Fish Burger
20 min
Unbeatable for a quick weeknight fish dinner — the kids never complain when it looks like a burger.
fishdinnerfor kids
Crispy spiced pollock in a bun with quick pickled zucchini and a punchy chili mayo. Easy enough for a weeknight, fun enough that the kids will ask for it again.
Instructions
- 1
Cut out the pin bone strip from the pollock fillet using a sharp knife, then cut the fish into portion-sized pieces.
- 2
Mix together the flour, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl, then coat the fish pieces in the flour mixture.
- 3
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat and fry the fish for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Keep warm in the oven at 100 °C.
- 4
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into thin lengthwise strips. Put them in a bowl and toss with the vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, and turn the strips a couple of times before serving.
- 5
Stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha to make the chili mayo.
- 6
Warm the burger buns.
- 7
Spread some chili mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Add a layer of arugula, then a piece of fried fish. Top with sliced red onion and some of the zucchini salad, then place the top bun on and serve straight away.
Per average serving
0
Calories
kcal
0
Protein
g
0
Carbs
g
0
Fat
g
0g
Fiber
0g
Sugar
121mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
0
Calories
kcal
0
Protein
g
0
Carbs
g
0
Fat
g
0g
Fiber
0g
Sugar
121mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- The pin bone strip in pollock runs down the centre of the fillet. Run your finger along it and you'll feel the bones. Cut a V-shape either side of the strip and lift it out cleanly. Takes 30 seconds and saves a lot of grief at the table.
- Get the oil properly hot before the fish goes in. Flick a tiny bit of flour into the pan. If it sizzles immediately, you're good. If the fish goes in too early, the coating turns greasy instead of crisp.
- Start the zucchini pickle first, before anything else. Even 10 minutes in the vinegar and sugar makes a difference. The strips will soften slightly and take on a sharper flavour that cuts through the mayo nicely.
- Pollock fillets vary a lot in thickness. If yours are uneven, fold the thin tail end under itself before coating so the pieces are roughly the same depth. They'll cook more evenly and you won't end up with one piece overdone while another is still translucent in the middle.
- The chili mayo is two ingredients. Taste it before you spread it. Some sriracha brands are much hotter than others, so adjust the ratio to suit whoever's eating.
Ways to vary it
- Cod or haddock work just as well as pollock here. The cooking time stays the same. Haddock has a slightly sweeter flavour if you want something a little milder.
- If the kids aren't into sriracha, swap it for ketchup mixed with a small squeeze of lemon. You still get something saucy on the bun without the heat.
- The zucchini pickle is the base recipe, but thinly sliced cucumber works the same way if that's what you have. Same vinegar, same sugar, same timing.
Storage & leftovers
The fried fish keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store it separately from the buns and toppings. To reheat, put the fish on a wire rack in the oven at 180°C for about 8 minutes. It won't be quite as crisp as fresh, but it's much better than microwaving. The pickled zucchini keeps for a day in the fridge but goes quite soft after that.
What to serve with it
Oven fries or a simple green salad alongside keeps it feeling like a proper meal. Coleslaw works too if you want something creamy to balance the heat from the mayo.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 11 July 2026
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