Our Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich Recipe Is Pub-Worthy

Beer-battered fish sandwiches are a delicious pub staple, and with fresh fish and a crunchy, greasy coating, they certainly rival their fast food counterparts. Beer batter fries up light, airy, and perfectly crispy on the outside, thanks to the carbonation and foaming properties of beer.

The beer itself gives the finished dish an extra level of flavor, which you’ll notice if you try to substitute something like club soda. When used to coat white fish before frying, it keeps the fish extra tender and moist. If that sounds too complicated to achieve at home, think again. You don’t have to visit a pub to taste a delicious, high-quality beer-battered fish sandwich when you really want one, because it’s easy to make a quick batter and get familiar with a basic deep-frying technique.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for a pub-inspired beer-battered fish sandwich that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight. Cod fillets are dredged in flour and cornstarch before being dipped in a spiced beer batter and fried to crispy perfection. Served on a bun with lettuce and a generous spread of homemade tartar sauce, these sandwiches will transport you to your favorite pub garden on a sunny day. The tender, flaky cod is cooked just the right amount and goes perfectly with the crispy breading, and the creamy sauce enhances each bite.

For this recipe, you will first make tartar sauce with mayonnaise, dill pickles, lemon juice, Dijon, dill, salt, and black pepper. For the beer batter, you will need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, baking powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and your favorite beer. The recipe calls for cod fillets, which are a good choice because cod is a white fish that fries well and has a substantial and flaky bite. You’ll need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper as well to dredge the fillets before breading them. Finally, gather a high-heat oil for frying, as well as buns and lettuce or an equivalent amount of other greens like spring mix for serving.