Fried Fish Sandwich

Fried Fish Sandwich – Skip the drive-thru with this crunchy, flaky fried fish sandwich that knocks McDonald’s filet-o-fish out of the park. Fried to perfection topped with homemade tartar sauce and fresh, crispy vegetables, this classic fried fish sandwich will be your new favorite.

Although I’m that make-it-from-scratch kind of gal, there are always a few that are an exception to the rule.

For years, I’ve been so in love with my drive-thru fish sandwiches – be it from McDonald’s, Arby’s, Wendy’s or Burger King. But during this Lent season and with the recent stay-at-home situation, I’ve been secretly snacking on my homemade version of fish sandwich which is now dubbed as the “best fish sandwich” ever by no less than my son!😅

But take it with a grain of salt! After all, it’s quite different when you try it yourself, right? So if you have fish fillets stashed in your freezer, let’s go make this homemade fish fillet sandwich and give those fast-food chains a run for their money!

Best Fish for a Fish Sandwich

This is not to impose or something, but as far as my experience is concerned, any mildly-flavored white fish makes the best fried fish sandwich. Here I use skinless cod fillets, but if you don’t have it, you can try these other types of fishes below.

• halibut
• tilapia
• bass
• catfish

How to Bread Fish?

The breading for our fried fish isn’t as bland like most would do. All thanks to my homemade Blackened Seasoning (which I will be sharing here on the blog soon). But in the meantime, you may use Old Bay seasoning or my Creole Seasoning. I do suggest tho to go easy with creole as it is spicier compared to black seasoning.

So to get that nice and neat coating for our fish, here’s what you need to know on how to properly bread a fish.

• Set up first your dredge station which comprises the: seasoned flour mixture, breadcrumb bowl and then the beaten egg bowl.
• Make sure to rinse the fish fillets and pat dry with a paper towel. This will help prevent the fish from getting tough and mushy while cooking.
• Then season the fish with salt and pepper or using your favorite seasoning and then coat it lightly with flour.
• Next, coat it with the egg mixture, before you cover it with the panko breadcrumbs. This type of breadcrumb is actually lighter than the regular bread crumb and absorbs less grease making it ideal for anything crispy fried.
• Line all breaded fish in a paper-towel lined plate or sheet pan. And voila, you’re now ready to fry ’em!

What Kind of Bread is Used for Fish Sandwiches?

I prefer to use Kaiser rolls for this fish sandwich recipe or any soft rolls lightly toasted on the stovetop. Take note that it’s not crusty, but that kinda stretchy kind of bread that complements with the fried fish. If you can’t find kaiser rolls, you may lightly toast a white bread (check my Homemade White Bread HERE) or this buttery Homemade Brioche Bread.

What Else Can You Add?

You know what I love about sandwiches is they are pretty forgiving. You can almost add whatever you want in a sandwich and still enjoy it. Aside from the usual tomato and lettuce combo, you can add these, too…

• slices of sweet dill pickles
• jalapeno rings
• a slice of American cheddar cheese or smoked gouda
• crisp oven baked bacon strips

What Goes with Fried Fish Sandwich?

Of course, there’s no doubt how French fries should be a must-have when serving a fish sandwich. Potato chips come close at the second spot. But you can get creative and serve these following below for a heartier meal experience.

• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Stovetop Mac and Cheese
• Red Potato Salad
• Fried Pickles

More Sandwich Recipes to Explore

• Monte Cristo Sandwich
• Muffaletta Sandwich
• Chicken Salad Sandwich

Check out MORE SANDWICHES HERE.

How To Make Fish Sandwich

Heat oil in a large skillet. When deciding what oil to use, the most important factor is the smoke point of the oil. The smoke point is the temperature the oil stops simmering and begins to smoke. You want to use an oil that has a high smoke point to prevent burning. Neutral oils, such as canola and vegetable oil, are perfect for this dish because you don’t want the oil to impact the flavor of the dish. I used canola oil which has a smoke point of 400°F (200°C).

How To Bread Fish

Next, it’s time to set up your dredging station. In a wide deep container (Tupperware works perfectly if you don’t have enough mixing bowls) mix together homemade blackened seasoning and flour. Set aside. In a separate container, add breadcrumbs. Set aside. In a separate container, beat eggs. Set aside. This is your dredging station. Rinse fish filets and pat dry with paper towel. It is important the fish is dry before frying. This will help prevent the fish from getting tough and mushy during the cooking process. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Coat filets lightly in flour, then completely cover in egg and panko. 

Add fish to hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. About 5 minutes per side. When done, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Heat a separate skillet over high heat. Spread butter on both halves of each roll and grill the rolls until golden. About 1 minute. Spread tartar sauce on bun, follow with lettuce, tomato and onion and top with fish filet and more tartar sauce if you like it saucy. Enjoy with homemade fries or classic potato chips to complete your meal.

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Fried Fish Sandwich

Skip the drive thru with this crunchy, flaky fried fish sandwich that knocks McDonald’s filet-o-fish out of the park. Fried to perfection topped with homemade tartar sauce and fresh, crispy vegetables, this classic fried fish sandwich will be your new favorite.  

5 from 5 votes

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

American

Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

• ▢ Oil for frying  
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (36g) homemade blackened seasoning 
• ▢ 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour 
• ▢ 2 cups (100g) panko breadcrumbs 
• ▢ 3 eggs , beaten 
• ▢ 4 fresh cod filets 
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste 
• ▢ 4 Kaiser rolls 
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (28g) butter , softened 
• ▢ homemade tartar sauce 
• ▢ Boston Bibb lettuce , washed and dried 
• ▢ 2 heirloom tomatoes , sliced 
• ▢ 1 onion , sliced 

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large skillet. When deciding what oil to use, the most important factor is the smoke point of the oil. The smoke point is the temperature the oil stops simmering and begins to smoke. You want to use an oil that has a high smoke point to prevent burning. Neutral oils, such as canola and vegetable oil, are perfect for this dish because you don’t want the oil to impact the flavor of the dish. I used canola oil which has a smoke point of 400°F (200°C). 
• Next it’s time to set up your dredging station. In a wide deep container (Tupperware works perfectly if you don’t have enough mixing bowls) mix together homemade blackened seasoning and flour. Set aside. In a separate container, add breadcrumbs. Set aside. In a separate container, beat eggs. Set aside. This is your dredging station. 
• Rinse fish filets and pat dry with paper towel. It is important the fish is dry before frying. This will help prevent the fish from getting tough and mushy during the cooking process. 
• Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Coat filets lightly in flour, then completely cover in egg and panko. Add fish to hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. About 5 minutes per side. When done, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. 
• Heat a separate skillet over high heat. 
• Spread butter on both halves of each roll and grill the rolls until golden. About 1 minute. 
• Spread tartar sauce on bun, follow with lettuce, tomato and onion and top with fish filet and more tartar sauce if you like it saucy. 
• Enjoy with homemade fries or classic potato chips to complete your meal.  

Tips & Notes:

1. For a healthy alternative, bake fish seasoned with salt, pepper and blackened seasoning at 350°F (177°C) for 10-15 minutes until flaky.  
2. If your fish begins to fall apart as you are cooking it, chances are it is over cooked. But, no worries! Just start a new batch in the same oil for less time. 
3. The best kinds of fish to fry are cod, tilapia, halibut, catfish and bass. So, if you don’t have cod, any of those will do.  
4. If you want to add cheese, I suggest American or smoked gouda. Both are creamy and melt easily. Add cheese directly to fish filet when it comes out of the oil. The hot fish will melt it. If you don’t want you cheese melted, wait to add it until you are building your sandwich.  
5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1sandwich| Calories: 405kcal (20%)| Carbohydrates: 46g (15%)| Protein: 19g (38%)| Fat: 17g (26%)| Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)| Cholesterol: 157mg (52%)| Sodium: 451mg (20%)| Potassium: 591mg (17%)| Fiber: 4g (17%)| Sugar: 8g (9%)| Vitamin A: 895IU (18%)| Vitamin C: 11mg (13%)| Calcium: 63mg (6%)| Iron: 2mg (11%)

Author: Imma

Course: Appetizers, Snacks

Cuisine: American

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