Best Oil to Fry Fish (2024)

Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils. Keep reading to discover the benefits of each oil you can use to fry fish. We also offer fish frying tips, so you can cook your fish fillets to perfection every time.

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Best Oil for Deep Frying Fish

To help you select the best oil for your fish fry, discover the top oils for deep frying fish, their smoke points, and their benefits below:

1. Canola Oil

Canola oil has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, canola oil is a comparatively healthful choice for frying fish. It is also relatively affordable.

Canola Oil Smoke Point: 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Peanut Oil

Peanut oil is affordable, and it has a neutral flavor that won't affect the flavor of your fish. It also prevents flavor transfer. Unfortunately, peanut oil contains one of the big 8 food allergens, which limits the number of guests who can enjoy your fried fish.

3. Cottonseed Oil

Cottonseed oil has a high smoke point. It's also affordable, making it an excellent option for establishments that are frying in bulk and need to stock up on oil.

Cottonseed Oil Smoke Point: 450 degrees Fahrenheit

4. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is the healthiest option for deep frying your fish. It has a neutral taste and reduces flavor transfer between batches. However, coconut oil is a less economical choice.

Coconut Oil Smoke Point: 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Oil for Frying Fish

The type of oil that you deep fry your fish in impacts how it fries, its taste, and its texture, so it's important that you choose the right oil for the task. Here are three major things you need to consider when choosing oil for frying fish:

The Smoke Point - The smoke point is the temperature when oil starts to break down and become unusable. When deep frying fish, you want to use an oil that has a high smoke point so you can fry the fish at a high temperature.
The Flavor - Fish is delicate, so you want to choose an oil with a neutral flavor that won't overpower the fish.
Flavor Transfer - If you're frying different types of seafood (or other foods) simultaneously, you must prevent the flavors from transferring.

Best Fish to Fry

Not every type of fish is suitable for deep frying. When choosing a fish to deep fry, look for an option that has a neutral flavor and isn't too oily. Typically, neutral flavored, white-fleshed, and lean fish are best for frying. Freshwater fish such as bass, trout, and catfish are excellent choices. Avoid dense and oily tuna, salmon, and sea bass.

Here are some of the best types of fish to fry:

Frying Fish FAQ

Now that you know the best oil to deep fry fish with and which type of fish you should fry, you’re ready to prepare your own fish fry. Below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions chefs encounter when frying fish.

Oil Temp for Frying Fish

Your fish frying oil temperature should range between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The fish needs to reach a safe internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit before it is finished frying.

How Long to Fry Fish

As a general rule, you should deep fry small batches of fish for 3 to 6 minutes. You must adjust the time based on the type of fish you’re deep frying; you will need to fry your fish fillets longer than your oysters. How long you fry fish also depends on the temperature of your oil.

How to Fry Fish with Flour and Egg

Use our fried fish taco recipe to learn how to fry fish with flour and egg. It’s a simple process of creating a batter, dipping the fish into the batter, adding the fish to your fryer unit, frying it until it turns a beautiful, golden brown, and then cooling it on a parchment-lined rack.

How to Make Egg Wash for Frying Fish

Follow these simple steps to make an egg wash for frying 1 pound of fish:

Crack 3 eggs into a bowl
Add six tablespoons of whole milk
Beat to combine the milk and eggs

Deep Fried Fish Temperature

Deep fry your fish at temperatures between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is above 380 degrees Fahrenheit, it will scorch the fish. If it's below 360 degrees Fahrenheit, the batter may absorb too much oil, creating a greasy mouthfeel.

How to Prep Fish for Frying

Prep fish for frying by following these simple steps:

Brine the fish
Create an egg wash
Season the fish
Dip the fish in the egg wash
Dredge the fish in flour

Flour or Egg First When Frying Fish?

Coat fish in an egg wash first, then dredge it in flour. The egg wash will help the flour stick to the fish. Coating fish in egg and flour before frying it creates a crispy outer crust around the delicate, flakey protein. This flour shell also helps contain the protein’s juices and adds rich flavor.

What to Soak Fish in before Frying

Soaking fish in a 6 percent salt brine before frying it firms the fish, causing it to hold up better in the fryer. The salt in the brine enhances the flavor and keeps the meat from drying out.

Selecting the right oil can ensure flavors don't transfer, the fish doesn't become greasy, and the seafood’s natural taste isn’t overpowered. Use our guide to analyze every factor that affects how your fish fries, including the best oils for frying fish, how to prepare fish for frying, and the best fish to fry.

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FAQs

Best Oil to Fry Fish? ›

You want your fish to taste great with classic tartar sauce and sides for fried fish! So it's best to use a neutral oil, like canola, vegetable and safflower oil to fry fish. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, which is perfect for frying, but it could add a slightly nutty flavor to your fish.

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What is the best oil for frying fish? ›

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Which oil is best for deep frying? ›

Oils with higher smoke points are ideal for deep frying because they can withstand higher temperatures without burning. Some common oils with high smoke points include peanut oil, canola oil, and safflower oil. These oils are suitable for high-heat cooking and provide a crispy texture to fried foods.

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Should I fry fish in butter or olive oil? ›

The trick to perfect fried fish lies in the oil and temperature used for cooking it and in the coating used on the fish. Use an oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, corn, safflower, peanut, avocado, or grapeseed oil. Avoid olive oil and butter since they'll burn at the high temperatures required for frying.

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What is the best thing to soak fish in before frying? ›

In a 3-quart bowl, soak fish in milk for 15-20 minutes. The casein protein in milk binds to the trimethylamine in the fish flesh, reducing the “fishy” odor.

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What is the healthiest oil for frying? ›

The healthiest oil to cook with is olive oil. It's versatile, being used in everything from frying to finishing. It's also rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and polyphenols, all of which have shown protective effects against cancer and liver, heart, and neurodegenerative diseases (27, 28).

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Which is best for fish fry? ›

White-fleshed fish such as cod, tilapia, and haddock are great for frying. They're perfect for adding different seasonings. Oily fish like mackerel or sardines might overpower other flavors when fried. They don't get as crispy.

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What oil do restaurants use for frying? ›

Vegetable oil: High smoke point, neutral flavor, relative healthiness, and low cost makes vegetable oil one of the most popular and versatile frying oils used in restaurant kitchens today. Canola oil: Along with vegetable oil, canola is one of the most ubiquitous oils in deep fryers today.

What oil should you not use for deep-frying? ›

Deep frying

However, if you do need to deep fry your food, our long-standing advice is that oils like corn and sunflower oils are not recommended for high temperatures. These oils are rich in polyunsaturated fats which can form undesirable compounds when heated at high temperatures.

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How many minutes to fry a fish? ›

Pan-Fry the Fish

The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when adding the fish to the pan. Fry the fish until golden on the bottom. For all those wondering, "How long does fish take to fry?": Pan-frying the average fillet takes about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Should you fry fish on high or low heat? ›

Heat the oil to 375ºF to 400°F, depending on the recipe and size of the fish. For uniform cooking, small pieces like fish fingers or nuggets can fry at a higher temperature, but whole fillets or larger chunks should fry at a slightly lower temperature so the fish and coating are evenly cooked.

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What is the best flour for frying fish? ›

Semolina or Stone Ground Wheat Flour

Make a basic fried fish fillet extra crispy, or swap out the all-purpose with semolina or stone-ground in a recipe for Polish fish in the Greek style; the crispier fish will withstand the sauce very well.

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Should you salt fish before frying? ›

It is a good idea to salt all fish in advance of cooking. The salt binds the liquid in the fish, giving the meat a firmer structure that is easier to work with when cooking.

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What do I coat my fish with before frying? ›

Fish fillets are first coated in egg, then coated with flour, then fried on a frying pan. The resulting fried fish has a delicious crispy coating on the outside and juicy succulent fish on the inside.

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Can you deep fry fish in olive oil? ›

Canola oil is a good choice because it has a neutral flavor and is inexpensive, which is perfect for such high-volume use. You can use a refined olive oil (not extra-virgin) to deep-fry, but keep in mind it will not make your deep-fried food healthier.

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Is olive oil good for deep frying? ›

You Should Deep Fry With Olive Oil

Not only does high-quality extra virgin olive oil stand up to the task of high heat cooking, it also aids in bringing out the flavors of your dish. In many regions around the world, people have been frying with extra virgin olive oil for centuries.

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Is canola oil good for deep frying? ›

When deep frying at home, canola oil is an ideal choice of fat. Canola oil's neutral flavour allows the taste of your ingredients to shine through. Plus, canola oil has a high smoke point, meaning, it will not smoke (or burn) at the temperature required for deep frying.

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Which brand oil is best for frying? ›

Canola Oil: Best All-Purpose Oil for Frying

It's great for all different kinds of frying methods, but it is also a good choice for roasting vegetables or making dressing. At about 400 degrees, the smoke point of canola oil is fine for deep-frying—a lot of deep-fried foods need an oil temperature of 325 to 375 degrees.

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