15 Quick Fish Recipes

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on January 31, 2023

Crispy Tilefish with Ponzu Butter — Photo: Eric Wolfinger

You can fry, air fry, grill, steam, or boil your fish of choice in under a half hour for a convenient, delicious seafood dish. From cured and grilled salmon entrees to a blackened haddock sandwich and two takes on fish tacos, here are our favorite quick fish recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

01 of 15

Grilled King Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish

Grilled King Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish Recipe — Victor Protasio

Floral and lightly acidic salsa brings out the buttery, rich flavors of grilled king salmon. Salmon is meaty enough to stay intact on a grill and gets meltingly tender as it cooks. Serve leftover salsa with grilled lamb, chicken, or pork.

02 of 15

Thyme-Crusted Buttery Halibut with Parsley Sauce

Thyme-Crusted Buttery Halibut with Parsley Sauce — © Petrina Tinslay

When he can find them, Larry Stone makes this simple dish with halibut cheeks, an inexpensive part of the fish that's especially luscious. Pieces of fillet work well, too. Coating the fish in Wondra flour, which is very finely milled, gives it a crisp, buttery crust.

03 of 15

Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Golden brown panko-breaded cod fillets and a creamy red cabbage slaw are folded into charred corn tortillas in this fish taco recipe. The slaw gets a pop of acidity from fresh lime juice, as well as savory notes from Mexican-style hot sauce and grated garlic.

04 of 15

Crispy Tilefish with Ponzu Butter

Crispy Tilefish with Ponzu Butter — Eric Wolfinger

We like to think that Japanese tilefish gets its name from its broad, overlapping scales. They crisp like potato chips as the fish curls upward in the pan. Finish this dish from photographer Eric Wolfinger with a drizzle of melted butter combined with yuzu ponzu.

05 of 15

Mezcal-Cured Salmon with Sorrel Salad

Mezcal-Cured Salmon with Sorrel Salad — © Christina Holmes

Instead of smoking salmon, Alex Stupak ingeniously adds smokiness with chipotles and mezcal, then serves the silky salmon with a crisp sorrel salad drizzled with a lime and cream cheese dressing.

06 of 15

Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce

Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Fresh fillets of haddock are coated with smoky paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme before they get a quick sear to develop a delicious crust. They are then sandwiched between toasted brioche buns smeared with a strong, tangy tartar sauce laced with refreshingly piquant horseradish.

07 of 15

Salvadoran-Style Pescado Frito (Fried Fish)

Salvadoran Style Pescado Frito (Fried Fish) — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Delicate, meltingly tender whole trout gets crispy skin from a quick sear in a cast-iron skillet. Many families use mojarra, a fish found in agua dulce (fresh water), but trout makes a great substitute.

08 of 15

Extra-Crispy Fried Fish

Extra Crispy Fried Fish — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Gluten-free tapioca flour and rice flour team up with effervescent club soda in this light batter that becomes exceptionally crispy — and stays that way up to an hour after cooking. Delicious on its own, this fish also makes great sandwiches and tacos.

09 of 15

Crispy Fish with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Crispy Fish with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce — © Johnny Miller

Most Chinese-takeout sweet-and-sour sauces are bright red, gluey, and sugary. Grace Parisi’s version is light as well as a little spicy, which allows the fresh, briny flavor of the crispy fish to come through.

10 of 15

Shrimp Boil with Spicy Butter Sauce

Shrimp Boil with Spicy Butter Sauce — Jerrelle Guy

In this especially delicious version of a classic shrimp boil, the seafood is simmered with lemon, garlic, and a touch of Old Bay seasoning. Shell the shrimp right at the table and then dunk each one into our positively irresistible cayenne-spiced sauce.

11 of 15

Crunchy Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce

Crunchy Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce — © Tina Rupp

Grace Parisi dredges cod strips in flour and potato flakes to create crunchy fish sticks, which she serves with a chunky sun-dried-tomato tartar sauce.

12 of 15

Fish Teriyaki with Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers

Fish Teriyaki with Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers — © Tina Rupp

This is a fairly classic take on teriyaki — broiled or grilled slices of marinated meat or fish. The small amount of sugar in the soy-based sauce caramelizes in the heat, creating a deliciously sticky glaze.

13 of 15

Fish Grilled in Banana Leaves with Chile-Lime Sauce

Fish Grilled in Banana Leaves with Chile-Lime Sauce — © Cedric Angeles

For this quick and bold sauce, Zak Pelaccio purees vibrant ingredients like fresh lemongrass and ginger with chiles and fish sauce. The sauce is delicious with any grilled or roasted fish, with or without the banana leaves.

14 of 15

Steamed Fish with Spicy Broth and Cucumber

Steamed Fish with Spicy Broth and Cucumber — © Con Poulos

Instead of discarding fish bones, Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple uses them to enrich the steaming liquid (which also includes ginger, scallions, cilantro and sambal) for this sea bass. After it has been steamed, Justin strains that delicious broth and serves the fish in it.

15 of 15

Striped Bass Fish Tacos with Heirloom Tomato Salsa and Avocado

Striped Bass Fish Tacos with Heirloom Tomato Salsa and Avocado — © Phoebe Lapine

Made with a fresh heirloom tomato salsa, these fish tacos are an ideal summer dish.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

Related Articles

Pan-Fried Flounder with Lemon Butter Sauce

5 Ways to Make Flounder

Baked Flounder with Parmesan Crumbs

Baked Flounder with Parmesan Crumbs

Card Placeholder Image

Quick-Smoked Fish

Anchovies vs. Sardines: Here's the Difference

Stuffed Flounder with Frizzled Mint and Ginger

Stuffed Flounder with Frizzled Mint and Ginger

Flounder with Herbed Couscous

Flounder with Herbed Couscous

Quick Cured Halibut in Chile Lime Dressing Recipe

Quick-Cured Halibut in Chile-Lime Dressing

Caviar Waffle Bites

14 Next-Level Caviar Recipes

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Puree

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Puree

Korean-Style Seared Tuna

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant

Tuna Banh Mi

Beyond Tuna Salad, Canned Fish Is a Dinnertime Savior

Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

The Best Fish to Use for Tacos

Grilled Roasted Red Snapper

Grilled or Roasted Whole Red Snapper

Pan-Roasted Monkfish with Mushrooms and Scallions

Pan-Roasted Monkfish with Mushrooms and Scallions

Monkfish in Tomato-Garlic Sauce

Monkfish in Tomato-Garlic Sauce

Skate with Capers and Brown Butter

How to Cook Skate Wing