10 minute, insanely EASY Fish Recipe with high returns for very minimal effort! This Parmesan Crumbed Fish has a crunchy golden garlicky crumb – and guess what? NO MESSY DREDGING.
Bonus: Super healthy fish recipe, clocking in at at just 260 calories per serving!
EASY Fish recipe!
I love a good crispy Pan Fried Fish, and sure it only takes 7 minutes to make but we all have those days when we just can’t deal with flour dusting and stove-top oil splatter. Right??
So this Parmesan Crusted Fish is a recipe that I came up with in my former corporate days. I called it an Emergency Fish recipe because it’s one of the most effortless fish dinners I know – if not THE most effortless – with high returns for very small effort and the added bonus that it’s healthy.
For 3 minutes of your time, this is what I can give you:
perfectly cooked juicy fish
crunchy golden garlicky parmesan crumb (it’s so delicious, you’ll want to eat it straight out of the bowl!)
no stove mess
wholesome, made from scratch
a fish dinner that’s incredibly quick ‘n easy yet makes no sacrifices on the deliciousness factor!
The way I cook this fish is a little unorthodox – but it’s a highly effective, no fail method!
My emergency Easy Fish Recipe: how to make it
Once you see how I make this, you’ll understand why it’s my Emergency Fish recipe!!
Parmesan Crumb – Shove a couple of garlic cloves through a garlic crusher, mix with store bought grated parmesan (the sandy type), breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and swish of oil. Parsley is totally optional here!
Mustard “glue” – Spread mustard on the fish, just like buttering toast! The mustard is our glue for the crumb (avoid messy dredging in egg) as well as adding some flavour;
Press fish into crumb mixture;
Marvel at how it sticks on perfectly!
Lay into PREHEATED skillet and pop under broiler/grill OR bake it- preheating the skillet cooks the fish on the underside while the heat elements cook it from the top and makes the crumb beautifully golden;
5 minutes later, marvel (again!) at how beautifully golden the crumb is and how perfectly the fish is cooked!
What you need
And here’s what you need for my Emergency Easy Fish recipe.
Parsley is optional! And any fish will work here, though anything thicker than 2cm / 4/5″ thick should be cooked in the oven rather than using the broiler/grill (directions in recipe).
Super fast fish recipe
This fish recipe can be cooked in under the grill/broiler OR in the oven, but my preferred method is using the boiler for 2 reasons:
it’s faster – a 2 cm / 4/5″ thicken white fish fillet will cook in 5 – 6 minute flat., about half the time it takes in the oven; and
the closer contact to the heat source makes the crumb wonderfully golden without overcooking the fish. If you use the oven, you can either flick the broiler on at the end, or if you want a really golden crumb, use my method to toast the breadcrumbs in the oven before crumbing the fish, like I do for my baked Homemade Filet-O-Fish.
What to serve with Parmesan Crumbed Fish
This fish is pictured in post served over Creamy Mashed Cauliflower because I had it on hand (loving having a tub of it on standby!) but in my corporate days, this Garlic White Bean Mash In A Flash was a regular.
But honestly, for a quick meal, toast up some bread, grab a handful of leafy greens, drizzle with oil and lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper – and voila!
Dinner. On the table in 10 minutes! – Nagi x
More fish recipes
Watch how to make it
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Healthy Parmesan Garlic Crumbed Fish
Ingredients
- 2 firm white fish fillets (about 5 oz / 150g each), skin off, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard (sub mayo)
- Olive oil spray
- Salt and pepper
Crumb
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp parsley , finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (30g) parmesan , finely grated
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat grill / broiler on high.
- Combine the Crumb ingredients and mix well to combine.
- Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper, then spread the mustard on the top of each fillet (top only).
- Press the mustard smeared side of the fish into the crumb mixture. Press down firmly to make it stick. Then spray with oil (for extra golden crumb!).
- Drizzle 1/2 tbsp oil in a skillet and preheat on the stove over high heat.
- Once skillet is hot, place the fillets in the hot pan then place under the grill / broiler (about 5"/15cm from the heat source) for 5 – 6 minutes until the crumb is golden and the fish is cooked, rotating as required. Fish should flake in centre once cooked.
- Oven option: bake at 220C/390F for 10 – 12 minutes, then finish under the grill/broiler on high to make the crumb golden.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2014. Updated with new photos, new writing, brand new video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
When you close the door on Dozer:
This recipe was a revelation to me. I really didn’t think that the mustard ‘glue’ would work to stick the breadcrumbs to the fish and I also thought that the ,upstart flavour would dominate – how wrong was I? It worked a treat and tasted sublime and non of the faff of dipping in flour, dipping in egg and dipping in breadcrumbs. I also found that adding the oil to the breadcrumbs meant that they turned a beautiful golden brown without me needing to turn on the grill after cooking (I did mine in the oven). I’m trying the crumb on chicken breasts next – I think it will work a treat.
I’m so glad you gave it a go – it’s a total game-changer!!! N x
Holy haddock Nagi! I made this fish for dinner tonight and it’s superb! I served it with parmesan garlic corn on the cob individually wrapped in foil and baked in the oven, fresh wedged tomatoes and sliced cucumbers. I learned something too from reading previous comments. I made sure my fish was dry so that the crumb mixture would stick, and IT DID YAY!!! Thank you for another award winning dish! Winner winner fish dinner!
Hi Nagi, this looks good but would there any substitute for the mustard you could suggest? I truly can’t stand the stuff but would like to try this as I eat a lot of fish.
Hi Mike – The sub is listed next to the mustard – you can use mayo instead – N x
Wow! I loved making this- easy, plus it was really just FUN to do. And- TOTALLY delicious! This will be on repeat at my house for sure- and is one of MANY of your recipes on repeat here!!!! Basically, you rule my kitchen!!!
Woot, that’s awesome Amanda!
Made this tonight and was delicious, will be doing again for sure and did the cauli mash with it so good yum 😋
Love seeing Dozer in all the pics 🐶
The perfect combo Krisanne!
I’m really looking forward to trying this! Husband is coeliac so I’ll use GF breadcrumbs, and I just can’t bring myself to buying that parmesan in the green can, so I’ll use fresh :)))
You can get grated parmesan in tubs from the fridge section, that’s what I get! I can’t do the green can parmesan either – if it’s on the shelf, how can it be real cheese??? 😂 N xx
Ahem…that should have been “easy”.
😂 I figured!!! N xx
Dozer Toes! You crack me up!
That fish looks eady and delicious…I agree, FEB is so-o messy. Bet you could use mayo in place of mustard…or a combo.
You nailed it Vivian! I added a tip re: mayo instead of mustard 🙂 N xx
Has anyone tried this in an air fryer or convection baked?
Hi Kathy! Baking directions are in the recipe 🙂 N x
WHOA So quick, easy and oh so tasty!! 🤤 Personally I’m not the biggest fan of mustard (neither is my son) and tbh you can’t taste the mustard. Had leftover cauliflower/ chickpea Curry on the side- actually wasn’t too bad with this.
Another fail proof recipe I’ll be doing again Thankyou! 😍
That’s so great to hear Kyra! Glad you enjoyed this one! N xx
> Lizzie (Goh – my reply button does not work either!) Children have a wonderfully discriminatory palate and love far more tastes than we give them credit for ! Us parents may ruin that by our comments evincing doubt! When my daughters were 3-5 they became hugely upset when they realized I had toned down some of their recipes – ‘Mom, we are not babies!’. It became an absolute delight to see them insist everywhere overseas to talk to the head waiters about their menu choices as Mom ‘could not be trusted’ 🙂 ! Now you should see the foodies all my four grandchildren have become ! Mustard . . . try all the curry spices, just chillies and beyond and make food real fun !!!!
Very good advice Eha! I served this dish up to my 3 and 5 year olds with a squeeze of lemon and some good old fashioned mashed potatoes and broccoli and they loved it! As did my husband and I !!! And sooo easy too. Yum… thanks again Nagi for another tasty go to!!!
Wow! I love hearing that Lizzie, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Nagi – love your infectious sense of humour ! And love your grilling technique with mustard !! Sounds good with a big side salad or rye bread for breakfast to bring one into the real world . . . Dozer: are the paws accompanied by a sad weepy . . ?
The paws are accompanied by pathetic wailing!!!
oh no-my whole family hates mustard 🙁 what can i use as a substitute?
Hi Karen! Mayo 🙂 Just added a note in the recipe! N x
My mouth is watering just reading this! Just wondering if anyone has tried this on their kids?
Would this work for chicken too?
Hi Libby! It sure does 🙂 I have an Emergency Schnitzel I make this way using horizontally halved chicken breast! N x
What kind of fish did you use ?
Can I use tilapia ?
Love your recipes and am keen to try this one! However, my husband hates mustard, so is there anything that I could substitute for this?
Hi Mary! There sure is – mayo 🙂 Mustard is lower fat but mayo is actually tastier!! I’ll pop that in a note in the recipe 🙂 N xx
Made this tonight it was so delicious used fresh Halibut filet. Your recipes are amazing always my go to site Thankyou from a Canadian fan🇨🇦
Glad you enjoyed it Jill! Nice and easy, isn’t it? 🙂 N xx
I’ve been craving fish so bad as of late…I’m giving in today! Perfect timing :-).
Love the photo! It made me laugh out loud…scared my cats! 😀 😀
I forgot what that photo was and it scared ME for a moment there too! 😂
Hi Nagi,
This looks yum! Can I use sockeye salmon for this recipe?
Absolutely! This method literally works for ANY type of fish! N xx
Hi Nagi 🙂
Love your site & recipes! May I please request that you include a few diabetes-friendly recipes in the future? Thank you!!