This parmesan breaded fish is coated in panko and oven baked then served with a pesto yoghurt dip for a quick and healthy dinner that's easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve to guests.
Since we've been trying to reduce our meat consumption we've been adding a bit more fish into our diet and have been making some really easy and healthy fish recipes like this baked mackerel with salad and flatbreads and super quick salmon tacos.
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This crispy breaded fish fillets recipe is packed with flavour! The panko is mixed with plenty of garlic and parsley before quickly dredging the fish through it and then baking for 15 minutes until crispy.
I wanted to keep this meal really simple and so served it with some salad leaves but if you wanted to bulk it out a bit more then you could go classic with some chips or add a few extra vegetables.
Oh, also, I had the fish in a sandwich the next day and it was excellent. A fish sandwich is where it's at.
Why we love this recipe...
I'm actually a huge fish lover and really love how quick it is to cook. It's also so good for you and tastes amazing in so many different cuisines and dishes so I'm always happy to work it into our weekly cooking.
For this recipe I wanted to go really simple. Crunchy breaded fish is a much loved classic so it seemed like a great option for a simple dinner. It would normally be fried but I'm definitely not up for deep frying when I'm trying to get a quick dinner on the table so I went for baking instead.
This gives you time to crack open a bottle of wine, toss some salad leaves with a dressing and whisk together the yoghurt and pesto to make a delicious dip for the fish. Plus using this method keeps it so much healthier than fried fish.
Ingredients
- Cod Fillets: Or you could use any white fish fillets you like (tilapia, haddock or monkfish would also work!). Use up leftovers in these Thai fish cakes
- Panko: You can buy this in most supermarkets, it's normally in the Asian food section. If you can't find them then you could use normal bread crumbs although the fish won't be as crunchy. Use any leftover panko sprinkled over this aubergine parmigiana
- Parsley: Use plenty of fresh parsley to add a nice freshness
- Garlic: The more the better!
- Parmesan: Grating parmesan into the panko adds so much flavour to the fish
- Flour and Egg: To get your fish dredge on
- Pesto: To make this recipe super easy just grab a jar of the ready made stuff but if you want to go all out then feel free to make your own! Use up any leftover in these stuffed dough balls
- Yoghurt: I prefer full fat to make it a good dipping texture
How to make it
- Bread the fish: Heat the oven to 180°C. Mix the panko with parsley, garlic and parmesan in a shallow dish. Add flour and egg into separate bowls. Dredge the fish in flour, then egg, then panko mixture. Transfer the fish to baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Make the dip: Mix the pesto and yoghurt together. Serve the fish with the dip and fresh salad leaves.
Variations
- Use chicken instead: If you prefer you could try making this recipe with pounded chicken breasts. Simply follow the method and adjust the cooking times accordingly
- Don't use egg: If you're avoiding egg then you can try breading fish without egg by whisking together 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of oil and then using it to dredge the fish
FAQs
This baked fish takes about 15 minutes to cook in a 180°C/350°F oven until it's golden brown, flakey and cooked through.
The great thing about this recipe is that there's no frying involved which keeps it on the healthy side, especially when it's served with a big green salad!
To bread the fish for this recipe crack your eggs into a small bowl and put your breadcrumbs and seasonings into another one. Sprinkle flour onto a plate and then dredge your fish fillets first in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat with each piece of fish.
Unfortunately this recipe uses panko breadcrumbs which are not gluten free but lots of shops do now carry gluten free breadcrumbs so if you can get those then you could use them along with gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free.
Frozen fish is often a cheaper option than fresh so it's a great idea to use it for this recipe. Just defrost completely before using.
There are so many options for how to serve this! Fish and chips is always a classic. You could try serving in a sandwich topped with coleslaw or with a salad for a healthier option.
The key is making sure you don't miss the flour step. The flour ensures that the egg coats the fish and this allows the breadcrumbs to stick to the fish. Try repeating the flour and egg steps to make sure the fish gets thoroughly coated.
Expert tips
- You can use any firm white fish in this recipe including cod, haddock or tilapia
- To make this recipe gluten free then use gluten free breadcrumbs or make your own using your favourite gluten free bread
- If you want to switch up the serving of this fish then you could try having it with aioli or even guacamole
Want more? Try these other fish recipes!
- Cajun Salmon Pasta
- One Pot Fish Stew with White Beans
- Smoky Fish Pie
- Oven Cooked Salmon with Tomato & Garlic Sauce
- Tilapia Fish Tacos
- 15 Minute Salmon Burgers with Garlic Yoghurt
Recipe
Parmesan Breaded Fish with Pesto Yoghurt Dip
Ingredients
- 4 Cod Fillets
- 100 g Panko Breadcrumbs
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Parsley chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- 30 g Parmesan grated
- Plain Flour
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon Pesto
- 4 tablespoon Yoghurt
- Lemon Wedges to serve, if desired
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Mix the panko, parsley, garlic and parmesan together in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle a little flour onto a plate. Beat the egg in another bowl. Coat a cod fillet in the flour, dip into the egg then coat in the panko mixture and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other fillets. Put the fish in the oven for about 15 minutes until cooked through and flakey.
- Mix the pesto and yoghurt together and serve with the fish and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over the fish if desired.
Notes
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Vicky says
I love pesto on everything so I am definitely going to try it on fish. This makes a great meal that I bet even my kids would love!
priya says
Hi AMY !
Oh 5 stars! Great post! That is a beautiful tart and a fantastic sounding recipe. Thank You.
Caroline says
I've made a parmesan crust similar to this for chicken rather than fish before, but can imagine this being really good too. Easy, relatively healthy and tasty!
Juli says
This looks great! The pesto and yogurt sauce sounds delicious!
Jacque Hastert says
That dip sounds amazing! I would love to make this tonight.