This Almond and Parmesan Breaded Flounder recipe is one of the techniques I lean on the most, and one I know you’ll want to use again and again.
The almond flour and parmesan create a nutty, almost buttery crust. The flavor reminds me a lot of fish almondine, a classic dish I learned as a student at the Culinary Institute of America, but instead of adding slivered almonds to a sauce, this recipe uses almond flour in the breading itself, giving the dish a serious texture upgrade.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No gluten free flour: Tapioca, arrowroot or cornstarch.
- No egg: 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds to 3 tablespoons of water.
- No Parmigiano-Reggiano: Pecorino Romano.
- No Italian seasoning: Freshly chopped parsley or a pinch of fresh thyme.
- No flounder: Any thin white fish such as cod, sole or hake will do. Even thin trout fillets would be delicious.
- No avocado oil: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point.
Feel Good Vibes
- Flounder is a great source of protein, along with vitamins and minerals like selenium and B12.
- Almond flour is a lower carb source than typical breadings, and brings healthy fats and vitamin E.
- Real Parmigiano-Reggiano is lactose free and a great source of protein and calcium.
Recipe Tips & FAQs
- This dish is only as good as the quality of the ingredients. Make sure you use the freshest fish and real Parmigiano-Reggiano!
- Tips for breading: It doesn’t have to be messy. There’s a technique called the standard breading procedure that ensures a relatively tidy process.
- Assemble three shallow bowls. Put egg wash in the left bowl. Seasoned almond flour on the right.
- Place the fish fillets to the left of the egg wash, and an empty baking tray to the right of the almond flour.
- Use one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet to avoid clumping.
- Coat the fish fillets in the flour, patting off the excess.
- Dip them in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off.
- Then coat them in the almond flour mix.
- Press the breading into each side to make sure that it adheres. Set a timer for 10 minutes to let the breading settle in.
- A fish spatula is the best way to flip these fillets over in the frying pan. I only use this one from the Cook’s Warehouse. It’s the best shape/size/weight/material for flipping, and it’s also great for flipping meat and vegetables.
- If you’re worried about the fish sticking:
- Use a heavy bottomed skillet or a non-stick frying pan.
- Preheat the pan before adding the fish.
- If the fish isn’t releasing from the pan, it needs to cook longer. It will release once it’s ready.
Almond and Parmesan Breaded Flounder Serving Suggestions
- Sunday Supper: serve with Collard Greens and Carolina Gold Rice.
- Lighter Weeknight Meal: Spinach and Arugula Salad with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette.
- Italian Fish & Grits: Serve with creamy polenta and garnish with fresh microgreens.
- I also love cutting the fillets into strips and making fried fish fingers. Omit the parmesan and the Italian seasoning and these make a great filling for fish tacos.
Storage and Shelf Life
Make Ahead: Fresh fish can be breaded and held for up to 18 hours in the refrigerator or individually frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator in a paper towel lined container before cooking.
Refrigerate: Cooked fish can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
Freezer: Only recommended for raw, breaded flounder.
Reheat Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the fried fish on a baking sheet with a resting rack. Reheat until warmed through, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Reheating in an air fryer is recommended as well.
Final Thoughts
Just wanted to mention that this crust works for more than seafood. It’s great for a chicken cutlet or pork cutlet as well. Come to think of it, I already have a recipe on the site for Almond Breaded Chicken Cutlets. Ha! See, I wasn’t kidding you when I said I love this technique!
Have you tried this Almond and Parmesan Breaded Flounder yet? If so, tell us how they turned out in the comments below. I hear that leaving positive comments on recipe websites is an easy way to bank some good karma. And don’t forget to sign up for the Everyday Alchemy newsletter here.
Almond and Parmesan Breaded Flounder
Ingredients
- ½ cup gluten free flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 2 flounder fillets
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For Garnish:
- 1 lemon wedged
Instructions
- Set Up Breading Station: Gather 3 shallow dishes that are big enough to dip the cutlets into.
- Fill one with ½ cup of gluten-free flour.
- Crack an egg into the second dish, and add a tablespoon of water. Whisk to create an egg wash.
- In the third dish, combine ¾ cup almond flour, ½ cup parmigano-reggiano, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Place a resting rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
- To keep from coating your hands in the breading mixture, attempt to keep one hand dry and one hand wet. Meaning, use one hand for the flour and the almond flour, and your other hand for the egg wash.
- Dip your 2 flounder fillets, one at a time, into the flour blend. Coat evenly, making sure to pat off any excess flour.
- Next dip the fillets, one at a time, in the egg wash, coating evenly. Let the extra egg wash drip off while holding the fillet suspended over the egg wash momentarily.
- Finally, coat the fillets in the almond flour mixture.
- Let the fillet sit for 10 minutes. This will help the flours adhere.
- Fry: Heat a ½ cup avocado oil to 350˚F in a large cast iron skillet, making sure the oil comes up no higher than halfway up the side of the pan.
- Depending on size, fry the fillets for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the fillets to a paper towel to drain off the excess oil. Serve hot with a wedge of lemon.
Notes
Hi, I’m Julia.
I’m a chef and wellness advocate passionate about helping others live well through nourishing food. I trained at the Culinary Institute of America and now work as a personal chef and community food advocate in Atlanta.
Want to know what inspired me to start Everyday Alchemy? Click the link icon below to read more.