Fast Food vs. Homemade Fish Sandwich

I always know spring is near when I start hearing radio and TV commercials advertising fish sandwiches. I love fish sandwiches and the commercials make them sound so good, especially when I’m driving and hungry. Each time I succumb to my temptations and buy a fast food fish sandwich, I am disappointed afterwards (and usually have a stomach ache from the grease and strange ingredients).

I know I can make a better sandwich at home; I just need to take the time to make it. (Disclaimer, this is a common theme for me. I bought a store bought apple pie last summer and in my disappointment, wondered why I didn’t make it myself.)

I decided to "practice what I preach" and make fish sandwiches for my family. I wanted them to see how much better they were when we made them at home, versus if we bought them from a fast food chain. I found a great recipe for Crispy Fish Sandwiches and my kids were excited to help me make them.
To start this recipe, cut the tilapia fillets into whatever size you would like. I usually cut my fish according to the shape of the buns or bread. For this recipe, I used a baguette, so I cut my fillets in half. Set the fillets aside.

Mix all the "coating" ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. I let my kids work on this part of the recipe. There are a lot of ingredients in the "coating" and the kids love to measure each ingredient and mix them together. Pour the coating into a pie plate or shallow bowl.

After you mix the dry ingredients, gather two more shallow bowls or pie plates. Put ¼ cup of flour in one...

…in another a gently beaten egg…

…and coating mixture in the last pie plate.

Put the bowls next to the fish so you can easily dip the fish into each one.

Dip the fish fillets into the flour bowl first; making sure both sides are coated. Then, dip the fillet in the egg mixture and then the coating mixture. My kids also loved to help with this stage; they thought it was "cool" when their hands were covered with the sticky coating.

If your kids are "helping" with this stage, it is important that they wash their hands thoroughly after they are done. Kids forget they are working with raw fish and need a reminder to give their hands a good cleaning before they start something else.

When the fillets are all dipped in their various coatings, melt Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt in a large frying pan on medium heat.

When the Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt is melted, slowly add the coated fish fillets.

Cook the fillets, turning once, until they are golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork. They should take about 6 to 8 minutes to cook. Be careful so the pan doesn’t get too hot. If the Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt starts to burn, turn down the heat a bit.

When the fish is done, gather the sliced tomato, chopped lettuce, and whatever sauce you like.

My family likes tartar sauce, but I like salad dressing and a little lemon juice on my fish sandwich.

Place the fish fillet on the bottom half of the bread (I used sliced baguettes instead of hero rolls since baguettes are easier to find in my neighborhood). Then add the sliced tomato and the chopped lettuce. Spread the sauce on the other half of the bread and you have a delicious fish sandwich!

Once you’ve made the recipe for Crispy Fish Sandwiches, you can decide for yourself. Does it taste better than the fast food fish sandwiches? My guess is that you and your family will vote unanimously and never buy a fast food fish sandwich again!

Come back in a few days when Becky shares a classic pie recipe.

Bridget is paid to write for the Land O’Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.