Easy Paleo Fried Fish (Gluten Free)
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Paleo
- Low Carb
- Whole30
- Pescatarian
This paleo and gluten free fried fish recipe is easy to make, super flavorful, and tastes like the real deal! I grew up in the South and know my way around some fried fish. And this gluten free and paleo version does not disappoint!
This paleo fried fish tastes so authentic!
Fried fish is definitely one of my favorite foods, but unfortunately the traditional breading and the fat used for frying are pretty unhealthy. My fried fish recipe is made healthy and paleo by replacing the traditional breading with an almond flour/tapioca flour mixture and replacing the traditional frying oil (i.e. peanut or canola) with avocado oil. I like to use avocado oil here because of its high smoke point.
I know what you’re thinking… how can this be even half as good as the real deal?? Fear not, my friends, my healthy version has every bit of the same delicious flavor of regular fried fish. All the flavor with none of the guilt. My fave.
What kind of fish to use for this gluten free fried fish
I have made this recipe countless times with seabass, rockfish, and haddock. All are unbelievably delectable! This recipe will likely work with any white fish though. You won’t be disappointed. The fish comes out flaky and moist and the breading is slightly crunchy and full of flavor. Just the way I like it.
My tips for making this gluten free fried fish
Now for some tips:
1) Make sure you’re getting the freshest fish possible from a sustainable source or, even better, catch it yourself! It’s more fun that way anyway.
2) To get that crunchy outside and prevent it from getting soggy, make sure to use a cooling rack.
3) If you have large fillets you may want to think about cutting them into smaller pieces to make the pan-frying process more manageable and prevent any breakage during flipping or plating.
What to serve with gluten free fried fish
I love this yummy gluten free fried fish with with air fryer sweet potato fries and a big salad for a complete meal. SO GOOD! Enjoy!
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Easy Paleo Fried Fish
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Paleo
- Low Carb
- Whole30
- Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 1 lb white fish sea bass or rockfish are great here!
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup packed almond flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
Instructions
- Rinse fish fillets in cold water and pat dry.
- Mix tapioca flour, almond flour, garlic powder, sea salt, and old bay together in a wide mouth bowl.
- Whisk egg and coconut milk together in another wide mouth bowl.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Dredge fillets in the egg mixture and then in the flour mixture. Place the fillets on wax paper.
- When the oil is hot, add the fish fillets to the pan. You can test the oil by tossing a small bit of the extra breading in the pan. If it sizzles and starts to brown then the oil is hot enough.
- Fry the fillets for 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. For 1/4″ fillets it will be around 2 minutes and for 1/2″ fillets around 3 minutes. Flip the fillets with a large, thin spatula.
- Remove the fillets to a cooling rack. I like to use a baking sheet covered with paper towels and place the cooling rack on top.
- Serve immediately.
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xx Kit
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I found this recipe on a whim because I had a whole bunch of fresh cod to use from Costco. This recipe was so easy because I had most everything in my pantry– I just didn’t have the old bay spice, but I improvised with other spices I had. This recipe was so easy and delicious. My husband and I loved it! So glad I came across this blog 🙂
Hi Britt! Thanks so much for the amazing review! So glad you loved it!
I made this with CID Filets it was so good. I fried it in olive oil it was crunchy and light. I would like to see the calories for this I did not see them here?
Made this fish this past week, but 1lb of perch caused me to run out of the coating. Just for others who might read the comments before proceeding. We loved the flavor and it was probably the quietest meal (because we were all busy shoving more fish in our faces!). I am making it today for a Family Fish Fry…have you tried doing it in the oven so that it’s all ready at the same time? Or in the air fryer? I might add a little avocado oil to the egg mixture to see if that will keep the crispiness. Thanks for a delicious recipe!!
So glad you loved it! I haven’t tried it in the oven, but I think the air fryer would work great! Just spray with some avocado oil before air frying for crispiness. I keep my batches in a warm oven on a pan with a rack until we are ready to serve 🙂
I make fried fish a lot, but with whole30, it can be tough. I tried this as a compliant version, and it was amazingly good but few changes: I used nut pod instead of coconut milk, and added the old Bay to that mix. Deep fried instead of pan fried. Would do again when on whole30.
Hi, Daniel! I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find some other yummy recipes on my site to make. Might I suggest my Paleo Fried Shrimp with Cajun Dipping Sauce? So good!
whats a good alternative to old bay seasoning?
Hi Tracy! I apologize for the delay! You can use any seasoning you like! If you can’t find old bay, then you can certainly make your own homemade version with celery seed/celery salt, sea salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and some other seasonings. Here is a recipe I found: https://www.daringgourmet.com/old-bay-seasoning/ You could also just season with some garlic powder instead and call it a day! Whatever you like 🙂
Just wondering if you save your oil afterwards ?
I don’t. But I suppose if I was going to be making this 2 days in a row or something then I would filter it and use it again!
Did you use avocado oil to fry your French fries?
Hi, Breane! I actually just bake them in the oven usually and spray with avocado oil spray before baking (around 425ºF) until they’re crispy on the outside. You can also use an air fryer! I think if you want to pan fry you will need to precook the sweet potato fries so that they are cooked completely. They will pan-fry pretty quickly and the middles won’t have time to cook. Hope this helps! 🙂
Made this last night and it was very good! I doubled the recipe since I was making two lbs. of fresh flounder. Only thing I might change is the amount of salt as it was a bit too salty for my tastes but still very good! Served it with frozen organic sweet potato fries and cole slaw. Highly recommend if you want a light healthy version of a fish fry. I will definitely be making this again!
Hi, Danette! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing and leaving a review! 😊
Made this three times now and my family and I love it!
Hi, Wendy! Aww yay! So happy that y’all like the recipe!
Can coconut flour be used instead of tapioca flour?
Hi, Sam! I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work. The texture probably won’t be the same though. And I would suspect that it would make the finished product taste a little like coconut. Which could be good or bad, depending on your tastes!
Made this tonight – nothing short of amazing, and your tips made all the difference. Will make again, and again, and again.
Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe!!!
Hi, Peggy! Aww thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You are very welcome ☺️