Have a taste of the Jersey shore anytime of the year with this Air Fryer Fried Flounder Sandwich! The flounder is fried in the air fryer to make this healthier version of a boardwalk classic!
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With the Lenten season just around the corner (it begins March 6th), I thought it was an appropriate time to work on a new seafood recipe. I was brought up in a Catholic home. Lent was a pretty big deal in our house. We participated in Ash Wednesday and didn't eat meat on Fridays. Friday was always pizza night, so it wasn't too hard to avoid meat when dad would make homemade pies.
Now, as an adult, my beliefs have changed and I no longer practice meatless Fridays or giving up something for Lent. But the Lenten season does inspire me to add more seafood into my diet.
A few years ago, my sister and I spent the day down at the shore. We hung out on the boardwalk and had lunch at a little restaurant on the water where you could watch the fishing boats come in and out of the docks. I had a fried flounder sandwich that was so delicious I'm still thinking about it years later!
The restaurant made this classic seafood sandwich with a breaded flounder filet that was fried until golden brown and served on a roll with lettuce and tomato. The sandwich came with a side of coleslaw, fries, a pickle spear, and tarter sauce. It was a fairly simple sandwich, but completely satisfying!
Since I've had a craving for this sandwich all over again, I decided to try making my own version at home using our air fryer to cook the flounder. The result was a crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside piece of fish.
Air Fryer Fried Flounder Sandwich
Ingredients
For the flounder:
- 2 fresh flounder filets
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs or your favorite bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sandwich:
- 2 sub rolls
- Iceberg lettuce
- Sliced tomato
- Optional: mayo tarter sauce, lemon wedges, coleslaw, fries, pickle spears
Instructions
For the flounder:
- Dip each filet into the egg. Then, coat with bread crumbs. Press the bread crumbs into the filet to make sure it's good and coated.
- Air fry for about 12 minutes at 400 degrees, or until completely cooked through.
For the sandwich:
- Split sub rolls in half and top with lettuce and tomato slices.
- Carefully place a flounder filet on the roll.
- Top with mayo or tarter sauce and serve with lemon wedges, coleslaw, fries, and pickle spears, if desired.
Air Fryer Fried Flounder Sandwich
I bought these really soft sub rolls from the bakery to make our sandwiches. If you're going to make a sandwich, you might as well make it right! There's nothing better than fresh bread from the bakery! Top it with some crunchy iceberg lettuce, some tomato slices, and dress your fish with a squeeze of lemon or a little mayo or tarter sauce.
I also served these sandwiches with air fryer sweet potato fries. You could also make these easy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries as a side.
This sandwich tastes like the boardwalk - and not in that sandy, salty seawater way! It's a dish that just feels like the Jersey shore to me. It'll taste even better over the summer when my husband comes home from fishing with his fresh catches and we have garden tomatoes to top our sandwiches with!
I'm not a big fish eater, but flounder has a sweeter flavor than most fish. If you're just trying different types of fish for the first time or want to add more seafood to your menu for Lent, this sandwich is definitely a good place to start!
Did you make this Air Fryer Fried Flounder Sandwich recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
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