Fish Katsu Bites

Crispy panko-breaded fish in bite-sized form! These quick and easy fish katsu bites are ready in 30 minutes. Made with simple ingredients and great as a main dish for the family, especially picky eaters!

Fish Katsu Bites feature white fish coated in cornstarch, egg and panko breadcrumbs then fried in oil. This Japanese seafood dish is so scrumptious and works well as a main dish, snack or side dish.

I love enjoying these fish katsu bites with a sriracha mayo dipping sauce on the side with steamed rice and your favourite veggies. Fish katsu is often served at many Japanese restaurants but they come in filet form.

This recipe was adapted from my chicken katsu recipe which has been a hit among my readers. I thought it would be great to create a fish katsu recipe which tastes lighter and is great for all fish lovers!

This is a very quick and simple fish recipe that is great for the whole family to enjoy, especially the kids so they can get some seafood into their diet.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements. 

• White fish: such as cod, haddock, halibut, or pollack because they are sturdy and not too flaky in texture. Avoid using tilapia.
• Japanese panko breadcrumbs: these are light and flakier than regular breadcrumbs and you can find them at Asian or select Western grocery stores. As a last resort, substitute with Japanese milk bread put through a food processor and lightly pulp until they become large flakes. Or substitute with normal breadcrumbs.
• Large Egg
• Cornstarch or potato starch: or as a last resort substitute with all-purpose flour.
• Salt and black pepper
• Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.

Sriracha Mayo

• Japanese mayo: this is a creamy type of mayo primarily made of egg yolks instead of both egg yolk and egg white. Most Asian grocery stores will sell this ingredient. Or substitute with regular mayonnaise.
• Sriracha sauce: this is a Thai hot chili sauce that is red in color. Most Asian and select Western grocery stores will sell this. It usually comes in a clear bottle with a green cap. Or substitute with gochujang or hot chili sauce you enjoy.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make fish katsu bites:

1. Dice fish fillets into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5-inch wide.
2. Pat your diced fish dry with a paper towel on both sides.
3. Evenly season with salt and black pepper on both sides.
4. Evenly coat each piece of fish in cornstarch, beaten egg and lastly panko breadcrumbs ensuring no bald spots.
5. Heat 2-inches of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat (around 350 degrees F with a digital instant read thermometer). To check if the oil is hot enough without a thermometer, place a wooden chopstick in the middle and if bubbles form, it's time to fry the fish.
6. Fry the fish in small batches on all sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side and cooked through. Note: cooked fish has an internal temperature of 145 F.
7. Transfer fried fish to a wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet to remove excess oil.
8. In a small bowl, combine Sriracha Mayo sauce ingredients and enjoy with fish bites.

Pairing Suggestions

These fish katsu bites serve well:

• starters like miso soup, Japanese crab corn salad or salad with Japanese ginger salad dressing or Korokke
• white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or Japanese rice dishes like Oyakodon, Omurice, Pork Katsu Onigirazu or Katsudon
• seafood dishes like shrimp tempura, panko shrimp or ebi mayo
• protein dishes like ramen eggs, chicken katsu or tonkatsu, Karaage, Teriyaki Tofu, Teriyaki Chicken, or Ginger Miso Salmon.
• other noodle dishes like Yaki Udon, Creamy Mushroom Udon, or Udon Carbonara

FAQ

Other recipes you may like

• Tonkatsu
• Tofu Katsu
• Korokke Japanese Potato Croquettes