Fish Finger Sandwich, a widely known comfort food in Great Britain, made with cod loins fish cut into fingers, panko and parmesan cheese.
This Fish Finger Sandwich offers a mild and delicate flavor that is undeniably healthy for all ages. It has a crisp and crunchy texture that is in charge of making every bite worthwhile. This fish finger sandwich is perfect for lunch, brunch or dinner.
Preparing this dish comes in two different styles – buttered or breaded. But, it is believed to be delicious either way.
This recipe highlights a significant proportion of the spices, mainly the pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, to complement the taste of tender cod loins wrapped with its crusty golden brown breading.
Aside from the usual way of making this dish, you’ll also learn how to prepare this unique dip that you probably have no idea that exists. It adds up to the dish’s savory flavor, and you can definitely try it with other snacks too!
Where It All Started?
A 2012 article published in Mirror entitled 50 Years of Fish Finger by Matt Roper tells us that an American scientist and explorer, Birds Eye, patented frozen fish fingers in the United Kingdom in 1927. Since they were first introduced in the market, more than 15 billion fish fingers have been sold in the UK.
From then on, people started to make countless creative recipes with fish fingers as their main ingredient. Some of these are fish finger tacos, homemade fish finger chips, and of course, the classic fish finger sandwich.
Why Does This Recipe Works?
There are hundreds of improvised ways to make fish finger sandwiches that are already found on the internet. But, this recipe guarantees greater satisfaction to your appetite and is known to be budget-friendly as well.
Also, here are some of the reasons why this process is really a must-try:
- Healthy dish to serve for small or big groups
- Low-cost ingredients
- It can be eaten to overcome hunger any time of the day
What’s in this Recipe?
- Cod loins: It’s the most used fish for this dish. The “standard”, as what others call it. These should be sliced into larger pieces since they shrink when being cooked.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is way better than other cooking oils since it is rich in antioxidants and also good for the heart. Other than that, it displays better resistance to oxidation and degradation, making it more suitable for shallow frying.
- Plain flour: This is made of soft wheat that contains lower gluten, which means that it doesn’t produce a tough and bready coating. This is the type of flour perfect for coating cod loins and other fishes.
- Parmesan cheese, grated: A sandwich wouldn’t be amazing without cheese! We often see one of these in almost all sandwiches and burgers. In a fish finger sandwich, a grated parmesan cheese would be more appealing.
- Panko breadcrumbs: You will surely love these panko breadcrumbs because they are large and airy, resulting in crunchy-to-crisp breading. Usually, these can be seen in Asian corners inside the supermarkets. In the UK, golden breadcrumbs are very common.
- Eggs: Breadings won’t be complete without eggs. Egg yolks have emulsifiers that assist in forming a thick batter that does not separate, making other ingredients for breading stick to it.
- White bread: White bread is tastier and softer, known as the best option in making delicious sandwiches. It is also a good choice if you want to raise up your energy levels for the day.
- Lettuce: Some sandwich enthusiasts believe that an ideal sandwich consists of more lettuce than meat or tuna. Without a doubt, lettuce gives an organic aroma and provides a healthier additive to your snack.
How To Make Fish Finger Sandwich?
Prepare the cod fish: Pat the fish dry using a paper towel, then cut each one into 6 wedges.
Mix the spices: In a small mixing bowl, mix salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder.
Dredge: Line up 3 bowls, add in the first one beaten eggs, in the second one, mix the flour with half of the spices, and in the third one, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and the rest of the spices.
Now, dip the fish slices (one by one) in the flour mixture, eggs, then breadcrumbs mixture.
Cook the cod: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the fish and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Making the Cilantro sour cream sauce: In a small mixing bowl, mi sourcream, minced garlic, lime juice, salt and finely chopped Cilantro. Put in the fridge until needed.
Prepare the sandwich: Spread a thin layer of the sauce into one piece of bread top with lettuce, then fish fingers. Top the fish fingers with a tablespoon of the cilantro sour cream sauce, then add the second piece of bread.
Add-Ons
The most commonly used sauce for fish finger sandwiches is tartar sauce or ketchup. But have you ever heard of the Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce?
It is a dip that is well-known for its highly spiced and flavorful ingredients used for fish, vegetables, chicken, and a lot more. Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce is a combination of mixed garlic, lime juice, salt, and finely chopped Cilantro for this recipe.
Tip: It is better with a spoon! (and Mexican Quesadillas too).
Top Tips
- You may cook the cod loins in advance (half-cooked) to avoid producing raw. Moreover, lower the heat when cooking the fish with the breading to prevent it from being burnt.
- When the breadcrumbs produce large amounts of moisture, they will begin to steam, and if left uncooked, will turn damp. Therefore, the best thing to do is not let the fish sit in the breading for long.
Some Variations
- Just like any other dish, a good substitute for olive oil would be avocado oil.
- You may also use whole wheat bread instead of traditional white bread. This ensures that the bread stays fresh even in a more prolonged period and still tastes good.
- Although cod loin is the best fish to use for this recipe, you may also try pollock or haddock fishes. Any boneless fish would still be a delicious alternative.
Serving Suggestions
What is a perfect sandwich without sipping a hot choco or drinking a cup of cold drink? Combine this tasty treat with orange, pineapple, or any citrus-flavored juice for your refreshment. Try it also with jelly.
Several different sandwich styles are invented in today’s era. But, truth be told, fish finger sandwiches never go out of style, and this recipe would prove that.
Recipe FAQs
No. It is suggested to cook it from low to mid-fire to prevent the breading from being burnt. If you want to make it crisper, you can cook it at a high temperature but make sure to be more attentive with its color.
While panko breadcrumbs are thicker and softer, regular breadcrumbs are thinner and firmer. This leads to a more satisfying bite.
Ordinary breadcrumbs produce bread-looking fried foods. Also, during frying, more fat is absorbed, which is not good for the body.
The shapes of a cod loin are absolutely perfect for slicing into the blades. But other boneless fishes would work too. Don’t close your options.
Sandwich Recipes You May Like
More Lunch Recipes
Best Fish Finger Sandwich Ever
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Cod loins, skinless and boneless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup plain flour
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese , grated
- 1.25 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 10 white bread slices
- lettuce
Cilantro sour cream sauce
- 300 g sour cream
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Pat the fish dry using a paper towel, then cut each one into 6 wedges.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder.1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Line up 3 bowls, add in the first one beaten eggs, in the second one, mix the flour with half of the spices, and in the third one, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and the rest of the spices.⅓ cup plain flour, 1.25 cups panko breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- Now, dip the fish slices (one by one) in the flour mixture, eggs, then breadcrumbs mixture.2 Cod loins, skinless and boneless
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the fish and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.¼ cup olive oil
Making the Cilantro sour cream sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, mi sourcream, minced garlic, lime juice, salt and finely chopped Cilantro. Put in the fridge until needed.300 g sour cream, 1 lime juiced, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon cilantro, ½ teaspoon salt
Prepare the sandwich
- Spread a thin layer of the sauce into one piece of bread top with lettuce, then fish fingers. Top the fish fingers with a tablespoon of the cilantro sour cream sauce, then add the second piece of bread.10 white bread slices, lettuce
Notes
- You may cook the cod loins in advance (half-cooked) to avoid producing raw. Moreover, lower the heat when cooking the fish with the breading to prevent it from being burnt.
- When the breadcrumbs produce large amounts of moisture, they will begin to steam, and if left uncooked, will turn damp. Therefore, the best thing to do is not let the fish sit in the breading for long.
Some Variations
- Just like any other dish, a good substitute for olive oil would be avocado oil.
- You may also use whole wheat bread instead of traditional white bread. This ensures that the bread stays fresh even in a more prolonged period and still tastes good.
- Although cod loin is the best fish to use for this recipe, you may also try pollock or haddock fishes. Any boneless fish would still be a delicious alternative.
Nutrition
If you like this Fish Finger Sandwich recipe and want to save it for later? Add it to your favourite recipe board on Pinterest!
Follow Healthy Life Trainer on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to keep up-to-date with all new recipes.
Audrey
This cod lion is so delicious, and I didn't put it in a sandwich; I just serve it with some chips and green salad.
Elana
So delicious! First time cooking with the cod lion; I loved it. Also, the cilantro sour cream sauce is amazing.
Sophia
Another keeper recipe! I loved this sandwich so much, and my son too; we both enjoyed the crunchy fish fingers and will definitely make them again.