Our Crispy Fried Whole Fish is perfectly cooked with its golden-crisp coating and moist, flaky flesh inside. Don't be intimidated; this recipe is surprisingly easy and will surely become a favorite at your table.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Fish: Firm and meaty varieties like pompano, branzino, tilapia, and catfish hold up well during frying. I used whole snapper, a fish with firm and flaky flesh, to get that crunchy outside while keeping the inside tender and moist.
- Starch: Cornstarch and all-purpose flour are great for frying for a crispy texture and a beautiful golden color. If you need a gluten-free alternative, rice flour or potato starch work well too.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil, that can withstand the heat.
- Dipping sauce: Since the fish is seasoned with only salt, you'll want a tasty sauce or sawsawan to add extra flavor, like soy-vinegar, banana ketchup, chili garlic oil, sweet chili sauce, or lechon sauce.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Clean and pat dry
Rinse it inside and out with cold water to remove any debris. Use paper towels to pat it dry. This will help the salt adhere better to the surface.
Step 2: Score
Make shallow diagonal cuts using a sharp knife on both sides. The cuts should be about 1-2 inches apart, depending on their size.
PRO TIP: Score your fish before frying. This technique helps cook it more evenly and allows the seasoning to infuse the flesh. It also prevents the fish from curling and maximizes crispy edges.
Step 3: Season
Sprinkle salt inside the cavity and on the outside of the fish, rubbing it gently to distribute it evenly. The amount of salt you use will depend on their size and your personal taste. For more flavor, add seasonings like garlic powder or onion powder.
Step 4: Coat with starch
Dust the fish with cornstarch or all-purpose flour (or a combination), gently pressing it onto the surface to achieve a crispy and golden crust when fried.
As an option, you can coat the fish by placing it in a resealable bag with the starch of your choice and shaking it to coat it evenly.
Let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to penetrate the fish while the starch creates a protective coating.
Step 5: Fry
Pour enough oil into a wok or large frying pan to partially submerge the fish. Heat on medium-high. To test if the oil is hot, dip a wooden chopstick into the oil. If you see bubbles around it, it's ready.
Hold the fish by its tail and gently place it in the hot oil. Watch out for oil splashes. Fry it on one side until it's golden, about 5 minutes. Tilt the wok occasionally to submerge and crisp the head and tail of the fish.
Step 6: Flip
Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for another 5 minutes until it's evenly cooked and crispy.
Step 7: Drain excess oil
Place the fried fish on a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack to help drain excess oil and keep it crispy.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, paired with steamed white rice or other flavorful options like Sinangag or Java Rice.
Add a delicious side dish, such as Acahara, Ensaladang Talong, Ensaladang Kamatis, Ensaladang Mangga, and Ensaladang Itlog na Maalat, to complement your meal.
Recipe FAQs
The best fish to fry whole are those with firm flesh and a moderate size that allows for even cooking. Popular choices include snapper, branzino, tilapia, pompano, mackerel, grouper, and porgy, as they maintain their texture and flavor beautifully during frying.
The best way to fry fish is to start with clean, well-seasoned fish. Dredge the fish in cornstarch or all-purpose flour to achieve a crispy texture. Fry it in hot oil with a high smoke point until it is cooked through and golden brown, then drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Explore more Filipino fried dishes
- Escabeche: Crispy fried fish smothered in a sweet and sour sauce, with onions, bell peppers, and carrots.
- Lechon Kawali: Traditional deep-fried pork belly with a crispy skin and tender meat.
- Air-Fried Pork Belly: A healthier take on the classic Lechon Kawali, using an air fryer to achieve that desired crispiness without deep frying.
- Bagnet: Ilocano-style deep-fried crispy pork belly, known for its distinctive crackling texture.
- Lumpiang Shanghai: Crispy spring rolls with ground meat or shrimp wrapped in lumpia wrappers. Dynamite Lumpia is a variation with green chili peppers typically stuffed with ground meat and cheese.
- Lumpiang Gulay: These vegetable spring rolls are filled with cabbage, jicama, sweet potato, green beans, and bean sprouts, then deep-fried until golden and crispy.
- Fried Calamari: Also called calamares, these are lightly-coated squid deep-fried until crisp and golden.
- Ukoy: Shrimp fritters mixed with julienned vegetables and fried until crispy.
- Crispy Pata: Deep-fried pork leg with a crunchy exterior and tender meat, usually served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce.
- Crispy Fried Smelt: Small, silvery fish coated in a flour mixture and double-fried until golden and crunchy.
Other seafood recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Fried Whole Fish
Equipment
- Wok or large frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 whole fish (1½ to 2 pounds) cleaned, scaled, and gutted (see note)
- ½ cup cornstarch and/or all-purpose flour (see note)
- Salt to taste
- Oil, for frying (see note)
- Dipping sauce (see note)
Instructions
- Clean the fish and pat it dry. Rinse it inside and out with cold water to remove any debris. Use paper towels to pat it dry. This will help the salt adhere better to the surface.
- Score the fish. Make shallow diagonal cuts using a sharp knife on both sides. The cuts should be about 1-2 inches apart, depending on their size, to help it cook more evenly and allow the seasoning to infuse the flesh.
- Season the cavity and exterior. Sprinkle salt inside the cavity and on the outside, rubbing it gently to distribute it evenly. The amount of salt you use will depend on their size and your personal taste. For more flavor, add seasonings like garlic powder or onion powder.
- Coat with starch and let it rest. Dust the fish with cornstarch or all-purpose flour (or a combination), gently pressing it onto the surface to achieve a crispy and golden crust when fried. As an option, you can coat the fish by placing it in a resealable bag with the starch of your choice and shaking it to coat it evenly.Let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to penetrate the fish while the starch creates a protective coating.
- Fry the fish. Pour enough oil into a wok or large frying pan to partially submerge the fish. Heat on medium-high. To test if the oil is hot, dip a wooden chopstick into the oil. If you see bubbles around it, it's ready. Hold the fish by its tail and gently place it in the hot oil. Watch out for oil splashes. Fry it on one side until it's golden, about 5 minutes. Tilt the wok occasionally to submerge and crisp the head and tail of the fish.
- Flip and fry. Gently flip and fry the other side for another 5 minutes until it's evenly cooked and crispy.
- Drain excess oil. Place the fried fish on a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack to help drain excess oil and keep it crispy. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Fish: Firm and meaty varieties like pompano, branzino, tilapia, and catfish hold up well during frying. I used whole snapper, a fish with firm and flaky flesh, to get that crunchy outside while keeping the inside tender and moist.
- Starch: Cornstarch and all-purpose flour are great for frying for a crispy texture and a beautiful golden color. If you need a gluten-free alternative, rice flour or potato starch work well too.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil that can withstand the heat.
- Dipping sauce: Since the fish is seasoned with only salt, you'll want a tasty sauce or sawsawan to add extra flavor, like soy-vinegar, banana ketchup, sweet chili sauce, and lechon sauce.
Jonas says
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Mark says
How do you keep the fish crispy after frying?
Nora Rey says
To keep fish crispy after frying, place it on a wire rack to allow the air to circulate around the fish, preventing it from getting soggy. Avoid covering the fish, as trapped steam can soften the crust. Using a wire rack really makes a difference! 😊🐟 Hope that helps! 😊🐟