23 Easy Fish Fillet Dinner Recipes

Easy Fish Curry for Beginners — The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Easy and versatile fish fillets make a simple dinner that will please the whole family and they lend themselves well to a wide range of styles. Whether you broil, grill, fry, or bake fish fillets, their thinness means they can be ready in a snap. For that reason, fish fillets can also overcook easily, so keep an eye on them and cook just until they flake easily and the flesh is just barely opaque. Fish freezes well, so keep a bag of fillets on hand for a last-minute dinner. And when buying fresh, make sure the fish smells clean and a little like seawater, but not too “fishy.” The flesh should be smooth, firm, moist, and a bit translucent with even coloring. Use fresh fish within a day or so of purchase; the fresher, the better.

How to Buy and Cook Fish for Perfect Results Every Time

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Parmesan Crusted Baked Fish Fillets

The Spruce

This super simple baked dish has a cheesy, crunchy topping that gives you the texture of fried fish without the mess. Try making your own breadcrumbs from leftover bread and serve it with a side of tartar sauce, lemon slices for squeezing, coleslaw, and French fries. Once you master this recipe, it makes a great template for experimentation.
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Japanese Simmered Fish (Sakana no Nitsuke)

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Sakana no nitsuke is a Japanese term that refers to fish (sakana) simmered (nitsuke) in a sauce. Some of the more common types of fish that are used in this very traditional and rustic dish include rockfish (mebaru), flounder (karei), mackerel (saba), and black cod (gindara). However, almost any type of fish with white flesh may be used in this recipe.
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Baked Halibut With Parmesan Crumb Topping

The Spruce

Halibut is a firm white fish that's easy to cook, and this crumb-topped halibut is a fast and simple way to prepare this mild, versatile fish. The tasty, buttery crumb topping, which is made from scratch for this recipe, gives the halibut nice flavor and texture.
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Grilled Sea Bass With Garlic Butter

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

A simple garlic and butter sauce showcases the delicate, slightly smoky taste of grilled sea bass fillets. Use fresh parsley for a stronger herbal flavor and serve with rice and grilled veggies to complete the meal. Don’t forget to oil the grill grates right before the fish hits the heat, so it doesn’t stick.

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Thai Baked Fish in Banana Leaf Recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

You'll love this tender and wonderful-tasting Thai baked fish. The fillet is slathered in a fragrant coconut sauce, then wrapped in banana leaves (or aluminum foil/parchment paper) and baked in the oven.
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Air Fryer Fish Sticks

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Air fryer fish sticks are super easy to fix because you know exactly what's in them. You won't find preservatives, oil, dairy, or sugar in these tasty fish sticks. Panko breadcrumbs add the crunch to the fish sticks, while a well-seasoned flour mixture adds complementary flavor.
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Fried Fish Sandwich With Tartar Sauce and Hand-Cut Chips

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

A fried fish sandwich with tartar sauce and crispy chips just seem to say summer—even if it's cold outside. In this recipe, the fish is coated in a tempura-like batter, fried until crisp, and then served on a toasted bun with homemade tartar sauce and a side of hand-cut potato chips. Halibut fillets are used here, but any firm, dense fish will do.
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Fish Pakora

The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii

Pakoras are a favorite deep-fried snack food in India and usually made with vegetables, but we make this rendition with white fish. Pakoras are made by dipping the ingredient in a seasoned gram flour batter and then frying until crispy. Every region has its variation for pakora batter, and this recipe reflects the flavors of North India.

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Cornflake-Crusted Baked Cod

The Spruce

Try this cornflake-crusted baked cod for a texture that might remind you of your kids’ fish sticks, but plenty of adult flavor. A little Dijon mustard gives it extra zip, while the crunchy topping contrasts perfectly with the tender fish fillets. Serve with tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
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Creamy Fish Chowder

The Spruce

Nothing beats a rich, creamy fish chowder on a chilly day and this one comes packed with cod or haddock fillets, potatoes, carrots, and enough onion to deepen the flavor. For a more meaty chowder, try sautéing the onion in bacon drippings and crumbling some more bacon on top. Pollock or a similar white fish would work in this recipe, too.
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Spice-Rubbed Cod Fillets

The Spruce

For a low-fat broiled fish that doesn't taste like diet food, look no further than these spice-rubbed cod fillets. The assertive spice rub will tickle your taste buds, without any extra oil or butter. Cover flaky fillets with a mixture of paprika, cumin, turmeric, and coriander, then broil or stick them on the grill. Adjust the spice level to match your personal preferences.
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Baked Teriyaki Salmon

Leah Maroney

Asian flavors and salmon go together perfectly, and this recipe for teriyaki salmon is a delicious way to enjoy the pairing. A mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger powders, and cornstarch is first used as a marinade and then cooked into a thick sauce. The fish is finished with a spoonful of teriyaki sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds and scallions.

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Tilapia Fish Tacos

The Spruce Eats/ Leah Maroney

Tilapia fish tacos are cool, creamy, and crunchy. The fish is blackened in the oven, then served with tangy Baja sauce and crisp cabbage slaw. A squeeze of lime juice finishes off the tacos with just the right zing for a taste of brightness.
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Basic Fried Cod Fillets

The Spruce

Everyone should know how to make a basic fried fish recipe and this one will hit the spot. Haddock or cod work well for this preparation because they hold up well under frying, but tilapia or pollock are fine, too. Start with this basic preparation then try adding different seasonings to make it your own as you master it.
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Blackened Fish on the Grill

The Spruce

Cod works well in this Cajun-spiced blackened fish recipe because its mild flavor tastes great with zesty seasonings and its firm, flaky texture can handle the intense heat of the grill. Because blackening fish in a blazing-hot skillet can get smoky, doing it on the grill keeps your kitchen clean. That said, a skillet will also work if you don’t have a grill and you can handle a little extra clean-up. (We recommend putting the fan on.)
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Easy British Fish Pie

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

This British fish pie is a one-pot supper made with a combination of fish. Feel free to use any you have on hand or ask your fishmonger for a selection of fish scraps. The fish is poached in a fish stock and milk mixture, combined with cooked leeks and parsley, and then topped with a fluffy layer of mashed potatoes before baking until golden brown.

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Chinese Ginger-Soy Steamed Fish

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

This recipe for Chinese ginger-soy steamed fish takes 30 minutes or less. The sauce uses both light and dark soy sauces, which provide a unique flavor combination. Serve the fish with simple stir-fried green beans and white rice.
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Mahi-Mahi With Lemon Dill Sauce

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Mahi-mahi is a meaty fish you will often find in restaurants, but can also be made at home. This lemon-dill recipe has a fresh brightness that highlights the fish perfectly. Sear them on the stovetop to lock in flavor, then finish them under the broiler with a tangy dill and mustard sauce. You may also see Mahi-Mahi labeled as Dorado or Dolphinfish.
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Maple Glazed Salmon Fillet

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

A maple, soy, ginger, and garlic glaze gives juicy salmon fillets a lovely sweet and spicy flavor that tastes special without slaving all day. Cook them on a griddle, in a frying pan, or even on the grill over low flames. Add more chili flakes for a spicier flavor, or omit them entirely to highlight the caramelized sweetness.
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Baked Stuffed Fish Fillets

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Flaky white fish fillets and a hearty sage-scented bread stuffing bake up in muffin tins in this unique, yet recipe. Sole and flounder work well, but thin tilapia can substitute, as well. Just make sure to choose thin fillets rather than steak-like cuts, so they can roll up in the muffin tins.

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Easy and Flavorful Smoked Tilapia

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Seasoned with just a basic lemon, garlic, and pepper mixture, smoked tilapia tastes like summer any time of year. Fish smokes more quickly than other meats because of its thinness, so it makes a great choice for busier weekends. Serve it with fresh lemon slices for squeezing to really enhance the flavor.
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Mexican Baked White Fish in Cilantro Sauce

The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Whitefish and cilantro: they seem to have been made for one another, and this dish is proof. The cream, onions, garlic, and lime juice all contribute to a tasty mixture that bathes the fish in a fresh, attractive, bright green sauce.
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Easy Fish Curry for Beginners

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

There are so many iterations of fish curry, you might get lost figuring out which is the best to try first. This traditional fish curry recipe is made with whole paanch phoran seeds and gets a bit of a kick from red chilies.

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