Our Favorite Fish Sandwich Recipes

Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce
Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

It’s hard to beat a piece of fish on a buttery bun. That’s why we’ve pulled together some of our favorite fish sandwiches that include fried fish as well as blackened, poached, and patties, too. We have all kinds of ideas to help you make a restaurant-worthy fish sandwich right at home. From a Viet-Cajun Fried Catfish Po’boy to Lobster BLTs on Potato Rolls, here are some of our favorite fish sandwiches. 

01 of 15

Viet-Cajun Fried Catfish Po’boy

Viet-Cajun Style Fried Catfish Po’Boy

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

This salty, sweet, spicy, and crisp sandwich features fried catfish with a fish sauce caramel and punchy tart pickles as a mash-up of Cajun and Vietnamese cuisines. Both cultures celebrate sandwiches like these, using crispy fried catfish on a crusty, light, airy roll that shatters when you take your first bite.  

02 of 15

Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce

Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Fresh fillets of haddock are coated with smoky paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme before they get a quick sear to develop a delicious crust. They are then sandwiched between toasted brioche buns smeared with a strong, tangy tartar sauce laced with refreshingly piquant horseradish. 

03 of 15

Maine-Style Lobster Rolls

Maine Style Lobster Rolls
Victor Protasio

Former F&W senior food editor Mary-Frances Heck refers to these lobster rolls as "knuckle sandwiches" because they showcase the knuckles — the segments that connect the claws to the carapace — which are the sweetest, most tender meat on a lobster. Dressed simply with mayo, the cold salad sits in a hot buttered bun. Her tip for tackling the admittedly tedious work of cracking the shells? Do it with a friend and a cold beer.

04 of 15

Lobster BLTs on Potato Rolls

Lobster BLTs on Potato Rolls Recipe
Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer

These next-level BLTs combine tender, sweet lobster meat with smoky, salty bacon, juicy tomatoes, and pillowy potato buns, lightly toasted in bacon drippings.

05 of 15

Pan-Fried Salmon Burgers with Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Aioli

Pan-Fried Salmon Burgers with Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Aioli
Tina Rupp

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients: Everything is easy to assemble and can be made ahead. All you have to do is pan-fry the burgers just before serving. You can serve the aioli as a dip, a sandwich spread, or as an accompaniment to grilled salmon or chicken. 

06 of 15

Tuna Melts with Pickled Chicories

Tuna Melts with Pickled Chicories
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Pickled chicories amp up this tuna melt, a lunchtime classic, and are a great use for leftover mixed chicories. The pickles can add a pop of tangy sweetness to salads or be served as a condiment with grilled or roasted meats.

07 of 15

Barbecue Shrimp Po’boy

NOLA Barbecue Shrimp Po’ Boy

Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Smoky, spiced shrimp are the heart of this classic New Orleans-style po’boy sandwich. The wonderfully spiced sandwich is from chef Erick Williams, who was introduced to Cajun and Creole cooking through his late Aunt Daisy's husband, Stew.

08 of 15

Butter-Poached Lobster Rolls with Spicy Sauce

Butter-Poached Lobster Rolls with Spicy Sauce
© Con Poulos

To make these luxurious lobster rolls, chef Geoffrey Zakarian boils the lobsters, then poaches the meat in butter. To balance all of that richness, he tops the rolls with a spicy mustard mayo.

09 of 15

Salmon Salad Rolls

Lobster-Roll-Style Salmon Sandwiches
© Chris Court

Roast salmon replaces lobster in this clever take on the summertime classic sandwich. Top these rolls with potato chips for extra crunch and fun. 

10 of 15

Tuna Burgers with Ginger-Lemon Mayonnaise

Thai Tuna Burgers with Ginger-Lemon Mayonnaise

Use sushi-quality tuna for these burgers, so you can serve them medium rare. The cucumber salad and the ginger-lemon mayonnaise keep the flavors in this burger light. 

11 of 15

Brioche Crab Melts

Brioche Crab Melts
© Rob Howard

Vitaly Paley, the chef and owner of Paley's Place in Portland, Oregon, created this deliciously indulgent version of the classic tuna melt while competing in a cook-off sponsored by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission. Pairing moist chunks of crab with brioche, truffle butter and nutty Gruyère cheese easily snagged him a first-place prize.

12 of 15

Salmon Burgers with Herb Aïoli

Salmon Burgers
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The patties get herbal, bright, and briny flavors thanks to several mix-ins: fresh dill, lemon zest, capers, and Dijon mustard. The accompanying aïoli mirrors the burger's flavors with the inclusion of lemon juice and the remaining mustard and dill, plus parsley and basil for an extra herby boost. 

13 of 15

Crab Rolls with Lemon Aioli

Crab Rolls with Lemon Aioli
© Paul Costello

New Orleans chefs often drench seafood in rich, spicy sauces, but here, chef Jason McCullar of Cure simply dresses sweet crabmeat (a Louisiana staple) in lemon-scented aioli. The crab salad is wonderful piled on hot dog buns like a New England lobster roll or arranged delicately on small rolls as hors d'oeuvres.

14 of 15

Fried-Catfish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayonnaise

Fried-Catfish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayonnaise
© Erin Kunkel

Moist, juicy catfish, coated with cornmeal and fried crisp, makes a delicious sandwich on a crusty roll with peppery mayonnaise. If you're not in a sandwich mood, skip the roll, but don't hold the mayo: It makes a fine dipping sauce for the fish. 

15 of 15

Rye Crisps with Tomatoes and Sardines

Rye Crisps with Tomatoes and Sardines
© Con Poulos

This recipe makes the most of canned sardines. The sardines are paired with bright herb mayonnaise, spread on rye crisps, and then are topped with a cherry tomato salad. 

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