This baked pecan crusted fish is as delicious as it is nutritious. Before you take your first bite, brace yourself for a taste sensation unlike any other. You can use any white fish for this recipe. In fact, I most of the time I can’t tell the difference because the pecans and other ingredients bring out the best in this dish.
Whether you make pecan crusted cod, haddock, pollock, or any other kind of fish, this is an impressive food! It’s perfect for a dinner party, family dinner, or any special occasion.
If you like seafood, this delicious dish will definitely become one of your favorites! You make these pecan crusted fish fillets in the oven, so you don’t have to clean up splatters later.
Easy Crunchy Fish Covered In Pecans
You’ll love the combination of the crunchy texture of the nuts and the creamy sweetness of the honey-flavored mayo. This is one recipe you’ll want to keep. When I make pecan-crusted fish, I also make this super easy but flavorful creamy tartar sauce. It’s perfect for dipping the fish.
Or you might prefer this zesty cocktail sauce. Both sauces are easy to make, so why not make both? That way, everyone at the table can have whatever they like. Also remember to make some delicious sides. Anything that you can serve with tilapia will be good with this fish as well.
A really good side dish is this Homemade Rice a Roni. Add a salad, and you have a delicious meal!
Ingredients in Baked Pecan Crusted Fish
You’ll need enough white fish fillets so each person can have at least one.
You also need mayonnaise, honey, and crushed pecans.
Other things you can add are extra salt, black pepper, seasoning salt, or lemon juice.
How to Make Baked Pecan Crusted Fish
Since I like to use pecans in a lot of different dishes, I prefer to purchase big bags of pecan halves at Costco. Then I can either use them intact, or I can crush them according to the needs of the recipe.
This recipe calls for crushed pecans. Sometimes I use my manual food processor, and other times I use my NutriBullet. It basically just depends on my mood that day.
However, if you don’t have a machine that can do the crushing for you, put some in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. That’s how I used to do it, and it works just fine.
After you crush the pecans, spread them out on a large plate or sheet of wax paper. It’s much easier to roll the fish when you do this.
In a large bowl with a wide opening, mix the mayonnaise and honey. Make sure it’s well mixed so you have a nice blend of creamy sweetness throughout.
Dip the fish into the mixture making sure it is coated on both sides.
Then, roll the fish in the crushed pecans.
Next, place the fish on a greased baking sheet or in a large baking dish. You can use nonstick cooking spray or olive oil to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan.
I prefer using a casserole dish because it helps contain the pecans that roll off.
Now is the time to add additional seasoning. I lightly sprinkled some seasoning salt over it this time.
I’ve also used Old Bay seasoning. Actually, any type of seasoning you like will work.
Finally, bake the fish until it is flaky. If you have thin fillets like I had, it takes about 18 minutes. One thing you don’t want to do is overcook the fish because it gets too dry.
I often test the fish by flaking a tiny bit with a fork. If it flakes easily, then it’s ready to come out of the oven.
Serve this fish with a side of lime or lemon wedges. And if you want extra garnish, sprinkle a little bit of chopped parsley or chives over the top.
This fish is delicious with a variety of side dishes. If you like potatoes, you’ll love these buttermilk garlic mashed potatoes.
This yummy onion-seasoned rice is also a wonderful side for any fish dinner.
What to Do with Leftover Baked Pecan Crusted Fish
If you have any fish left after the meal, put it on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap. Or you can put it in an airtight container. Then put it in the refrigerator. It should be good for 2 to 3 days.
You can freeze it in an airtight container. However, the texture might become grainy. I don’t recommend freezing it.
How to Reheat Seafood
If you make more of this delicious fish than you can eat in on meal, by all means, put the leftovers in the refrigerator for the next day. It’s easy to reheat it.
Some people will put it in the microwave, and that’s fine if they don’t have any other options. However, that will break down the oils and change the texture of the fish.
The best way to reheat seafood is to cover it with foil and place it in an oven on low heat (225-250 degrees F) so the fish can heat evenly all over. After 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, it should be hot enough to enjoy.
Mississippi Fish
I grew up eating fish of all types. Although we moved quite a bit, we always went back to Mississippi.
In Biloxi, we had the Gulf of Mexico. The rest of South Mississippi had plenty of rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water.
My grandparents on my mother’s side lived a little farther north, where there were lakes, ponds, and streams. They did have a pond on their property, where I was able to catch catfish, bream, and trout.
But they also had a fishing cabin on a bayou near the Gulf Coast. Fishing was great in the brackish water.
My daddy’s parents lived in a small Mississippi town, so there was generally plenty of fish available. I always thought that my grandmother was one of the best cooks because she put such interesting twists on dishes.
For example, after tasting trout almandine at a restaurant, she made what she called perch pecandine. It made sense because they had pecan trees in their back yard.
So the recipe below is the same concept. Only you don’t have to use perch. In fact, any fish will work.
My husband isn’t fond of stronger flavored fish, like salmon, so most of the time I use white fish. However, I like the salmon just as much.
I love the fact that I’m able to combine more than one nutritious food to create one that is not only good for me but also tastes wonderful. In fact, I look forward to having dinner when I make this delicious dish.
Benefits of Eating Fish
Most people are aware that fish is nutritious. According to Healthline, it is loaded with protein and vitamin D. It also contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are good for you brain, heart, and other organs.
Here are some more benefits of eating fish:
- Fish contains nutrients that help fight depression.
- It helps lower your risk of having strokes or heart attacks.
- Fish assists in brain development.
- It also helps reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases.
- As you age, it helps to protect your vision.
Benefits of Eating Pecans
Like most nuts, pecans contain quite a few essential nutrients. For this reason, we should all eat more of them.
Here are some of the benefits of enjoying pecans:
- Pecans help with weight control because you feel full more quickly, and they help increase your metabolism.
- They are loaded with fiber, so they are great for your digestive system.
- Pecans have lots of phosphorous, so they help you grow and maintain healthy bones and teeth.
- Eating nuts regularly helps reduce your risk of stroke.
- They contain antioxidants that help fight free radicals that may cause cancer and premature aging.
- Pecans contain L-arginine, an amino acid that helps reduce hair loss and stimulates hair growth.
What to Serve with Fish
You can serve this fish with almost anything. I like it with twice-baked potatoes or some yellow rice. Add this tomato cucumber corn salad, and you have a delicious meal.
If you’re pressed for time, make these yummy sweet potato fries. They’re easy and absolutely delicious!
For some extra crunch, make a batch of these crispy zucchini parmesan chips. Even my non-veggie-loving husband asks for seconds of these!
Here are more ideas of delicious foods to serve with fish.
Delicious Desserts
Oh, and don’t forget dessert. I think the perfect dessert for baked fish is this pineapple upside down cake or this chocolate walnut pie.
These lemon bars are wonderful and super easy to make with only 3 ingredients!
If you like cheesecake, top it with this wonderful strawberry topping. Or you can put the topping on a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you prefer.
More Recipes You’ll Love
There are so many other delicious recipes we love around here, and here are a few of them:
Oven-Fried Salmon Cakes – These salmon cakes are super easy to make and so scrumptious!
Slow Cooker Lemon-Pepper Chicken – This chicken has a flavor sensation that will send your tastebuds into orbit.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan – One of our current favorite dishes is this eggplant parmesan. I don’t use any flour or breadcrumbs, so it’s gluten free.
Baked Pecan Crusted Fish
Pecan crusted fish is a delicious and nutritious family dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets of any white fish (flounder, perch, whiting, or cod)
- 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1 cup of crushed pecans
- Seasoning salt or salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom of a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a wide bowl, combine the mayonnaise and honey. Mix well.
- Dip the fish fillets in the mayonnaise and honey mixture.
Coat the fish with pecans. I like to spread the pecans over a large plate or wax paper and press the fish into the pecans. - Place the coated fish on the baking pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake the fish for 18 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 547Total Fat 38gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 31gCholesterol 123mgSodium 335mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 3gSugar 10gProtein 40g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
Colibri
Wednesday 20th of May 2020
I made this tonight, and my family loved it! Thank you!
southernhomeexpress
Wednesday 20th of May 2020
I'm super happy to see this! Thank you so much for letting me know! This is one of our favorite dinners, and I'm glad y'all enjoyed it!
Miz Helen
Saturday 3rd of August 2019
This looks like a great pecan crust for fish and will be delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon! Miz Helen
southernhomeexpress
Saturday 3rd of August 2019
And thank you, Miz Helen, for hosting the link party!
Mother of 3
Thursday 1st of August 2019
That sounds so yummy! I love pecans and also buy a huge bag of them to use as I need. I make a very similar pecan crusted chicken but I love the idea of swapping that out with fish. Yum! Pinned.
southernhomeexpress
Thursday 1st of August 2019
Thanks for the idea of putting pecans on chicken! I think I'll try that soon. Let me know how you like the pecan crusted fish.