Fried flounder is a simple seafood dish that’s loved by many, picky eaters included! Our recipe uses an egg and breadcrumb coating for the fish and includes instructions for our homemade tartar sauce, but the fish is great with just a squeeze of lemon too!
Fried flounder is one of the easiest dishes you can make.
The seasoned breadcrumb coating is crisp, while the inside stays perfectly flaky and moist.
We recommend serving these Italian fried flounder fillets with plenty of lemon wedges and our homemade tartar sauce.
Grab some hamburger buns and lettuce and use the leftovers for fish sandwiches!
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Finely mince a 1/4 cup of flat-leaf parsley and add to a pan along with 2 cups of plain breadcrumbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix the ingredients until combined and set aside. If you’re planning to use the tartar sauce, you can mix those ingredients now as well. Combine 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of capers that have been rinsed and chopped, 1/4 cup relish, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 5 drops of Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until you’re ready to serve your fish.
- Fill a heavy pan to a 1/2 inch high with olive oil or vegetable oil and heat the oil to 360-370f. Note: Use an oil or candy thermometer to ensure the oil is at the proper temperature. Using a paper towel, gently dry off 1 1/2 pounds of flounder fillets and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Note: Feel free to cut larger fillets into smaller pieces.
- Assemble your breading station with the breadcrumb mixture, a bowl with a 1/2 cup of flour, and another bowl with 3 large beaten eggs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently dredge a flounder fillet in the flour and shake to remove the excess.
- Place the flounder in the egg mixture and coat well on both sides.
- Let the egg mixture drip off then dip the fillet into the breadcrumbs and coat well on both sides.
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- Set the flounder on the baking sheet and repeat the process for all remaining fillets. Note: Parchment paper is a valuable kitchen product but one of its best uses is for prepping a ton of breaded items for frying.
- Once the oil reaches the proper temperature, begin to fry the fillets until golden and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Once done, move the flounder to a wire rack or paper towel-lined baking sheet and repeat the process for the remaining fillets. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Serve the fried flounder right away with lemon wedges and tartar sauce. Note: you can keep the fillets warm while you fry the remaining batches by placing them in the oven at 170f.
Top tips for fried flounder
- Fish. Flounder is widely available where we live on Long Island but if you can’t find flounder, you can substitute it with any flat white fish like tilapia or sole. We used large fillets but you can cut the fish into smaller pieces prior to frying if you’d like. If doing so, you may need extra breading, flour, and eggs to account for the extra surface area.
- Be gentle. Flounder is a bit on the delicate side so we recommend being gentle when breading, frying, and transporting from the oil to the plate. You may need to use a combo of a spatula and fork to adequately support the fish. A fish spatula is especially helpful here.
- Oil. The oil temperature is one of the keys to success with fried flounder. The temperature should be between 360-370f. We recommend using an oil thermometer here to ensure accuracy.
- Serving. We highly recommend using the suggested tartar sauce recipe. It takes just a few minutes and really amps up the flavor of the dish! Lemon wedges are also a must. If you like fish sandwiches, these flounder fillets would make a great sandwich along with some lettuce.
More seafood favorites
Here are a few more of our favorite seafood recipes.
- Spinach stuffed flounder – rolled with spinach and feta and baked in a white wine butter sauce.
- Clams oreganata – clams baked and stuffed with breadcrumbs, lemon, and white wine.
- Fried calamari – crispy fried squid with a simple marinara.
- Salmon oreganata – salmon fillets topped with breadcrumbs and garlic and baked until perfect.
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Fried Flounder
Fried flounder is an easy recipe that's perfect for weeknights, fish frys, and anytime you're craving seafood. The fillets are dipped in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs and gently fried until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and our homemade tartar sauce!
Ingredients
For the seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 cups (200g) plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the flounder
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) flounder fillets see notes below
- salt and pepper to taste
- neutral oil enough to fill the pan a 1/2-inch high
- 1/2 cup (65g) flour for dredging only
- 3 large eggs beaten
For the tartar sauce (optional)
- 1 cup (240g) mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (18g) capers drained, rinsed, and mashed into a paste
- 1/4 cup (60g) relish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 5 drops Tabasco or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
For the seasoned breadcrumbs
- Mix all of the breadcrumb ingredients together and set aside.
For the flounder
- Fill a heavy pan to a 1/2-inch high with olive or vegetable oil. Heat oil to 360-370f.
- Dry off the fish fillets with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Dredge a flounder fillet into the flour and shake off the excess. Place the floured fillet into the egg mixture and coat well on both sides. Finally, place the fillet into the breadcrumbs making sure to coat well on both sides. Set the fillet onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat the process for the remaining flounder.
- Once the oil reaches the proper frying temp, begin frying the fish until golden and cooked through (about 3-4 minutes per side). Set the fried flounder onto a wire rack or paper towel-lined plates. Note: Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches. Serve with lemon wedges and/or tartar sauce.
For the tartar sauce (optional)
- Mix together all of the tartar sauce ingredients then season to taste with salt and pepper if required.
Notes
- I used 4 large fillets but you can easily cut them into smaller pieces
- The fried fillets can be kept warm in the oven on a baking sheet at 170f while frying multiple batches.
- Fried flounder can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge, though fish is best eaten right after cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 38.1g | Fat: 23.6g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 2.5g | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My 21 year old son told me it was the best fried flounder he’s ever had. For a lighter option we skipped the flour and went with Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Fish Fri for the breading mix. The tarter sauce was the bomb.
So glad you and your son enjoyed, Perry!