Panko-crusted Whitefish is a 20-minute dinner recipe great for weeknights! All you need is Whitefish filets and a few simple ingredients.
This post was first published in September 2020. It has been updated most recently as of June 2021 with new process shots and updated images.
I was born and raised in the Midwest near the Great Lakes where we are serious about Whitefish. This recipe works well with any light, flaky white fish, but I love it when I can get my hands on some Great Lakes Whitefish.
The Great Lakes region is one of the most meticulously managed fisheries in the world! There are only a handful of small, family operations for commercial fishing in the area. All of the product is cleaned, packaged, and sold from their retail counters or at local markets. Whitefish is generally consumed in the region where it is caught, making it a sustainable seafood choice with less impact on the environment. Seafood Watch is a great resource to check and see if your fish selection is sustainable. They also have an app you can use to determine the best substitutions for your needs.
Panko-crusted Whitefish is my favorite go-to recipe when I’m craving the crunch of fried fish but want to keep it lighter and healthier. It gets the job done for that fried-fish-fix with just a little bit of butter and a few tablespoons of crunchy Panko breadcrumbs. Also, it’s ready in 20 minutes with practically no mess! Can’t beat that.
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Ingredients
- Lake Whitefish: Whitefish is different than white fish, a general all-encompassing term for mild-flavored, quick-cooking, flaky, fish with white flesh. Lake Whitefish are freshwater fish from the trout/salmon family. Most commonly found in the Great Lakes, they also live in small inland lakes throughout Michigan.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko is a coarse, crumbly, Japanese breadcrumb and can be found in most grocery stores.
- Dried Herbs & Spices: I’ve used a mix of dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper but feel free to play with whatever is in your pantry!
- Pink Himalayan Salt: I use Himalayan salt in all of my recipes. You can use any salt you like or have on hand.
- Butter: The butter is mixed into the breadcrumbs with a fork. Use room temperature or softened butter.
- Lemon: I serve baked Whitefish with fresh lemon for extra zing but it is totally optional.
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pat the Whitefish filets dry with paper towels then lay them, skin side down, on the prepared foil-lined sheet.
In a small bowl, mix together the Panko breadcrumbs, herbs, and salt.
Add the butter to the breadcrumbs. Use a fork to mix and mash the butter into the crumbs until no visible butter remains.
Lightly press the Panko-butter topping evenly on top of the four Whitefish filets.
Bake the fish for 14 to 16 minutes, or, until the Panko topping is light brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.
Substitutions
If you can’t get freshwater Whitefish, use any kind of white fish you like. Cod, haddock, flounder, snapper, and catfish are all great options.
Make this recipe gluten-free by substituting gluten-free Panko crumbs.
If you don’t have dried parsley, simple omit it from the recipe. A sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley after cooking is a great substitution.
To make this recipe dairy-free swap in a good quality plant-based butter. I haven’t tested it but I don’t think coconut oil will work as well.
Tips & Notes
You can use fresh or frozen Whitefish for this recipe. If using frozen fish it is best to thaw it by defrosting it in the fridge overnight, or if you’re pressed for time, tightly seal the filets in a zip top bag and place in a bowl of cold water to thaw before making the recipe.
The Lake Whitefish I buy usually comes with the skin left on. I haven’t tested this recipe with skinless filets, however, I think they will work fine.
If using pre-seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, simply reduce or omit the herbs and spices called for in the ingredients.
Serve These Recipes On The Side Of Panko-Crusted Whitefish
Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Lemon Garlic Sautéed Asparagus
Panko-Crusted Whitefish (Oven-Baked)
Panko-crusted Whitefish is a 20-minute dinner recipe great for weeknights! All you need is Whitefish filets and a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz Whitefish filets, skin on
- ½ cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Pat the Whitefish filets dry with paper towels then lay them, skin side down, on the prepared foil-lined sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix together the Panko breadcrumbs, herbs, and salt. Use a fork to mix and mash the butter into the crumbs until no visible butter remains.
- Lightly press the Panko-butter topping evenly on top of the four Whitefish filets. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the fish for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the Panko topping is lightly browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
Substitutions
If you can't get freshwater Whitefish, use any kind of white fish you like. Cod, haddock, flounder, snapper, and catfish are all great options.
Make this recipe gluten-free by substituting gluten-free Panko crumbs.
If you don't have dried parsley, simple omit it from the recipe. A sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley after cooking is a great substitution.
To make this recipe dairy-free swap in a good quality plant-based butter. I haven't tested it but I don't think coconut oil will work as well.
Tips & Notes
You can use fresh or frozen Whitefish for this recipe. If using frozen fish it is best to thaw it by defrosting it in the fridge overnight, or if you're pressed for time, tightly seal the filets in a zip top bag and place in a bowl of cold water to thaw before making the recipe.
The Lake Whitefish I buy usually comes with the skin left on. I haven't tested this recipe with skinless filets, however, I think they will work fine.
If using pre-seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, simply reduce or omit the herbs and spices called for in the ingredients.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 413mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 49g
This data is provided by a calculator and is a rough estimation of the nutritional information in this recipe.
I was excited to find Lake Whitefish at my grocer and this turned out so well! Very easy to make and flavorful–thank you.
The panko was my favorite part and complimented the dish so well. I’m big on texture so i loved the crunchy topping, it was all so good!
We make fish all the time and are always on the lookout for fish recipes. We enjoyed this so much! The panko didn’t overpower the fish, the flavors shined, and we loved the textures. So tasty!
Nothing beats this tasty panko crusted white fish. I served it with some grilled veggies and it was a hit! I also love the fact that it only took 20 minutes to make.
I loved the addition of panko to the fish! It added such a nice textural difference. This is definitely my “go-to” fish recipe from now on!
Lovely, sunny flavor! I tried this with cod, and it was super delicious! Making this again!
I loved the tip about placing the frozen fish in a bowl of cold water to thaw before making the recipe – it saved a ton of time and the recipe came out exactly how I was hoping it would!
I eat a lot of fish and seafood – especially in the summer and wanted to try something new. I am so glad I did. This recipe was SO GOOD!
I love a good, quick, healthy meal, especially if it can be made on a sheet pan! Thanks for this delicious recipe! I’ve made it twice now
I love this recipe because you can use any flaky fish. I could only find fresh cod, but it worked out perfectly. Awesome flavor and great crunch. Thank you for sharing!
This was great! So easy to make and I loved the texture of the Panko on the Whitefish. We added ours to tacos and it was perfect!
Hey! Thanks for the link back to us about the whitefish. We will share your post on our FB Page.
You’re welcome! Thank you.