What fish to cook tonight
The short answer
If you have twenty minutes and want it to go right, cook a salmon fillet or sea bass. Both are forgiving, both take a hot pan or an oven and neither punishes you for looking away. If you want something firmer that feels like an occasion, cook cod or hake. If you want something quick with a big flavour, cook mackerel. The rest of this guide narrows it down by how much time you have, who is at the table and what you are in the mood for.
If you are short on time (20 minutes or less)
Reach for a fillet that cooks through evenly and forgives a rough guess on timing.
- Salmon fillet. Pan-fry skin-side down for four to five minutes, turn for one, done. Rich, oily and hard to dry out. Buy salmon.
- Sea bass fillet. Skin-side down in a hot pan for three to four minutes until the skin crisps, a minute on the flesh, off. Delicate, sweet and quick. Buy sea bass.
- Mackerel. Grill or pan-fry for a couple of minutes a side. Oily, strong and ready before the kettle boils. Buy mackerel.
If you are feeding children or fussy eaters
Choose a firm white fish with no strong smell and few bones. Ask us to skin and pin-bone it at the counter and it goes in the pan clean.
- Cod or haddock. Mild, flaky and familiar. Bake at 180C for twelve to fifteen minutes, or crumb it for goujons. Buy cod.
- Basa or plaice. Thin, quick and gentle in flavour. Good for a first fish. See white fish.
If it is a midweek dinner for two
Cook something that looks after itself while you do the vegetables.
- Roast salmon or trout fillets at 180C for twelve to fifteen minutes with lemon and dill. Buy trout.
- Sea bream, whole or filleted. Roast whole with garlic and herbs, or pan-fry the fillets. Clean, sweet and a little more interesting than the usual. Buy sea bream.
If you want something that feels like an occasion
Buy a thicker cut and a firmer fish. Thickness is what lets you sear the outside and keep the middle moist.
- Cod loin or hake loin. A thick loin holds together, takes a crust and carves like a piece of meat. Roast at 180C for fifteen to eighteen minutes. Buy cod.
- Halibut steak. Dense, meaty and firm enough to griddle or fry without falling apart. This is the fish that turns a Friday into a dinner. Buy halibut.
- Whole Dover sole. Grilled on the bone with brown butter. Ask us to trim it at the counter. Buy Dover sole.
If you want it healthy and high in protein
Oily fish give you protein and omega 3 in one plate. A typical fillet carries around 20 to 30 grams of protein depending on the cut.
- Salmon, trout or mackerel. Grill, bake or air fry with no added fat needed. See our high-protein fish dinners guide.
If you fancy fish and chips at home
Fry a fish a chip shop will not. A thick piece of cod, haddock or halibut holds its shape in batter where a thin fillet collapses. Our fish and chips box comes with a kilo of potatoes from the greengrocer next door for the chips. See the fish and chips box.
If you are cooking for someone who loves raw fish
Some of what we cut is fine to eat raw when it is very fresh and handled cold. Ask at the counter which pieces are fine to eat raw that day and we will slice them thin for serving raw or as a tartare. Never guess at home. See the counter.
Still not sure
Tell us who is eating and how long you have, and we will cut you the right fish at the counter. That is the part a website cannot do and a real fishmonger can. Visit the Barnes counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest fish to cook for dinner? Salmon and sea bass are the most forgiving. Both cook through evenly, both take a hot pan or a hot oven and neither dries out quickly if your timing is a little off.
What fish cooks the fastest? Thin fillets. Sea bass, mackerel, plaice and trout all cook in a few minutes a side. A thick cod loin or a halibut steak takes longer because it is denser.
What fish is good for children? A firm mild white fish with the skin off and the bones out, such as cod, haddock or plaice. Ask us to skin and pin-bone it at the counter so it goes in the pan clean.
What is a good high-protein fish for dinner? Salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel are all high in protein, with roughly 20 to 30 grams in a typical fillet, and they carry omega 3 as well.
Can I cook fish from frozen? Many fillets cook well from frozen if you add a few minutes and cook them through. For a better texture, defrost in the fridge overnight first. See our guide to storing fresh fish.
What fish should I buy if I want it to feel special? A thick cut of a firm fish. A cod or hake loin, a halibut steak or a whole Dover sole all feel like an occasion and hold together in the pan.
Featured photograph by Acabashi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Eating with a goal in mind? See high protein fish dinners, lower calorie fish, fish highest in omega 3 and which fish are safe in pregnancy.
