German Fricasseed Fish – Oma's Fischfrikassee
by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.
Updated on December 29, 2025
What's fricasseed fish, aka Fischfrikassee? It's poached fish served in a cream sauce - a delicious way to cook cod, haddock, or sole!
Tender white fish in a rich mushroom cream sauce, paired with buttery parsley potatoes—simple elegance, German-style.
Fricasseeing is a method of cooking whereby you cut meat or fish into pieces and then stew in gravy.
In this recipe, the fish is poached in a stock and then the stock is used to make a creamy gravy.
There's just something about having gravy that's so German! And this one has mushrooms because that was my Mutti's favorite, as well as mine.
Serve this with boiled potatoes and cucumber salad for a traditional German meal.
Ready to make this fricasseed fish?
German Fricasseed Fish – Oma's Fischfrikassee
Fricasseed fish, aka Fischfrikassee, is poached fish served in a cream sauce - a delicious way to cook cod, haddock, or sole!
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Servings:
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
For Poaching The Fish:
-
1 carrot, chopped
-
1 leek, chopped
-
1 celery rib, chopped
-
1 onion, quartered
-
3 peppercorns
-
1 bay leaf
-
½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
-
½ lemon or 1 tablespoon (15
milliliters) lemon juice
-
1¾ pound (795 grams) cod,
haddock, or sole fillets
For The Sauce:
-
3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter
-
1 small onion, finely
chopped
-
¼ cup (33 grams) all
purpose flour
-
2½ cups (600 milliliters)
reserved poaching
liquid
-
½ cup (120 milliliters) half
and-half cream
- ½ 9.6-ounce (284 milliliters) can
sliced mushrooms
- salt, to taste
-
1 pinch sugar
-
chopped fresh parsley
or dill, to garnish
Instructions:
For The Fish:
-
Put the carrots, leeks, celery, onions,
peppercorns, bay leaf, salt, and lemon
in a large saucepan. Add 4 cups (960
milliliters) of water and stir.
-
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for
about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
-
Place the fish fillets in the saucepan.
Return to the heat, bring to a gentle
simmer, and poach for about 10 minutes.
-
Carefully remove the fish and set aside.
-
Strain and reserve the poaching liquid,
and set aside.
For The Sauce:
-
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add
the onions and sauté until they’re lightly
browned.
-
Stir in the flour until smooth.
-
Add the reserved poaching liquid and
cream, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring
constantly.
-
Stir in the mushrooms and season with
salt and sugar.
-
Cut the fish into large pieces. Carefully
place the fish in the sauce without
breaking it, and spoon the sauce over the
f
ish. Let it sit over a very low heat for a
minute or so to let the fish warm up.
-
Garnish with parsley or dill to serve.
Notes/Hints:
- Use cod, sole, or haddock fillets
- Add ½ cup white wine to stock when poaching fish
- Add 1 tablespoon capers and small can of asparagus tips with the mushrooms
* * * * *
Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Updated on December 29, 2025
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