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Easy Fried Flounder with Tartar Sauce


It's flounder season here in North Carolina! Fried flounder with Tartar Sauce is our family's favorite way to eat flounder!

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Flounder season only lasts two weeks this year, so we have been trying to get as many as we can to eat throughout the year.

Flounder is our favorite fish to eat.

It's mild, firm, and even a little sweet.

I've been sharing our fishing trip adventures on my Instagram stories, and I have gotten so many questions about flounder!

The number one question has been how do you cook flounder?

Well, there are lots of ways that are so delicious. 

But I figured I'd share the most basic and simple way, really the traditional Southern way to cook it, fried flounder with tartar sauce.

There's a nice little recipe card at the end to show it all simply, and please take a minute to give my recipe some star love if you can!

This recipe is really easy.

Even if you don't usually fry.

Let's do it!

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 T Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's)
1/2 t garlic powder
4-12 flounder fillets

Canola or vegetable oil to cover frying pan 1" deep

1/3 cup mayonaise
1 T lemon juice
2 T sweet pickle relish

Directions

Add the oil to a frying pan or skillet and heat on medium high. 

On a plate, mix the first four ingredients well.

Dredge both sides of the flounder fillet in the breading.


When the oil is ready, when it starts lightly bubbling and moving is light waves, add the fillets carefully, skin side down.

Fry about 3 minutes on the first side, or until it reaches a golden brown. Then flip the fillets to the other side and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the fillets to a plate covered in paper towels.

For the tartar sauce, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, and relish together in a small bowl.




More Fried Flounder Recipe Info

  • How many flounder fillets do I need? The amount you need to make depends, obviously, on how many people you are feeding and how big your fillets are.  For reference, the last time I made this (yesterday) it took 12 filets to feed us all because they were on the smallish size and there are 6 of us. This breading recipe will coat at least 12 fillets.
  • What goes good with flounder? Cole slaw is the most common side dish for fried flounder. Other great options are Lemon Cream Pasta, rice, quinoa, vegetables like asparagus or green beans, Butter Bean Salad, or even a salad like this Mango Avocado Feta Salad.
  • Can I fry frozen flounder? You can! Your cook time will increase by at least double. And if you can let it defrost just a little bit, or rinse in water and then pat dry, the breading will stick better.
  • Can I make gluten free fried flounder? Yes! Just use only corn meal in the breading and it will be just as delicious!


Easy Fried Flounder with Tartar Sauce

Easy Fried Flounder with Tartar Sauce
Author: The Roots of Home
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Easy fried flounder with tangy tartar sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1 T Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's)
  • 1/2 t garlic powder
  • Canola or vegetable oil to cover frying pan 1" deep
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 2 T sweet pickle relish

Instructions

  1. Add the oil to a frying pan or skillet and heat on medium high.
  2. On a plate, mix the first four ingredients well.
  3. Dredge both sides of the flounder fillet in the breading.
  4. When the oil is ready, when it starts lightly bubbling and moving is light waves (see video below), add the fillets carefully, skin side down.
  5. Fry about 3 minutes on the first side, or until it reaches a golden brown. Then flip the fillets to the other side and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Remove the fillets to a plate covered in paper towels.
  7. For the tartar sauce, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, and relish together in a small bowl.
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