Pan Fried Sole fillets are one of the easiest fish dishes to make, and they always end up tender. Delicious Pan Fried Sole are easily coated with flour and egg and shallow fried in a hot pan until perfectly golden in less than 5 minutes.
When to Serve Pan Fried Sole Fillets
It’s the kind of dish that shows up for any occasion: Friday afternoons, Shabbat, on holidays, as the main dish of mid-week meals, as the first course at event halls for special occasions, (weddings, Bar-Mitzvas, etc.).
It’s made quickly, served simply, and gone in minutes.
Seasoning Options for Pan Fried Sole
I toss in fresh parsley for a bit of color and brightness, and a few spices that change slightly every time.
In the recipe below you’ll see how I usually make them. And in the Notes section beneath the recipe, you’ll find alternative spice options.
Dredge and Fry, or Dredge and Set Aside
Dredging the Sole Fillets
You have two options for dredging the sole fillets in flour and egg:
Option 1: Dredge each fillet and place it straight into the hot oil.
Be sure to gently scrape off excess egg on the edge of the bowl so loose egg strands don’t end up in the oil.
Option 2: Dredge all the fillets and lay them side by side on parchment paper.
The excess egg will stay on the parchment, but some coating may rub off where you handle the fish.
Ingredients of Sole Fillets
Very simple:
Flour, eggs, a few spices, optional parsley leaves, and neutral oil. That’s it!
And you don’t even need to make a batter. Check it out in the recipe below.
Best Serving Option
Serve hot straight out of the skillet for guests.
What to serve with Sole Fillets, Israeli Style
Here are a few dishes you can pair with Sole Fillets, Israeli Style.
Vegetarian Mushroom Barley Vegetable Soup
Dips for the Sole Fillets
Tahini, Garlic Aioli without Mayo, Tartar sauce, Mayo scallion dip
Storage Options
For storage right after frying, let them cool on the counter and then place them in an airtight container.
Store leftover fried sole fillets in the fridge for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, freeze them with parchment between layers for up to 1 month and reheat in the oven or skillet for a bit of crispiness.
Tip
Regular sole fillets are much thinner than Dover sole fillets, so you’d need 2 fillets per person as a main dish, and just one fillet would be enough as the first course to a larger meal.
Enjoy!
Pan Fried Sole
Golden pan-fried fish fillets, tender inside and mildly seasoned to perfection. Delicious for any occasion.
Ingredients
- White wheat flour - 1½ cups
- Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder - a pinch (optional)
- Kosher salt - 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
- Black pepper to taste (optional)
- 1/2 cup freshly rinsed and finely chopped parsley leaves
- Raw Eggs - 2 or more
- Neutral oil for frying (about 1 cup)
Instructions
Heat
- On a large burner set to a high flame for brownish fillets, which is the most appealing.
- On a large burner set to a medium-low flame for yellowish fillets.
- Mix flour with the spices in a dish. Whisk the eggs with the chopped parsley leaves in a large bowl.
- Hand whisk the raw eggs in a separate large bowl and add the chopped parsley leaves.
- Heat large non-stick skillet with 1/3 cup oil. Place the flour dish and egg bowl near the skillet.
- Dredge each sole fillet in flour first and then in the egg-parsely mixture, gently scraping off the dripping egg on the side of the bowl. Try to get as much parsley on as possible.
- Place 2 to 3 fillets at a time in the hot oil, side by side, making sure there's at least 2/3-inch spaces between the fillets.
- Fry the coated fillets 3 minutes on the first side and 1½ minutes to 2 minutes on the second side. Add a bit more oil with each new batch.
- Place on a rack set above a pan or on a dish with paper towels.
- Serve hot out of the skillet, or let them cool and store them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator without paper towels. Or freeze in an air-tight container for up to a few weeks. Some store them longer.
Notes
Flour
But you can use any wheat, spelt (whole, or white), or gluten-free flour mixture (not potato starch or corn starch) that you've used to bread fried protein dishes in the past.
Spice Options
- Instead of turmeric, you can use sweet paprika (mild Moroccan, or Hungarian, or you can add hot paprika for spiciness).
For a Mediterranean twist: Instead of or in addition to turmeric:
- Adda few freshly chopped basil leaves, or dry oregano.
- You could also grind (in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle) a teaspoon of dry thyme and/or dry rosemary.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 123Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 47mgSodium 62mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 4g
Nutrition values are estimated.