This Sautéed Walleye Recipe is the perfect pescatarian take on one of Ina Garten's most famous chicken recipes. Let's make crispy, parmesan-coated fish with a fresh arugula salad!
With its firm texture and mild flavor, walleye is a great option for this recipe. The savory Parmesan coating and fresh arugula salad are the perfect complements to the fish.
More about Walleye Fish:
Walleye is a delicious part of my childhood in the Midwest and one of my favorite fish to eat when I'm visiting back home. If you're not familiar with it, walleye is a freshwater fish originating in the upper Midwest and northern United States and Canada. I always thought walleye was an Illinois fish, but it turns out our neighbors down the block in the state of Minnesota lay claim to it!
Walleye has a sweet, mild flavor and a flaky texture. The fillets are fairly thick and even, making them a great option for so many fish recipes.
Need more walleye in your life? Try these recipes next!
What you'll need to make this recipe:
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Fish: this recipe is best made with skinless fish fillets. Whether you're using walleye or another flaky white fish, be sure your fillets are skinless for best results.
Bread crumbs: if you only have unseasoned breadcrumbs, add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and a pinch of garlic powder and salt to make your own Italian-style crumbs.
Dressing: this olive oil and lemon dressing is the easiest salad topper, but if you have a simple vinaigrette you love sitting on your condiment shelf, by all means, use it and skip the dressing!
Full measurements and directions included in the printable recipe card below.
How to make this recipe:
1. Set up dredging station
First, place flour, half teaspoon salt and quarter teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl or plate. Mix well to combine. Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water in a second shallow dish. Mix well to combine. Finally, combine bread crumbs, grated parmesan, lemon zest and red pepper flakes (if using) in a third shallow dish. Mix to combine.
2. Coat and pan-fry walleye
Dry your skinless walleye fillets well with a tea towel or paper towel. Then coat each fillet first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then dip fillets in the parmesan bread crumb coating.
Heat a cast iron skillet or large nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook 2 fillets at a time in the hot oil and butter for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and crispy on the outside and cooked through the center. Add additional butter and olive oil to the pan, if needed, before adding the last 2 fillets.
3. Make salad and serve walleye
For the arugula salad dressing, combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a measuring cup and stir well to combine. Coat the arugula in the dressing and toss. Taste and add additional seasoning, if needed. (You likely will not need all of the dressing for this amount of arugula. Just cover and keep in the refrigerator for your next salad!)
Serve each fillet with a pile of arugula on top, shavings of parmesan and lemon wedges. (Serve immediately to maintain that gorgeous crisp coating!)
FAQ's, Serving Suggestions and Variations:
If you can’t find walleye at your local grocery store or seafood market, substitute cod, hake, grouper or haddock in this recipe. Honestly, almost any type of white fish fillet would work in this recipe. Do keep in mind walleye is a lake fish, so it will have a slightly milder flavor than ocean-dwelling fish.
Absolutely! Just thaw your frozen fish in your refrigerator overnight (I like to thaw them on a rack over a pan so the excess water can drain). Dry well with paper towels before dredging.
The crispy Parmesan fillets with arugula salad could be an impressive meal-in-one dish. But if you want to add another side, Roasted Potatoes with Whipped Feta would be delicious, as would Lyonnaise Potatoes or Creamy Parmesan Rice. Check out 21 Best Sides for Walleye next!
Walleye can be eaten either way, but it's generally recommended to remove the skin if you're going to coat and fry it.
To store, transfer fillets to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Since we are using medium heat to cook our fish while crisping the parmesan coating, we use a combination of butter and olive oil. For a high-heat cooking in a skillet, I recommend a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as avocado, sunflower, canola or vegetable.
Sautéed Parmesan Walleye Recipe with Arugula Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
4 (6 ounce) fresh walleye fillets (skinless)
⅓ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the arugula salad topping:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5 ounce bag fresh arugula
Parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Begin by setting up a dredging station. First, combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well to combine. Then combine egg and 1 tablespoon water in a second shallow dish. Mix well to combine. Finally, combine bread crumbs, grated parmesan, lemon zest and red pepper flakes (if using) in a third shallow dish. Mix to combine.
- Dry skinless walleye fillets well with a tea towel or paper towel. Coat each fillet first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then in the parmesan bread crumb coating. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook 2 fillets at a time for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and crispy on the outside and cooked through the center. Add additional butter and olive oil to the pan, if needed, before adding the last 2 fillets.
- For the arugula salad, combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a measuring cup. Coat the arugula in the dressing and toss. Taste and add additional seasoning, if needed. (You likely will not need all of the dressing for this amount of arugula. Just cover and keep in the refrigerator for your next salad!) Serve each fillet with a pile of arugula on top, shavings of parmesan and a wedge of lemon.
Notes
Note: walleye fillets can vary in size, so depending on the size of your fillet, adjust cooking time to be sure the internal temperature reaches 140-145℉.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
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