Homemade Fish Fillet Sandwich
Similar to an iconic McSandwich, but so much better! Our Homemade Fish Filet Sandwich features tender, flaky, baked cod with crispy lettuce, cheese, and homemade tartar sauce between soft brioche buns—the ultimate fish sandwich served from scratch!
Mc-who? It’s Lenten season for the Catholic community, and although I am not currently a practicing Catholic, Fish Friday lives on! While it used to mean a sandwich from a certain fast-food chain, as an adult it now means an elevated and (way better!) version, our Homemade Fish Fillet Sandwich! The cod is tender, flaky, and flavorful with a toasted panko crust and then it’s topped with crunchy fresh lettuce, just the right amount of cheddar cheese, plenty of tangy flavorful tartar sauce, in between our homemade brioche buns! Talk about a sandwich!
Ingredients Needed
- Cod Fillets – A flaky white fish is key for this sandwich and cod is our favorite (and the most affordable), but halibut or haddock would also be delicious!
- Brioche Buns – We love these buns, but you can also use your favorite hamburger bun. Stay tuned for our homemade brioche bun recipe that we use in this recipe, which is coming soon!
- Egg and Dijon Mustard – For the egg wash before the panko coating.
- Panko Bread Crumbs, Garlic Powder, Parsley, Salt and Pepper – All for the cod fillet coating!
- Lettuce and Cheese – Key to any good sandwich!
- Homemade Tartar Sauce – This really elevates this sandwich, and trust me, you’ll want to make your own for this one!
Easy to Make
Toast Panko Bread Crumbs
Panko is our choice for bread crumbs around here, and the key to getting them nice and crispy is to first toast them in the oven with some seasonings before coating.
Coat Cod
Now for coating the cod. A dip in the egg (whisked with a little added flavor from Dijon Mustard), and then a coat in the crispy seasoned panko. This makes this sandwich a little bit healthier than the alternative, of battering and frying the fish.
Bake
In the oven for 20 minutes (or until the internal temp reaches 145 degrees F), and you’ll have crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside cod!
Assemble
Now, the fun part, putting it all together! A lil’ tartar sauce, the cod, some shredded lettuce (or you could use full lettuce pieces, totally up to you), and then finally cheese and even more tartar sauce on top!
Done. Homemade Fish Fillet Sandwich! Toasted panko crusted flaky tender cod with some crispy lettuce, just the right amount of cheese, and plenty of delicious homemade tartar sauce all in a soft and brioche bun!
You Also Might Like
- Homemade Fish Sticks
- Spinach Tuna Melt
- Dill Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats
- Baked Panko Chicken Tenders
- Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Grilled Cedar Rum Salmon
Delicious, right? Yes, our Homemade Fish Fillet Sandwich will absolutely have you saying McDonald’s who?
Recipe Tips
Seriously, our Tartar Sauce is so good and really takes this sandwich to the next level. Plus, it’s really really easy to make so the effort is well worth the taste!
Before you coat the cod with the egg wash and panko, be sure to give the fish just a little pat dry with a paper towel. This will help ensure that the coating sticks and that it doesn’t get soggy.
Shredding the lettuce is a personal choice. You could also use whole lettuce leaves.
You can of course use whatever buns you have, but we love brioche buns for this recipe because they have a richer, slightly sweeter flavor and a soft texture. All of which are a great complements of flavors and contrasts of texture for the rest of the sandwich.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Equipment
- instant read thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 lb cod fillets
- 2 brioche buns
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + a pinch more
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper + a pinch more
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- iceburg lettuce shredded
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup tartar sauce
Instructions
- Toast Panko: Preheat oven to 400℉ and line 2 baking trays with foil. In a small bowl, mix the panko with parsley, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Add to foil-lined baking tray, spritz with a little oil from an oil sprayer (or cooking spray) and bake for 4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Turn down heat: Turn the heat down in the oven from 400 ℉ to 350℉
- Coat Cod: Pat cod fillets dry with a paper towel. Add egg, Dijon, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a shallow bowl and whisk. Add toasted bread crumbs to another shallow bowl. Dip the cod fillets, one at a time, in the egg wash, coating both sides. Then dip them into the toasted panko bowl, coating both sides fully with panko. Add breaded cod to the other foil-lined baking tray. (You can use just one tray, but you'll need to wait until the tray you toasted the panko on is cool before adding cod)
- Bake Cod: Place the baking tray with the cod in the oven in the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cod reaches at least 145℉.
- Assemble: On a plate, add the bottom of the brioche bun. Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of tartar sauce. Add cod fillet, top with lettuce, a slice of cheese, and then add 2 heaping tablespoons (or more) to the top of the bun and place on top of the cheese. Repeat for second sandwich.
- Enjoy!!
