Vegan Fish Fillets

I’m so excited to share this recipe! Introducing vegan fish fillets!

These fish, or should I say feesh fillets, have super tender and flaky “flesh” and crispy skin! It’s high-protein (26g per serving!) and takes just 15 minutes to prepare! It’s one of the closest fish alternatives I have ever tried!

HOW TO MAKE FISH FILLETS

The base of this recipe is TVP. If you have never heard of TVP, it means Textured Vegetable Protein. It is a dry product that comes in many different shapes, like cutlets, chunks, etc. It first needs to be rehydrated before being used as a meat substitute.

You need TVP slices for this recipe, preferably the large ones (if you can only find small ones, check the metric measurements in the recipe to ensure you are using the correct amount). You can see below two of the brands I usually use.

Be aware there are many different names for it, from “Pork slices” to “Chicken slices” or “TVP slices.” Just try to get the ones that are similar to the photo above. All of them are basically the same thing. I found two products online that seem to be similar to the ones I use. You can check this one or this one. Otherwise, it can sometimes be found in the dry section of Asian stores.

Note: Do not substitute with soy curls, chunks, or beef TVP, as you won’t get the same texture. This one has fibrous layers you would not get with the other kinds.

Soak your TVP slices in hot water for 30 minutes or until soft. Depending on the brand, some slices can take longer to rehydrate. Then, drain, rinse, and squeeze to remove the excess water. I usually soak it with a few pieces of nori overnight. Soaking the TVP with the seaweed won’t affect the flavor much, but it does add a little extra “sea” flavor.

Next, drain and squeeze the TVP slices to remove the excess water. Add to a food processor and add the flavorings:

• Vegan Fish Sauce: While it doesn’t add a fish flavor, it brings umami, saltiness, and a much deeper flavor. Vegan fish sauce can be found in Asian stores, or you can get it here. If you do not have fish sauce on hand, you could try using soy sauce. It’s not the best substitute, but it should work.
• Garlic, onion powder, and black pepper: I went with basic aromatics here, but feel free to add your favorite spices.
• Dill: As dill is often associated with fish, it helps create the illusion of a fish flavor.
• Sugar: To balance with the saltiness.
• Dulse: Add a teaspoon or two of rehydrated dulse flakes if you are looking for extra ocean flavor. This is optional, though.

Another optional ingredient is mushroom seasoning. It’s a healthier alternative to MSG and helps enhance the flavors. Simply omit it if you don’t have it on hand.

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until it almost forms a paste. Do not over-process, or you might lose the flaky texture. It should hold together when you squeeze the mixture between your hands but still have a flaked tuna texture. Once you have reached the texture below, process a bit more.

When it comes to shape, there are two ways. You can either:

• Make fillets: This one will look more like a real fish fillet. It’s best to serve it with a sauce on top (garlic butter or lemon parsley sauce, for example). To make fillets, press down the mixture on a sheet of nori. You can make a simple rectangle shape or cut your sheet of nori in the shape of a fish!
• Make rolls: Rolls are great for braised dishes as they hold up better than a fillet (recipe coming soon!). To make rolls, cut rectangles of about 2.5×4-inch, place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture on the bottom, and roll it out into a roll. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and slightly wet the end of the nori sheet before closing it. This way, the nori sheet will stick, and your rolls won’t “unroll” during cooking.

Finally, pan-fry your fish fillets on both sides until golden brown! The nori sheet will crisp up while the flesh will stay tender.

Note: Do not expect this to taste exactly like a fish fillet. It does, however, have a very nice flaky texture, and it’s amazing when served with a sauce or braised! To compare, I would say the texture is quite similar to flaked tuna. If you have made “tofu fish fillets” before, these are far superior in texture!

HOW TO COOK THESE FILLETS

Once your fillets are pan-fried, you can serve them as is and top them with your favorite sauce or braise them.

One of my favorite ways to cook these vegan fish fillets is to sauté garlic and shallots until golden brown, then deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of sugar, and plenty of black pepper. Pour a few tablespoons of water to dilute the sauce and add your fillets. Cook for a few minutes and serve with rice or veggies. The fillets will soak up the sauce and become so juicy!

I hope you will love these vegan fish fillets! They are tender and flaky and have a delicate texture and super crispy nori skin!

Looking for more meat alternatives? Check out this Vegan Roast Pork, Vegan Chick’n, or these High-Protein Vegan Burgers!

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!

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Vegan Fish Fillets

4.60 from 5 votes

Author: Thomas Pagot

Flaky and tender vegan fish fillets! It’s definitely one of the closest fish alternatives I have ever tried!

Print Pin Review

Prep Time : 15 minutes mins

Cook Time : 5 minutes mins

Total Time : 20 minutes mins

Servings 2 fillets

Calories 178 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 8 pieces TVP slices
• ▢ 1 tbsp vegan nuoc mam
• ▢ 1 tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 tsp dried dill
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic
• ▢ 1/4 tsp white vinegar
• ▢ 2 tsp dulse flakes rehydrated, optional
• ▢ 1/4 tsp mushroom seasoning optional
• ▢ 1/4 cup cornstarch
• ▢ 1 nori sheet

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Instructions

 

• Add the TVP slices to a large bowl or plate and cover with boiling water. Let it sit for about 20 minutes or until the TVP is tender. You can soak the TVP slices overnight in the refrigerator as well.
• Drain the TVP slices and squeeze them to remove as much water as possible. Transfer to a food processor and add the vegan nuoc mam, sugar, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried dill, garlic, vinegar, dulse flakes, and mushroom seasoning if using.
• Process for 15-30 seconds or until it forms a flaky paste (a bit like flaked tuna). Add the cornstarch and process for a few more seconds. You want the mixture to hold together when you squeeze it between your hands, but it should still be slightly crumbly.
• Cut your nori sheet into two rectangles of about 5×2.5 inches. Press down half of the mixture onto each nori sheet to a 1/2-inch thickness. Press it down firmly.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet. Once hot, use a spatula to transfer your fish fillets to the skillet with the nori sheet facing down. Shallow-fry for 3-4 minutes or until the nori sheet is crispy. Flip the fillets and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
• Serve immediately with your favorite sauce on top of steamed rice and/or with sautéed vegetables on the side. For extra flavor, I recommend cooking your fish fillets for a couple of minutes in your sauce.

Notes

Calories may be a little bit higher since the fillets are pan-fried with oil.

This recipe is inspired by how vegan fish is made in Viet Nam and some other Asian countries.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 fillet | Calories: 178 kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.5 g | Protein: 26.2 g | Fat: 2 g | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 2 g

Course : Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine : Asian

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About the Author

Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.

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