This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Skip the fast-food drive-through along with all empty calories and fillers and give these easy-to-make fish sandwiches with quick homemade tartar sauce a try.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Filet of fish sandwiches have been on the menu at McDonald’s since the 1960s and there’s a good reason for that – they’re really tasty. They’re also very easy to replicate at home, only with better quality ingredients and far more flavor. Our oven-frying technique makes preparation simple and you can use any one of a few types of mild white fish. We generally opt for tilapia, but we’ve used mild-flavored, farm-raised catfish and barramundi, too (although barramundi is a little pricey for this recipe).
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- MILD WHITE FISH FILLETS: Mild white fish fillets like tilapia, catfish, or barramundi are the perfect choice for oven-frying because they cook through in about the same amount of time it takes for their crumb coating to turn crisp and golden brown. Note: When buying farm-raised fish, we recommend looking for the country of origin and finding products labeled “responsibly or sustainably raised.” In general, avoid fish raised in China.
- CHEDDAR CHEESE: To ramp up the flavor of our fish sandwiches, we like to use slices of mild cheddar or Gouda cheese. Both melt nicely and complement the crispy fish fillets without being overpowering.
- SANDWICH ROLLS: We recommend soft, seeded, hamburger rolls for these fish sandwiches because they offer a nice textural contrast to the crispy coating on the fish.
How to Make Crispy Fish Sandwiches
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and coat a shallow baking sheet with nonstick spray.
PREPARE THE BREADING: Whisk the egg and milk together in a shallow dish. Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper, and combine well. Drizzle the seasoned breadcrumbs with vegetable oil and use your fingertips to distribute it through the mixture.
BREAD THE FISH: Cut the fish fillets into evenly sized pieces and coat them in the egg mixture. Press each fillet gently into the breadcrumbs to be sure they’re well coated.
BAKE THE FISH: Arrange the fillets on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the fish flakes easily and the coating is crisp and golden.
MAKE THE TARTAR SAUCE: While the fish is cooking, make the tartar sauce by combining mayonnaise, relish, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and onion in a small mixing bowl.
FINISH THE SANDWICHES: Once the fish is crispy and cooked through, top each fillet with a slice of cheese and return to the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt. To serve, place some lettuce on the bottom half of each roll and top with a piece of fish and a spoonful of tartar sauce.
Side Dish Suggestions
We generally make it easy and serve these oven-fried fish sandwiches with frozen french fries we’ve seasoned with our all-purpose seasoning blend. Other easy options include sweet potato fries, a simple salad, coleslaw, or potato chips.
More Easy Fish Recipes
If you’re looking to add more fish to your weeknight dinner menus, you might want to give one of these simple recipes a try:
Crispy Fish Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb mild white fish fillets, see notes
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Leaf lettuce
- 4 slices cheddar or Gouda cheese
- 4 soft sandwich rolls
For the tartar sauce (see notes):
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, well-drained
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sweet onion, minced or grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Whisk the egg and milk together in a shallow dish.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate, and add 1 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine well. Drizzle the seasoned breadcrumbs with 1-1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and use your fingertips to distribute it through the mixture.
- Cut the fish fillets into 4 evenly-sized pieces and coat both sides with the egg mixture. Press each fillet gently into the breadcrumbs to be sure they're well coated.
- Arrange the fish on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on thickness), or until the fish flakes easily and the coating is crisp and golden.
- While the fish is cooking, make the tartar sauce by combining the mayonnaise, relish, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and onion in a small mixing bowl.
- Once the fish is crispy and cooked through, top each fillet with a slice of cheese and return them to the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.
- To serve, place lettuce on the bottom half of each sandwich roll and top with a piece of fish, and a spoonful of tartar sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I recalled an article I read about the potential dangers of Tilapia last decade and I did a search for, Why Tilapia isn’t good. Global Seafoods dot com has a good article on it. What they recommend instead is: Lingcod, which is used to make McDonald’s Fillet-O-Fish sandwich, or use Pacific cod, Flounder or Rockfish.
Cooked this today and wow it was so delicious. Thank you for the recipe
I can’t believe that fish was oven fried. It is so perfectly golden and crispy. Such a yummy looking sandwich!
Thanks Laura,
I use a teaspoon (not a measuring spoon) to drizzle a little oil on each piece of fish, then use the back of it to rub it into the crumbs as evenly as possible. It helps get that crispy coating.