3 Best Ways to Reheat Fried Fish (Updated 2024)

Name: How to Reheat Fried Fish
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Cuisine: Meal
Ingredients: Fried Fish; Air Fryer; Aluminum foil

Updated Mar 13, 2023Recipe Marker

Are you looking for ways to reheat fried fish so it’s not soggy? Stick around as we share the answer. There’s nothing like catching up with your friends at the end of a long work week over beer, drinks, and, of course, the perennial bar food favorite – fried fish.

Whether it’s fish and chips, fried catfish, or even fish tacos, there’s certainly something about deep-fried fish and the comfort it brings people.

While it’s all fun and games during get-togethers, these gatherings can sometimes end with huge bags of leftovers.

If you don’t know how to properly reheat fried fish, chances are you’re going to encounter a disastrous, soggy mess. And as you might know, there’s nothing more annoying than eating soggy leftovers.

Thankfully, there are several ways to reheat fried fish. In this article, we will tackle the best ways to help you enjoy fried fish in all its crunchy, crispy, and moist glory.

Read on to learn more about these techniques and how you can get leftover fried fish back to its best state.

How to Reheat Fried Fish

Now that you know the different types of fried fish, it’s time to bring back their crispy, crunchy glory.

Below are some of the best and most effective ways you can achieve this:

1. Reheat Fried Fish Using a Frying Pan

If you have one or two pieces of the leftover fried dish, it’s best to use a pan fry method.

While this may leave a fishy smell in your house for some time, using a pan or a skillet to fry your leftovers can work in a pinch. Besides its fast turnaround time, this also achieves the closest outcome to the original.

For a pan or skillet fry, skillets that require high heat such as cast iron are the optimal choice primarily because they retain heat for a long time without warping or harming the material.

Your fish will fry and crisp up in a matter of minutes, so make sure to keep your eye on it at all times.

2. Reheat Fried Fish Using an Oven

One of the easiest and most hassle-free ways you can reheat fried fish is in the oven. This method will allow you to reheat the fish evenly and maintain its moist interior.

A great tip: allow the leftover fried fish to thaw or reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

To keep its fleshy interior, it’s also advised to drizzle some sort of fat, such as olive oil or even butter, and allow the oven to work its magic for 15 to 20 minutes at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the event you don’t have access to a conventional oven, a toaster oven would work just as well. However, this approach might only work if you wish to reheat fried fish in smaller batches.

3. Reheat Fried Fish Using a Broiler

Another quick approach to reheating fried fish is using the broiler setting on your oven. This method is even quicker than the oven method as it only takes around five minutes.

It heats the fish at a slightly higher temperature, resulting in a crisp exterior and a moist, juicy interior.

Start by broiling the fish for around one to two minutes per side. Place it on a baking sheet or aluminum foil.

You may also use a bit of oil to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Plus, this bit of fat also acts as a sealant to keep the moisture within your seafood dish.

If you’re opting for this particular method, make sure to keep the oven door slightly ajar. This will help the steam escape, allowing you to avoid that unwanted soggy texture.

What Is Fried Fish?

Fried fish is just that: fish (or just about any type of shellfish) that is cooked by frying.

Often, to maintain the freshness and flakiness of the fish inside, it is coated in batter, egg, breadcrumbs, and in some instances, even made with beer to achieve that unique crunch and texture.

Fried fish is common in various parts of the world, with the most common fish types including catfish, tilapia, Alaskan cod, halibut, trout, striped bass, perch, and many more.

Even smaller types of fish are often fried to a crisp, such as blue anchovies.

Fried fish is normally served with chips or fries, on tacos, and even with rice. You can then complement it with a tangy sauce such as good malt vinegar, tartar sauce, or even some tomato salsa on the side.

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