Homemade McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish burger! An epic fish burger that tastes remarkably similar to the real deal with the added bonus that it’s bigger, you know what goes in it, and it’s healthier ’cause it’s BAKED!! (Though you can totally fry it)
Homemade Filet O Fish Burger
Skip the Drive Through of Shame. It’s incredibly quick and easy to make Filet-O-Fish at home, and you don’t even need to fry!
Plus, you can make bigger ones at home. Ever notice how small the Maccers Filet-O-Fish are? Those teeny fish burgers barely scrape the bottom of my stomach.
At least we can make proper meal-size ones at home!
A homemade fish burger with a crunchy crumb that tastes just like McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish!
Baked Crumbed Fish Patties
I’ve been making faux oven-fried things most of my adult life, and for most of that time was disappointed by how the crumb came out all splotchy with white & burnt bits no matter how brutally I doused with oil spray.
So this is how I make all things crumbed in the oven: toast the breadcrumbs + one seasoned dredge batter with stronger glueing powers + oil spray = guaranteed golden, crunchy baked crumbed anything (baked crumbed fish, in this case). 🙂
I just recently shared a baked crumbed Chicken Tenders recipe using this same method where I wrote more about the logic so if you’re so inclined, pop over there for a read. It’s all driven by love of fried food vs waist and bottom expansion. The bonus is clean hands – no marshmallow fingers!
Yes, your fish will come out warped. They won’t be perfectly square and flat, like the boxed ones in the frozen section of the supermarket. We’re using fresh fish here, so warpage is the price we pay for true fish flavour and texture.
I’m totally cool with that!
Copycat McDonald’s Tartare Sauce
A quick inspection of the Filet-O-Fish ingredients followed by a taste test (yes, I did the Drive Through of Shame for this recipe!) is all it took to ascertain that the Tartare Sauce is pretty standard. Mayo, pickles / gherkins, capers, lemon juice, salt, sugar, parsley.
It’s just my basic Tartare Sauce recipe, minus dill plus a touch extra sugar (surprise, surprise 😂).
I make my homemade Filet-O-Fish burger using brioche buns because they are the closest to the super soft, super sweet buns used by McDonald’s. Though…. not as sweet and not quite as soft… but close enough!
And as for the cheese, in the spirit of copy-catting, I used this smoked processed cheese that I found at Coles (Aussie supermarket) with the signature Maccers orange hue but strangely lacking in smoked flavour. 🤔 So it’s perfect!
But any processed cheese will do. Or you could be a real rebel and use real cheese. 😳 – Nagi x
More burgers
- Homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffins
- Big juicy Beef Burgers
- Chicken Burger – juicy seasoned chicken breast steak with the lot!
- Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken Burger – chicken marinated in a homemade flavour bomb Peri Peri sauce
- Veggie Burger – Meatless made amazing. Puts those doughy bricks at the shops to shame!
- Browse all Burgers and Sandwiches & Sliders recipes
And more fish recipes!
- Crispy Pan Fried Fish
- Baked Fish with Lemon Cream Sauce
- Crispy Skin Salmon
- Brazilian Fish Stew
- Honey Garlic Salmon and Lemon Honey Glazed Salmon – super quick!
- Parmesan Crusted Salmon
- Fish Pie!
- See all Fish recipes
Watch how to make it
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Homemade Filet-O-Fish Burger (BAKED!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
- 400 - 500 g / 0.8 - 1 lb white fish fillets , flat / thin (I used Ling, Note 2)
- 4 soft buns , brioche recommended (Note 3)
- 4 slices processed cheese (Note 4)
- Oil spray (I use olive oil)
Dredge Batter (Note 5):
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard (or other mustard)
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Tartare Sauce:
- 1 cup / 220g mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp dill pickle / gherkin/ cornichon , very finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh parsley , chopped*
- 1 tsp capers , drained and finely chopped*
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice , fresh (or cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Tartare Sauce:
- Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes+.
Toast Breadcrumbs:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Spread breadcrumbs on a tray. Spray with oil directly down, not from side.
- Bake for 3 - 5 minutes until golden. Immediately transfer to bowl.
- Brush tray clean, spray with oil.
Crumbing / baking:
- Cut fish fillets into square-ish shapes slightly larger than the buns (they shrink when cooked).
- Mix Batter ingredients in a bowl.
- Carefully coat fish in batter (handle with care, fish fillets can be delicate).
- Place in breadcrumbs. Use other hand to cover top and sides with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Transfer to tray. Repeat with remaining fish.
- Bake 12 - 15 minutes until fish is cooked through. Immediately top with cheese - allow residual heat to make it semi melt (do not oven melt processed cheese, you get a plasticy film!).
Assemble:
- Cut buns in half, microwave for 20 seconds to warm through (microwave = stays soft).
- Top with fish and cheese, dollop with tartare sauce. Devour!
Recipe Notes:
* Tartare Sauce - Makes more tartare than probably required but it's a tragedy if there's no enough so I err on the side of caution. Keeps for ages in fridge.
* Fry option - follow dredge / crumb / fry steps in this Schnitzel recipe (video included)
* More background about this toasting / unusual single Dredge Batter / oven-fried technique in this Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders recipe. It's all driven by love of fried food / attempt to control waist expansion. 7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 1/2 cup of tartare sauce is used across all 4 burgers.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
How am I supposed to work when this golden furry head keeps butting in to see what I’m doing??
loved it used my toaster oven came out great.but i must admit i burned my panko the first time i browned the panko. needless to say the second time came out great.
Hi Nagi, we have used your recipe b4 and love it, just thought I would let you and others know that the new Coles Brand Pickle’naise sauce is just the same taste as the sauce in Mcdonalds burger ☺ just thought would let everyone know if you are too busy to make sauce xx
Nagi you receipes are something else All amazing. You are my hero 🙂
I couldn’t believe how good this was! The batter and roasted panko was such a game changer. Tartar sauce recipe is also a keeper. I made extra to dip my fries in 🙂 I used basa fillets which worked well but it did fall apart easily in the sandwich. No complaints here though 😉
I love Filet-O-fish and I am so glad to have found your recipe. It turned out great – the color is golden and it’s crispy! Both my husband and my son gave me an A+. I used cat fish. I have followed other recipes to use breadcrumb on chicken and fish, but it had never been this successful! Thank you so much!
Hi Nagi! I was just wondering if there is any way to omit the egg in the dredge batter. I am crazy about filet-o-fish, but my husband is allergic to eggs, which is why I’m trying to find a way to make it at home. I plan on using vegan mayonnaise as an egg-fee substitute for the regular mayonnaise, but I am having trouble figuring out how to replace the egg in the dredge mixture. Please let me know if you have any suggestions, I would really appreciate it! 🙂
Hi Charlotte, sorry I haven’t tired with an egg substitute here! N x
This was so good. I didn’t have spray oil so I dry roasted my crumbs and drizzled a little olive oil on the crumbed filets to bake. Turned out great.
My 15yr old has never had a McDonalds Filet-O-Fish and now wants to try one to compare. I’ve told her there is no comparison and also no after taste like you get with the McDonalds version!
Thank you
Perfect Jo!! And these are crispy and not soggy like McD’s either! N x
Hi Nagi, do you think you could use basa fillets for this recipe? I’m going to make it with my fillet-o-fish addicted niece on the weekend.
We cook the fillet-o-fish accd. to the recipe. We love it
That’s great to hear Gabriel! Thanks for letting me know 🥰
My breadcrumbs didn’t stick during baking🤷♀️ dont know what I did wrong followed the recipe exactly. The underside was also soggy not crunchy. Could it be because I put it on baking paper? I still assembled it all and ate it. Tasted amazing!
Hi Maree, sorry you had issues here – if you cooked it on baking paper, any liquid from the fish will sit on the crumbs and cause it to fall off and become soggy. N x
The both fish and tartar sauce was soo good! I tried ur browning panko technique with Tonkatsu years ago, but it was done using pan frying. Oven method was much easier! Thank u for another fantastic tasty recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Baking the breadcrumbs initially was such a game changer! Was deliciously crispy! Family loved it, thank you!!
I don’t really like fish but am trying to eat healthier! Anytime I try to bake battered fish it’s mushy on the other side! Any simple recipes/ideas would be appreciated!!
Hi! Thank you for sharing your recipe, I know it’s going to taste amazing already. Can I ask, what oven temperature you bake the fish on? Thanks!
Hi Mehreen, it’s listed in step 1 when toasting the breadcrumbs – the oven remains the same temperature at 180C/350F. N x
This recipe is fantastic! Far, far better than McDonald’s.
Thanks so much Lynn, and homemade is soooo much more satisfying 🙂 N x
Did I come here because everyone is thinking the same thing..’I want a filet-o-fish burger’and I’ll make my own because McDonald’s only does takeout.
Homemade is SO much better anyway! N x
Thank you for bringing joy into my life! My mom loves the filet-o-fish, but too afraid to eat takeout right now. She loves this recipe!
I made your Brazilian Stew Recipe but substituted homemade crispy oven baked seasoned potatoes instead of bell peppers and used vine tomatoes versus canned crushed tomatoes. The dish came out superb! Thank you for the recipe. I served it with my side dish of seasoned rice. 😋
YUM, that sounds fantastic Courtney! N x
Hi Nagi, just came across your Baked Crumbed Fish Patties and was wondering if I baked up a bunch of panko if it would store ok? I’m excited to try this recipe, and will definitely check out your other recipes. Thanks for all your effort and info.
Yes definitely Tracy!! N x