it to the pan and cook until it starts to become translucent. Add your minced garlic and cook until onions are cooked, don’t brown them.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash the potatoes. To the mashed potatoes, add the onion mixture, thyme and 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2-3/4 cup milk. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Mix well until creamy, add more milk if necessary. 

Drain 2 cans of wild caught salmon and add to a small bowl. Remove the spine bones (or crush finely with a fork and add to the mixture, this adds tons of calcium) and add the salmon to the potato mixture. Mix together well until smooth and creamy. I use a potato masher, you can also use a mixer.

Add the salmon mixture to your pie pan on top of the bottom crust. Add the second crust on top of the pie and cut a few slits into the top crust center for the steam to escape.

Crimp the pie crust edges together and trim off any excess dough from the edges of the pie crust. 

Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes and serve warm.

Note: 

You can use a fresh salmon fillet instead of canned salmon. You will need roughly,  a 1 pound salmon fillet. Cook this with the onions and garlic in the large skillet. 

Puff pastry can also be used in place of the pie crust.

What to Serve with Salmon Pie

Serve with a white sauce or a Béchamel sauce.

Our family favorite is to melt some butter on top and then put some sweet pepper relish on top. We like the Howard’s brand.

Storage

Homemade salmon pie is good in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Allow to cool and cover leftovers with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container.

Store the baked pie in the freezer for about 3 months. ​Allow to cool to room temperature and wrap tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

Products Mentioned

Cast Iron Skillet

9″ Pie pan

Howard’s Sweet Pepper Relish

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