Fish is an incredibly healthy entree to cook at home. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, and extremely fatty fishes such as tuna and salmon are even thought to help ward off diseases like Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Oddly enough, despite these great health claims and even though Americans (we couldn’t find data on European consumers) eat around 15 pounds of fish each year, they eat twice as much fish in restaurants as they do at home. Considering that fish is quick and easy to cook, and also easy to store, it’s surprising that it doesn’t get as much love in the home kitchen.

We think part of the reason for that is that many people aren’t sure how to cook fish. A lot of people might be concerned about undercooking it, and oftentimes we’re intimidated by what we haven’t tried yet. So to help knock those statistics around, here’s how to cook fish at home that tastes just as good (or maybe even a little better) than that fish entree at the restaurant.

Now, depending on the type of fish you have and how thick it is, cook times will vary. We’re going to assume that you’re cooking a fish like salmon or tilapia that’s at around 1 inch thick. For fish that’s flatter, such as sol or flounder, your cooking time will be less.

What Should You Look for When Buying Fish?

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Another reason that many people like to order fish at restaurants rather than cook it at home is probably because they aren’t sure what they should look for when they’re buying fish. Luckily, it’s not too hard. Here’s a few quick pointers:

• For fillets, look for meat that’s firm in feel and has a bright color to it
• Avoid fish that has brown spots or discoloration – that’s a sign of fish that isn’t fresh
• Smell the fish – if it has an odor that’s stronger or a little more fishy (no pun intended!), it’s probably not the freshest

How to Cook Fish by Pan Frying It

To pan fry fish, start by adding oil to a medium or large skillet (depending on how large and how many fish fillets you’re cooking). Oil should cover the bottom of the pan. Heat oil over medium high until hot. Prep fish fillets with light seasoning or with breadcrumbs (if you like your fish to be crunchy). Lay fillets flat in skillet and cook 4-5 minutes for each inch of thickness, on each side. Let fish cool for 1-2 minutes before serving.

How to Cook Fish by Baking It

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a baking dish and lightly grease with oil or cooking spray.  Lay fish fillets in pan and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Squeeze a little lemon juice over fillets. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until done. You’ll be able to tell when the fish is completely cooked because the meat will be flaky (but still juicy) and will easily flake with a fork. If it’s hard to cut, or the meat is opaque in color, it’s not fully cooked yet and will need a few more minutes.

How to Cook Fish by Grilling It

When you’re cooking fish on the grill, you’re going to want to opt for thicker cuts of fish (at least 1″ thick) so that they don’t crumble on the grill. Oil the grill grate and heat up the grill. For gas grills, turn heat up to high for about 10 minutes with the lid closed. Charcoal should take around 30 minutes to heat up completely. Lay fish flat on the grill grate, and cook 4-6 minutes for each inch of thickness. Once the first side is done, flip the fillet over and repeat on the other side. Let the fish cool for a minute or two before serving.

Top it Off

The other great thing about cooking fish is that it works with minimal seasonings (a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon can be delicious and refreshing!), as well as spice heavy marinades, sauces – even coated with breadcrumbs. You almost can’t run out of ways to cook your favorite fish fillet. So tell us what your favorite is! How do you prefer to cook your fish and how do you top it off? Do you keep it simple or pile on the flavors? Let us know in the comments!