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Mild, flaky white fish is a blank canvas. The art of the fish fry is all about the paint — which, in the culinary world, comes down to two factors: Frying technique and seasoning. Fish fry seasoning boasts the unique quality of being as bold as it is forgiving. Slightly overcooked the filets? Toss a little extra fish fry seasoning on ’em and chow down. Classic fish fry seasoning is typically some combination of cornmeal, Old Bay seasoning (which contains a blend of 18 spices), lemon pepper, kosher salt, black pepper, and granulated or ground garlic. A heat element like cayenne pepper or sweet-smoky paprika is also commonly thrown into the mix. And that cornmeal becomes crispy, crunchy, and mouth-wateringly golden when fried.
Beyond this utilitarian base ingredient, which is more about texture, the other spice elements in fish fry seasoning are responsible for delivering the flavor. What makes this powerhouse ingredient so impactful is its dimensional interplay of pronounced pungent, savory tones, with subtle heat from the cayenne pepper or paprika, and bright, tangy citrus notes from the lemon. The umami-forward garlic rounds it all out with deep counterbalance. It’s a complete trip around the palate, and a few shakes of fish fry seasoning instantly brings impressive depth, character, and liveliness to any dish, whether it’s a traditional Southern catfish fish fry or a fresh take on oven-baked crispy tofu. Although, the exact ingredients in fish fry seasoning tend to vary by manufacturer or home cook recipe.
Fish fry seasoning is bright, zesty, warming, and savory all at once
Popular brand Louisiana Fish Fry describes its seasoning mix as “a zesty mix of cornmeal, garlic, salt, and classic Cajun spices,” via its website. Specifically, the ingredients list includes yellow corn meal, yellow corn flour, salt, monosodium glutamate (aka umami-bomb MSG, which rules despite many misconceptions), spices, citric acid, dried garlic, and paprika. The ambiguous “spices” term doesn’t reveal much. But the “classic Cajun spices” listed typically include some combination of white pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Another popular fish fry seasoning brand, Zatarain’s, lists red pepper, MSG, garlic, onion, and lemon juice concentrate on its ingredients list, yielding a brighter, more pepper-forward profile compared to Louisiana’s sweet-smoky paprika tones.
Feel free to experiment with your desired ingredients and proportions to create a customizable seasoning to suit your taste preference. To put your flavorful fish fry seasoning to work, 1 ½ cups of seasoning per 1 ½ to 2 pounds of fish or other base ingredient is an ideal jumping-off ratio. If you’re cooking the seasoning with your fish, lightly oil the meat first as a binding agent to help it adhere. Fish fry seasoning can also be used to elevate more dishes than just fish. Add a few shakes to your air-fryer French fries, oven-roasted potatoes, chicken tenders, fried broccolini with lemon, or even popcorn. You could also use that bold seasoning to elevate store-bought frozen fish sticks (Pacific Seafood Starfish is our favorite brand, for the record).
