Salt and pepper fish is a quick and simple dish that features crispy fish with a rich savory seasoning. You can either serve it as an appetizer or a main dish over rice. {Gluten-Free}
I’ve shared Salt and Pepper Chicken and Salt and Pepper Pork Chops in the past. Today I want to share one of my favorite ways to enjoy white fish filets – salt and pepper fish.
Slightly different from my previous recipes, this one only uses a thin coating. Without using a lot of oil or deep-frying, you will get perfectly cooked fish pieces that are tender on the inside and crispy crunchy on the outside. The crispy fish slices are further tossed together with aromatics and dried chili peppers for a rich taste that’s super appetizing.
Salt and pepper fish ingredients
What type of fish to use
My favorite fish to use in salt and pepper fish is catfish filet. It’s quite fatty and holds together relatively well once cooked. Other white fish filets such as tilapia, sea bass or sole also work.
Try finding the freshest fish possible (the perfect choice would be live fish), so the fish filet holds together much better. But if you follow my recipe, you can use pretty much any regular frozen fish filet without issue.
How to cut the fish
To prevent the fish from falling apart during cooking, try to slice it into short pieces. What I like to do is:
- Tilt the knife to a 45 degree angle
- Slice the fish filet into irregular pieces that are thin on the edges and thick in the middle
This way, the thin edges will crisp up and become a bit chewy, while the inside stays tender.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
- Marinated fish coated in cornstarch
- Salt and white pepper
- Sliced aromatics (garlic and green onion)
- Spices (dried chili pepper, Sichuan peppercorns)
- Cilantro (optional)
How to make salt and pepper fish
- Pan fry the fish until just cooked
- Gently cook the aromatics and spices to release fragrance
- Add back the fish and salt and pepper
- Stir everything together
How to prevent the fish from falling apart
Fish filet slices will become very fragile once cooked through and can easily be broken apart when stirring. The best way to prevent the fish from falling apart is:
- Slice the fish into short pieces
- Use minimal oil to coat the pan and high heat, so the fish cooks quickly on the outside without overcooking the inside
- Cook the fish until just cooked (or even slightly undercooked) during pan frying, because the fish will continue to cook once you add it back into the pan later
- Gently stir the fish and the salt and pepper together with a spatula without over stirring
That said, even if the fish falls apart a bit, the result will still be tasty.
How to serve salt and pepper fish
Salt and pepper fish is a great appetizer and it pairs well with beer or a cold drink. When I want a quick meal, I also like to serve it over steamed rice for a one-bowl meal.
Other delicious appetizer
- Easy Chinese Steamed Chicken
- Cantonese Shumai with Pork and Shrimp (烧麦, Shao Mai)
- Sweet and Sour Ribs (糖醋小排)
- Air Fryer Chinese Chicken Wings
- Barter-Worthy Spam Musubi
Salt and Pepper Fish (椒盐鱼片)
Ingredients
Marinating
- 1 lb (450 g) white fish filet (catfish, tilapia, sea bass, or sole)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Spice Mix
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Cooking & serving
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 3 green onions , sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn (Optional but highly recommended)
- 3 dried Chinese chili peppers , cut into 3 pieces
- Chopped cilantro (for garnish) (Optional)
Instructions
- Slice fish against the grain into 1/2” (1 cm) thick slices by tilting your knife to 45 degrees, so the fish will have thin edges with the middle part thicker. Add the fish to a medium sized bowl, and the Shaoxing wine, salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands.
- Combine the ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl and stir to mix well.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the oil and the cornstarch to the marinated fish. Mix again until evenly coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet until hot. Add the fish pieces without overlapping. Let cook without moving until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip to cook the other side until golden and the fish is just cooked through. Immediately transfer the fish to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, green onion, garlic, dried chili pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
- Turn off the heat. Add back the cooked fish and sprinkle with the spice mix. Carefully stir everything together without breaking apart the fish pieces. Transfer everything to a plate. Serve hot as a main dish or over rice.
This is wonderful. I’m always looking for a nice way to eat fish. This is a bit different from other recipe and very yummy. Not difficult to make. Thank you for the recipe.
So happy to hear you like this one! It’s my favorite way to eat fish because it’s much easier than fried fish but quite satisfying. Thanks for leaving a positive review 🙂
I want to try the salt and pepper fish. I was wounding how lone to marinate the fish?
I usually marinate the fish for 15 to 20 minutes on the countertop while I prepare other ingredients.
If you have time and want to prepare ahead, you can marinate the fish in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours.