Crispy, flavorful fish stir-fried with salt, black pepper, and fragrant aromatics! This easy Chinese salt and pepper fish recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes! A delicious main that's family-friendly, restaurant quality, and budget-friendly!
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This Asian fish recipe features bite-sized pieces of marinated cod coated in cornstarch and stir-fried with salt, black pepper, garlic, ginger, scallions, and red chili.
The fish is tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and perfectly seasoned with a mild kick from the chili.
It's a popular Chinese restaurant seafood dish that is best served over steamed rice and vegetables.
There are a few variations of this dish, like Salt and Pepper Pork, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, or Salt and Pepper Chicken. All are equally tasty!
I love ordering this dish anytime we dine at a Chinese restaurant as the fish is packed with flavor and it's deliciously crispy!
What makes my recipe unique is that it's shallow fried in less oil, reducing food waste and making it a bit healthier than the Chinese restaurants.
If you're not a fan of cod, feel free to substitute with halibut, haddock, or pollock filets.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Cod Filets: Or use skinless, boneless, sturdy white fish filets, such as halibut, haddock, or pollock. Fresh or frozen fish both work for this recipe. Avoid using tilapia or any tender white fish that will break apart easily.
- Garlic Cloves: Avoid replacing with garlic powder for best taste.
- Red chili: Use any large red chili accessible to you. For extra spice, use Thai bird's eye chili.
- Ginger: Avoid replacing with ground ginger powder for best taste.
- Green Onion
- White Granulated Sugar: Or use granulated cane sugar.
- Shaoxing Wine: A Chinese rice cooking wine. Or use dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
- Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low smoke point oil.
- Salt
- Black Pepper: Or use white pepper.
Fish Batter
- Shaoxing Wine: Or use dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
- Black Pepper: Or use white pepper.
- Salt
- Large Egg: You can also omit the egg if you're allergic.
- Cornstarch: Or use potato starch. Avoid replacing with tapioca starch or arrowroot starch, as it will cause the pieces of fish to stick together.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.
Variations
- Chicken version: Replace the fish with diced skinless boneless chicken thighs and omit the egg.
- Pork version: Replace the fish with diced pork shoulder and omit the egg.
- Shrimp version: Replace the fish with peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp and omit the egg.
- Tofu version: Replace the fish with diced extra-firm tofu.
- Gluten-free version: Replace the Shaoxing wine with dry white wine or chicken broth.
Expert Tips
- Use skinless boneless fish filets to make preparation easier and quicker.
- Evenly dice the fish, so it cooks evenly.
- Pat the fish filets dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture for the batter ingredients to adhere.
- Evenly coat the fish in cornstarch ensuring there are no bald spots. Feel free to add more cornstarch if needed.
- Ensure the oil is hot (around 325-350 F) before frying the fish. Check the temperature with a digital cooking thermometer or insert a chopstick into the oil and look for rapid bubbles.
- Fry fish in small batches and avoid overcrowding the pan as this will reduce the oil temperature causing less crispy fish.
- Drain the fried fish on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil, which can cause soggy fish.
- Don't overcook or burn the aromatics. They will only need about 10 seconds to become fragrant.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Chinese salt and pepper fish:
- Thoroughly pat the fish filets dry with clean paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then dice the filets into 1-inch wide pieces and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Evenly coat the diced fish with the batter ingredients as listed above: starting with the Shaoxing wine, salt, black pepper, and beaten egg. Lastly, evenly coat the seasoned fish with cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat until it's shimmering or 325 - 350 degrees F. You can also insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for rapid bubbles.
- Fry the battered fish in small batches until cooked, crispy, and golden. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Keep 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the oil in the pan and remove the rest.
- Sauté ginger, garlic, green onions, red chilli, and sugar for 10 seconds. Add the fish, and Shaoxing wine, stir-frying until evenly tossed with aromatics.
- Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Salt and pepper fish can last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Salt and pepper fish can be frozen for up to 2 - 3 months when stored in a freezer-safe bag, once cooled. To enjoy, air fry or bake from frozen at 400 F until heated through, about 12-20 minutes depending on the kitchen appliance.
Pairing Suggestions
Chinese salt and pepper fish pairs well with:
- Starters: Egg rolls, Crab rangoon, Egg drop soup, or Hot and sour soup.
- Rice Dishes: White rice, brown rice, or fried rice.
- Noodle Dishes: Chow mein, Lo mein, Plain noodles, or Soup noodles.
- Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Gok Choy, Spicy Garlic Bok Choy, Chinese Garlic Yu Choy, Chinese Garlic Gai Lan, Garlic Green Beans or Stir-fried Snow Pea Leaves.
- Protein Dishes: Orange Chicken, Beef Vegetable Stir-Fry, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!
FAQ
Chinese salt and pepper fish can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. Note: This dish is best enjoyed fresh as reheated fish tends to taste fishier over time.
The fish can be air fried by evenly spraying the air fryer basket with oil. Then place the coated fish in small batches in a single layer, so there is enough room between the pieces. Then evenly spray oil over the fish. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 4-6 minutes on the first side until crispy. Then flip over and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes, until crispy and golden.
Yes, feel free to fill the pan with 2-3 inches of neutral oil and deep fry the fish until cooked, crispy, and golden for a crunchier texture.
📖 Recipe
Easy 20-min. Chinese Salt and Pepper Fish
Ingredients
- 1.75 lb cod filet or skinless boneless haddock, halibut, or pollock fillets
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red chilli sliced
- 2 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry / dry white wine / chicken broth
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt or add more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or add more if needed
Batter
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry / dry white wine / chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg beaten
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch (add more if needed)
Instructions
- Thoroughly pat the fish filets dry with clean paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then dice the filets into 1-inch wide pieces and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Evenly coat the diced fish with the batter ingredients as listed above: starting with the Shaoxing wine, salt, black pepper, and beaten egg. Lastly, evenly coat the seasoned fish with cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat until it's shimmering or 325 to 350 degrees F. You can also insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for rapid bubbles.
- Fry the battered fish in small batches until cooked, crispy, and golden. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Keep 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the oil in the pan and remove the rest.
- Sauté ginger, garlic, green onions, red chilli, and sugar for 10 seconds. Add the fish, and Shaoxing wine, stir-frying until evenly tossed with aromatics.
- Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Enjoy!
Swen Nater
I'm a Barbara Tropp fan and I'm sure you are too as few know about the marinade which is genius. Up to now, I've been coating the fish with salt and cornstarch but this "batter" resulted in more crunch and flavor. Thank you, Christie.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for your positive review and continued support, Barbara! I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe.
sally
I love how my fish turned out, I was using Pollock fillets, for the first time, because it was fishy, I decided this is the right recipe to take care of the "problem" and it did. Thank you for sharing.
christieathome
Thanks so much for sharing your kind comment with me Sally! Happy my recipe helped take care of that problem! Have a great day!
Joe
It came out very yummy! I found that the step of patting the fish dry is crucial otherwise the fish ends up not being crispy. I was a bit uncertain about how much fish is "two pieces." I cooked with 2lbs of fish and that worked out pretty well. Also remember to include the scallions in step 4 (at least I assume that's when they're supposed to go in). Thanks for all the info on sustainable fish!
christieathome
Thank you so much Joe for your kind review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for the note on how much fish you used! And oops, forgot the step on the scallions so thank you for reminding me to include that. Have a great day!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I love how you started this recipe with MSC certified cod filets... and the flavors you've added are so perfect! 💕💕
Brian
This was so good! I made it last night and it had such a great spicy taste.
Rebecca Dillon
This recipe sounds so tasty AND healthy! Can't wait to try it.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Looks delicious, Christie! We're definitely trying to get more fish into our diets and this looks like a yummy way to do it! So crispy!!