Pan Fried Fish is a thing of beauty, with its beautiful crispy golden crust and juicy flesh inside. Itโs a super quick dinner because cooking fish fillets on the stove takes less than 5 minutes!
Wondering how to stop fish sticking to the pan? Itโs easy: use a heavy based skillet (doesnโt need to be non stick), heat the pan before adding oil, and most importantly โ do not move move the fish until it naturally releases from the pan!
Crispy Pan Fried Fish
I think that cooking fish on the stove is the BEST way to cook fish, especially when you invest in really good fish fillets โ or youโve caught your own! Crispy and golden on the outside โ with or without skin, though I do love shatteringly crispy skin like Crispy Skin Salmon โ and beautifully juicy on the inside. Pan fried fish is one of those things that is so quick and so good, we wonder why we donโt make it every night.
But unless you know a few little tips, you can end up with a disappointingly soggy fish fillet or, even sadder, all that golden crispy goodness stuck on the pan. So today Iโm sharing my tips to nail pan fried fish perfectly, every single time.
How to cookย fish fillets in a pan โ perfectly!
Use a heavy based skillet โ it doesnโt need to be non stick, but it needs to be aย heavy pan;
Heat the pan before adding oil;
If it sticks a bit, do not move until it naturally releases;
Pat fish dry before cooking; and
Shake off excess flour very well.
I go through each of these points in a bit more detail below. ๐
How to cook fish on the stove โ perfectly every time!
1. Use a heavy duty skillet โ it DOES NOT need to be a non stick pan! Contrary to popular belief, itโs not just about using a non stick pan. A thin, cheap non stick pan will cause the fish to be in closer and harsher contact with the stove, causingย the fish to brown unevenly in the few minutes itโs on the stove. Some crispy patches, some not so crispy ones.
Use a heavy duty skillet, like a cast iron skillet (pictured) orย a good quality, heavy non stick fry pan (I love my ScanPan, shownย in the video). It heats better, and more evenly, which really helps to get an even, golden, crispy crust.
2.ย Heat the pan first before adding the oil โ I have NEVER had problems with fish sticking to the pan since I adopted this technique. Itโs just an easy way to ensure the oil is hot enough but not too hot (a common mistake people make).
To do this, just heat a dry pan, and as soon as you see small wisps of smoke, add oil, swirl to coat base, then immediately add the fish.
3. Do not move until it releases naturally โย Most fish filletsย willย initially stick to the pan as they start to cook (unless youโre using so much oil youโre basically shallow frying them). But itย naturally releases once the surface is cooked and golden.
So give it a nudge, and if it doesnโt want to move, then it means that itโs not ready. So just leave it and try again in another 15 seconds or so!
4. Pat fish dry โ dry fish = crispier surface. Especially important for thawed frozen fish.
5. Shake off excess flour โย coat well in flour but vigorously shake off excess (too much flour = crispy crust falls off)
Love big, bold flavours?
Try this Cajun Blackened Fish โ seasoned with Cajun spices then pan fried to perfection!
Sauces for fish
With well seasoned crispy skin and juicy flesh inside, I donโt need anything more than a squeeze of fresh lemon. But I am a sauce person, so I never turn down a sauce even for fish! Here are my favourite Sauces for Fish:
Lemon Butter Sauce for fish โ this is an absolute ripper. Totally restaurant worthy, 2 ingredients, the secret is toย brown the butter;
Creamy Dill Sauce โ traditionally thought of for salmon but equally good with other fish;
Cocktail Sauce, Marie Rose Sauce, or Tartare Sauce โ recipe in this Prawn Dipping Saucesย post
Lemon Cream Sauce (see recipe notes)- A richer cream sauce with lemon;
Simple Lemon Butter Sauce* cooked with the pictured Asparagus, Peas and Beans, as pictured. Itโs really good!
The one catch with Crispy Pan Fried Fish is that it doesnโt stay crispy for that long. Once the fish cools, the surface loses crispiness.ย So eat it fresh off the stove!ย โ Nagi xx
Try these on the side:
Fresh Garden Salad with Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing or Italian Dressing
Cauliflower Cheese โ A rich, creamy, cheesy and rib-sticking British classic
Paris Mash โ For a true fine dining experience!ย Tip: Itโs so soft and creamy, it is practically a sauce in itself.
Zucchini Fennel Ribbon Salad โ For something different!
And more fish recipes:
Crispy Pan Fried Fish
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Crispy Pan Fried Fish recipe video! The Dozer cameo is meant to be about his built-in food alarm clock, but all I can seeย is the puff of fur he leaves behind when he movesโฆ.
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Crispy Pan Fried Fish
Ingredients
- 2 thin fish fillets, around 150g/5 oz each, 1 cm / 2/5โณ thick, skin on or off (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup / 35g flour (plain/all purpose, wholemeal)
- 1 tsp paprika , optional (Note 2)
- 2 โ 3 tbsp oil, enough to mostly thinly cover base (I use vegetable or canola)
Garnishes:
- Lemon wedges
- Finely chopped parsley or dill , for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Use scrunched up paper towels to pat the fish dry on both sides. This is especially important if you are using thawed frozen fish.
- Season the fish well on both sides with salt and pepper (key!).
- Mix the flour and paprika on a plate.
- Coat fish on both sides with flour, pressing down firmly so it adheres, but shake well to remove excess. (Note 2)
- Heat a heavy based skillet (normal or non stick) over medium high heat until you see wisps of smoke. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan โ it will heat within seconds.
- Add fish โ it should sizzle straight away. Shake the pan lightly to move the fish.ย Cook for 2 minutes until golden and crisp, pressing down gently, then flip.ย Cook the other side for 2 minutes until crisp then remove.
- If itโs browning too quickly, just remove pan from the stove briefly. ย If itโs stuck, donโt move โ it will release naturally once golden.
- Serve fish immediately with lemon wedges and garnished with dill or parsley, if using. It starts to lose crispiness after 5 minutes.
Recipe Notes:
- Killer Lemon Butter Sauce โ very fine dining restaurant worthy!
- Creamy Dill Sauce
- Cocktail Sauce, Marie Rose Sauce, or Tartare Sauce โ recipes in this Prawn Dipping Saucesย post
- Simple Lemon Butter Sauce: Melt 50g/3tbsp salted butter, add 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or to taste).
- (Rich) Lemon Cream Sauce: Simmer 1/2 cup cream over medium heat, add 1 tbsp butter, zest of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.ย
- Asparagus, butter beans and peas in lemon butter sauce (pictured in post): Use Simple Lemon Butter above and add 3 tbsp water. Bring to simmer, add 2/3ย cup drained canned white beans, handful of asparagus cut into 5 cm / 2โณ lengths, 1/4 cup frozen peas. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until asparagus is just cooked and liquid is thickened. Stir through 1 tbsp chopped dill, adjust salt & pepper to taste. Spoon onto plate, place fish on top. The sauce doubles as sauce for the fish.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2017.ย Updated for housekeeping matters in March 2019, no change to recipe.
LIFE OF DOZER
Dozer eyeing off Crispy Pan Fried Fish packed and ready to go to the homeless manโฆ. #Shameless
This recipe is so easy and the fish tastes so good!!
Iโm enjoying is from Kenya!
Perfect if you follow Nagiโs tips:
Dry fish very well, shake off flour mixture and heat pan before adding oil.
Another delicious dish!!
Okay โ so this is the first recipe of yours I tried. I heated my cast iron skillet as per your description and then added the oil and then the fish. The fish was PERFECT. My husband was speechless because I am not the best cookโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆbut I do love to cook (which can be a bad combination). With your detailed instructions everything was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. And to accompany it I made a version of your kale and quinoa salad which was also delicious.
Vision of speechless husband made me laugh!!! I hope you find more recipes here to render him speechless with! N x
Terrific recipe! Great tips re adding oil to hot pan and shaking off excess flour. Mine didnโt look as pretty as yours but it tasted great and was crispy. One thing though โ the filet curled under in the pan. Is there a cure for that or is that just the nature of the fish filet? I used pickerel (walleye to you, I think?).
HI Mary Jane! So pleased you enjoyed this ๐ Yes it depends on the fish and how itโs cut. Things that make it curl can be skin OR if the thin membrane is left on the flesh by the fish monger โ sometimes by accident. They shrink when cooked which is what makes the fish curl. So I canโt give you a definitive answer because it does depend on how well the fish was skinned! N x
Perfect! Thankyou for another great recipe!
X
Thatโs great to hear Cathy! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this โ N x
Excellent recipe!! Iโve never been able to make great fish, but with this recipe, I hit a home run. Thank you for this. My family and I truly enjoyed it. Super good!!!
Thank you so much for your recipe and your warmth! More than I was looking for. Blessings.
Thatโs terrific to hear Bettymay! So glad you enjoyed this! N x
Amazing. Total posh restaurant quality Nagi. So simple. I mean how more simple and delish can it get. The only issue I always have is the splatter of oil that gets all over. I am doing something wrong or is this normal. Anyway love to your baby Dozer & enjoy your getaway.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Steven, thanks for letting me know! N x
Loved this recipe. Simple & delicious. Itโs so easy to layer up the flavors. Thanks.
Wonderful to hear Laura! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this โ N x
This was really good! Pleasantly surprised by how simple yet so full of goodness this was. I had it with roasted yellow peppers. We have a winner ๐ค! Thank you ๐
This looks delicious!!! We eat a lot of baked fish and an anxious to try this!!! Easy, tasty and nutritiousโฆ.what more can we ask for !!! Thanks for another great recipeโฆ
This looks delish! Do you remove the skin on the fish before frying? I have salmon filets but they came with the skin on.
Thanks! ๐
Nevermind! I re-read the recipe, and noticed you already addressed this! Will be making it for dinner tonight!
๐
Another great recipeโฆ.used frozen Nile perchโฆalas I live in remote qld so fish is not from the fish monger!!!served it with oven fries and steamed corn cobs..thank you again for another awesome dinner
So glad you enjoyed this Kym! N x โค๏ธ
Made this with Sea Bass last night. Served with garlic asparagus and potatoes. It was great. Many thanks for the recipe. I might try it with some Old Bobs spice instead of paprika next time.
HIGH FIVE! So glad you enjoyed this Tom, thanks for letting me know! N x
Hi Nagi,
This fish looks delicious. Can i just check do you have any tips if using cast iron? I have the le creuset but no matter what it is so so sticky. Sometimes half the fish just comes out sticking to the pan. How do i resolve this?
Thank you
Hi Niki!! With cast iron, the trick is to just leave the fish, donโt move it at all, and when it is cooked, it releases from the pan. ๐ So if you try to move it before itโs ready, it might stick then you lose the golden surface then the revealed flesh sticks and itโs like a domino effect. So donโt touch it, when you think itโs ready, pull up the edge a bit and if it is not stuck to the pan, you know itโs ready!
This is so delicious recipe. I like fried fish. My children and child like this so much.
Thatโs terrific to hear Smith! Iโm so pleased to hear that. N x โค๏ธ
Hi, what type of fish did you use?
Hi, I used Silver Dory ๐
O have never in 50 years used flour on fish, maybe that is the secret!
Mom and grandma always used cornmeal or panko. I usually mix it. I will try just flour and see how it goes! Thanks so much!
Hope you try and LOVE it Pamela! N xx
Excellent recipe, I and my partner loved it, xx
Thanks for the great review Bide! Iโm SO pleased to hear you enjoyed it! N xx
I served my fish with baked potato, corn and fresh baked bread, although I would have loved to use asparagus if I had any ๐
Ooohโฆ.YUM! ๐ N xx