Icelandic Fish Stew (Plokkfiskur) — Creamy Cod and Potato Mash
Plokkfiskur is a beloved Icelandic home dish made from white fish, potatoes, onions, and a creamy white sauce. It reflects the practical coastal cooking of Iceland, where leftover boiled fish was turned into a warm, filling meal.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 55 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 600 g cod fillets (skinless and boneless)
- 750 ml water
- 2 tsp fine sea salt (divided)
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 800 g waxy potatoes (peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks)
- 150 g yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 35 g all-purpose flour
- 450 ml whole milk
- 200 ml reserved fish cooking liquid
- 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
- 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
+ 1 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water by 3 cm, then add 1 tsp of the fine sea salt. Bring to a b…
- While the potatoes cook, place the cod fillets in a wide pan with 750 ml water, the bay leaf, and the remaining 1 tsp fine sea…
- Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot pan for 2 minutes so surface moisture evaporates. Crush them lightly with a…
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until soft but not bro…
- Whisk in the milk gradually, then whisk in the 200 ml reserved fish cooking liquid until the sauce is smooth and thick enough t…
- Flake the poached cod into large pieces, checking carefully for any bones. Fold the fish and crushed potatoes into the sauce wi…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Plokkfiskur is a practical Icelandic fish-table classic, often made from leftover boiled fish and potatoes. It shows how coastal households turned simple staples into a nourishing everyday supper.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Keep the poaching liquid below a hard boil so the cod stays moist and flakes cleanly.
- Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes, not very floury potatoes, for the best balance of soft mash and visible chunks.
- For the most traditional texture, fold the fish in gently and stop mixing before the stew becomes completely smooth.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Boiling the fish aggressively
✅ Fix: Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer so the fish remains tender and does not turn dry or stringy.
❌ Adding all the milk at once to the roux
✅ Fix: Whisk the milk in gradually so the sauce stays smooth and lump-free.
❌ Overmixing the finished stew
✅ Fix: Fold gently and leave visible pieces of fish and potato for the traditional rustic texture.
🧊 How to Store
Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat with 30 ml milk per serving, stirring carefully so the fish does not break down too much.
📅 Make Ahead
Poach the fish and boil the potatoes up to 1 day ahead, then refrigerate them separately. Make the sauce and combine the stew just before serving for the best texture.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Icelandic rye bread
- salted butter
- cucumber salad
- pickled beets
- boiled carrots.
Regional Variations
- Some Icelandic homes use haddock instead of cod, depending on the catch available.
- A richer version adds a small amount of grated cheese to the white sauce before the fish is folded in.
- Leftover-style plokkfiskur often uses already-boiled fish and potatoes, reducing the cooking time considerably.
Ingredients
- 600 gcod fillets (skinless and boneless)
- 750 mlwater
- 2 tspfine sea salt (divided)
- 1 leafbay leaf
- 800 gwaxy potatoes (peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks)
- 150 gyellow onion (finely chopped)
- 55 gunsalted butter
- 35 gall-purpose flour
- 450 mlwhole milk
- 200 mlreserved fish cooking liquid
- 0.5 tspground white pepper
- 0.13 tspground nutmeg
- 2 tbspfresh chives (finely chopped)
🔄 Substitutions
- cod fillets→ haddock fillets
- whole milk→ 2 percent milk
- all-purpose flour→ white rice flour
Instructions
- 1
Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water by 3 cm, then add 1 tsp of the fine sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
- 2
While the potatoes cook, place the cod fillets in a wide pan with 750 ml water, the bay leaf, and the remaining 1 tsp fine sea salt. Bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer, cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the fish flakes easily, then lift the fish out and reserve 200 ml of the cooking liquid.
- 3
Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot pan for 2 minutes so surface moisture evaporates. Crush them lightly with a fork or potato masher, leaving small chunks because plokkfiskur should be rustic rather than perfectly smooth.
- 4
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until soft but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan so the roux loses its raw flour aroma.
- 5
Whisk in the milk gradually, then whisk in the 200 ml reserved fish cooking liquid until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, then season with white pepper and nutmeg.
- 6
Flake the poached cod into large pieces, checking carefully for any bones. Fold the fish and crushed potatoes into the sauce with a spatula, keeping some fish pieces visible rather than beating the mixture into a paste.
- 7
Cook the mixture over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it is hot throughout and softly bound. Spoon into warm bowls, scatter with chives, and serve immediately with dense rye bread and butter.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Plokkfiskur is a practical Icelandic fish-table classic, often made from leftover boiled fish and potatoes. It shows how coastal households turned simple staples into a nourishing everyday supper.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
📚 Sources & Cultural References
- Magnus Nilsson — The Nordic Cookbook — (2015)
- Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir — Icelandic Food and Cookery — (2001)
Sources cited by the Zaffaron editorial team during recipe research. Cultural and culinary references supporting authenticity claims.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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