Match the best batter and fish with these recipes for fried catfish, cod, sea bass, shrimp, snapper, swordfish, and more.
Whatever type of fish you have on hand, you’re guaranteed something delicious if you choose to fry it up for one of these tantalizing fried fish recipes. You can go for classic comforts like Crispy Fish Tacos or Beer-Battered Fish with Malt Vinegar Aïoli, try out Nini Nguyen’s po’boy-banh mi mashup, or fry your fish whole for dishes like Jamaican escovitch. Whether you prefer your fish cornmeal-encrusted, dredged in breadcrumbs and pan-fried, or tucked into an aromatic curry, these are the recipes to reach for when you crave a fish fry.
Shrimp Tempura
A 2020 F&W Best New Chef, Nick Bognar uses a cake flour-based batter to cook shrimp tempura to a crispy light golden brown. Bognar fries with vegetable oil and includes instructions for preparing vegetable tempura to serve with the shrimp.
Whole Fried Snapper with Cashew Nuoc Cham
Crispy snapper is paired with a roasted cashew nuoc cham dipping sauce and served with rice paper wrappers, cucumbers, and herbs in this centerpiece-worthy dish.
Viet-Cajun Fried Catfish Po’boy
This recipe from Top Chef fan favorite Nini Nguyen is a mashup of a classic New Orleans-style po’boy and equally iconic Vietnamese banh mi. Both cultures celebrate sandwiches like these, using crispy fried catfish on a crusty, light, airy roll that shatters when you take your first bite.
Crispy Fish Tacos on Achiote Corn Tortillas with Meyer Lemon Kohlrabi Slaw and Caperberry Remoulade
Brooke Williamson serves battered and fried cod with a tart remoulade and crunchy kohlrabi slaw on homemade achiote tortillas.
Konkani Fish Kadi
To give chef Meherwan Irani’s Southern spin on fish curry an upgrade, seek out Simmons catfish, raised in aquifer-fed ponds in the Mississippi Delta. You’ll fry fish in a skillet in two batches for a curry served over rice alongside an onion, tomato, and cucumber salad.
Kwame’s Escovitch Snapper
In Jamaica, escovitch fish — fish that’s fried and then topped with pickled vegetables — is everywhere. In chef Kwame Onwuachi’s version, a garlicky marinade forms a crust as the fish cooks, adding flavor and keeping the snapper moist and tender. A pickled tangle of thinly sliced chiles, carrot, and onion makes a punchy topping for the crispy fish,
Honey-Pepper Coconut Shrimp
At Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack in Asheville, North Carolina, chef Rich Cundiff’s breading technique is top secret, but he was kind enough to create this special riff on his coconut shrimp exclusively for us. A drizzle of syrupy honey glaze, infused with black pepper and lemon, adds a tart-sweet bite.
Pla Pad Cha (Thai Fried Fish with Spicy Chile Sauce)
In this recipe, lightly crisp, tender fish gets a sweet tang from oyster sauce and mild, fresh piquancy from fingerroot, a rhizome similar to young ginger. Brined green peppercorns lend a burst of juicy, tart, and salty flavor to the dish.
Fish Fry
This perfectly tender and delightfully crispy fried fish doesn’t lose its crunch. The gluten-free batter gets extra flavor from a spice blend that includes garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and gochugaru. Delicious on its own, this fish also makes great sandwiches and tacos.
Salvadoran-Style Pescado Frito (Fried Fish)
Delicate, meltingly tender whole trout gets crispy skin from a quick sear in a cast-iron skillet. Salsa Inglesa, or Worcestershire sauce, is a frequent find in Salvadoran condiment drawers and teams up with the mustard to create a punchy, umami-packed crust.
Crispy Fish Tacos
Chef Rick Bayless updates this classic fish taco recipe by adding garlic and oregano to the beer batter for an extra punch of flavor. Serve on steamy corn tortillas with a dollop of crema and a splash of lime for a crispy, satisfying summer meal.
Chutney Fish
Marinating tender sea bass in turmeric, lal masala, and ketchup before coating with green chutney keeps each layer of flavor distinct and adds a beautiful ring of vibrant color to this crispy fried fish, traditional to Parsi cuisine.
Fried Fish in Adobo
Swordfish marinated in a combination of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and paprika takes on a superb, tangy flavor. Chef José Andrés coats the fish in flour, then fries it until crisp, creating an irresistible little tapas snack.
Fried Catfish Sandwiches with Cumin Slaw
Tender catfish fillets marinate briefly in garlic and pepper before being breaded and fried for these extra-crispy sandwiches from Pawan Mahendro, whose family runs Badmaash, a modern Indian concept with two locations in Los Angeles.
Pan-Fried Flounder with Lemon Butter Sauce
“Flounder is an amazing fish,” says Jonathan Waxman, chef at Manhattan’s Barbuto. “It’s firm yet delicate, flavorful, and sweet.” The breading he uses on the fillets is simple and versatile; it works just as well on chicken, pork, veal, and other fish.
Polenta-Crusted Fish Cakes with Spicy Tomato Sauce
“Fish cakes are perceived as being quite British, and they’re [often] a bit brown and a little dull,” chef Yotam Ottolenghi says. To make the cakes more vibrant, he adds plenty of herbs and serves them with a tarragon-infused tomato sauce spiked with fresh red chile.
Beer-Battered Fish with Malt Vinegar Aïoli
Chef Jeremy Sewall uses line-caught pollock for fish and chips at Row 34 in Boston because it’s a firm fish that remains flaky when cooked. The beer batter should coat the fish without being too thick; when fried, the batter should puff and crisp while the fish steams inside the crunchy shell.
Crispy Monkfish with Capers
This is chef Daniel Boulud’s take on wiener schnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet. He lightens the dish by making it with thinly pounded monkfish fillets, breaded on only one side. At home, instead of pounding the monkfish, slice the fillets thinly.
Sautéed Lake Fish with Creamy Wild Mushrooms
This fast, simple recipe is the perfect solution for a weeknight dinner when great, lake-caught fish is available. And with some more ambitious plating, notes chef Andrew Zimmern, it can be your go-to dish for entertaining. The creamy wild mushroom sauce would also pair well with saltwater fish like snapper, monkfish, or sea bass.
Cornmeal-Crusted Fish with Green Tomato Tartar Sauce
When they’re in South Carolina, brothers and cookbook authors Matt and Ted Lee make this recipe with wreckfish, a local, sustainable catch; striped bass works, too. They advise leaving the skin on the fish because it crisps up so nicely.
Sautéed Bass with Lemongrass
“When you travel a lot,” legendary chef Joël Robuchon said, “you pick up ideas all over the place.” Thai ingredients were the inspiration for this dish, and Robuchon brought his classic French techniques.
Pan-Fried Flounder with Poblano-Corn Relish
Vintner Brian Talley, who says he “cooks as much fish as everyone in the family will tolerate,” pairs sweet flounder with a slightly smoky relish of homegrown chile peppers, corn, and avocado.
Mom’s Fried Catfish with Hot Sauce
“My mother made catfish on Fridays as part of her weekly rotation of dishes,” says Chef Todd Richards. “I was always amazed by the crispiness of her fish. She let it sit in cornmeal for about 5 minutes — a technique I use today.”
Pan-Fried Salmon Burgers with Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Aïoli
Everything on the long list of ingredients in this recipe is easy to assemble and can be made ahead. All you have to do is pan-fry the burgers just before serving. You can serve the aïoli as a dip, a sandwich spread, or as an accompaniment to grilled salmon or chicken.
Mahi Zafaroni (Pan-Seared Fish with Saffron and Dried Lime)
A saffron spice rub and saffron tea imbue this flakey and tender fish with earthy, floral flavors. This recipe calls for red snapper, but you could also use striped bass.
