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Sesame Crusted Fish | Pickled Plum

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November 12, 2025

With a tender interior and a crispy, nutty crust, this sesame crusted fish is a fun and delicious way to serve seafood to your family!

I love this sesame crusted fish because it's filling and also packed with protein. The fish is marinated in a simple mixture of flour, salt, and white miso paste, to give it some umami and saltiness. The crust is 100% made of sesame seeds, infusing the dish with plenty of nutty and earthy flavors.

This recipe is also versatile. Any type of firm fish can be used as well as chicken breasts and firm tofu. However, I suggest staying away from using red meat since the sesame seeds add quite a bit of heaviness. It's best to stick with a light protein to achieve the perfect balance.

Sesame Crusted Fish Ingredients

Marinating paste: A mix of salt, all-purpose flour, water, and white miso paste. The marinating paste not only infuses the fish with some salty and earthy flavors, it also tenderizes it. This results in a piece of fish that's very moist and tender.
Fish: While I used swordfish when making the recipe for this post, I have also made it using other firm fish such as salmon and cod. As long as the fish is firm so it doesn't flake during the cooking process, it should work beautifully. And like I have previously mentioned, you can also use boneless and skinless chicken breasts or firm tofu.
Sesame seeds: White sesame seeds or you can use a mix of black and white sesame seeds for a fancier look.
Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point such as grapeseed oil or vegetable oil.

USING TOFU? FOLLOW THESE STEPS

Since tofu has a high water content, it's important to remove as much as you can before frying it. Here is how to do it:

Use firm or extra firm tofu. They have the least amount of water, making them firmer and easier to handle than other types of tofu.
Take the tofu out of its packaging and drain it. Wrap one or two pieces of paper towel (you can also use a tea towel) around the tofu block and rest it on a plate. Leave it for 15-20 minutes. This steps helps to remove excess water.
Slice the tofu. If there is still a lot of water coming out, wrap each piece in paper towel and repeat the step. After that, the tofu is ready to be cooked!

To make this dish completely vegan, make sure to use a vegan miso paste such as Master Organic.

How To Make Sesame Crusted Fish

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

Make the marinating paste. In a bowl, whisk the salt, flour, water, and miso paste until a paste forms.
Prep the fish. Brush the fillets on both sides with the marinating paste. Use all the paste so the fillets are fully coated.
Let the fish marinate. Refrigerate the fish for 15 minutes to give it time to absorb the flavors.
Dress the fish with sesame seeds. Cover both sides of the fish with sesame seeds and press them so they are firmly sticking to the marinade.
Cook the fish. Cook the fish on both sides in a nonstick skillet until the sesame seeds are golden brown, and the fish is cooked through. Serve.

Recipe Tip

To get the best crust and prevent the seeds from burning:

Don't use fish fillets that are too thick. One thing to know about sesame seeds is that they cook very quickly! So it's important to use fish fillets that are no thicker than 2 to 2 ½ inches so they cook through in just a few minutes.
Don't use butter. I know, butter sounds delicious but avoid using it for this recipe. That's because butter burns quickly and can scorch the sesame seeds before the fish has a chance to fully cook.
Cook on low to medium heat. The key here is to get the crust to cook at about the same speed as the fish itself. This way the sesame seeds will be perfectly crispy instead of charred. 2 to 3 minutes on medium to medium low is how I achieve the perfect texture for both the fish and the seeds.
Flip the fillets only once. This prevents the crust from breaking.

How To Serve This Sesame Crusted Fish

This sesame crusted fish is very filling. The combination of firm fish, sesame seeds, and the fact that it's cooked in oil makes it a fairly heavy dish. Whenever I make this I only need a couple of small sides to complete my meal. The overall taste is mild but nutty and a little salty. It pairs well with Asian dishes just as well as with Western or Mediterranean ones.

Some of my favorite sides to serve with sesame crusted fish are:

Other fish recipes you might like to try: Pan seared cod with balsamic tomato sauce, Korean style fish donburi, teriyaki arctic char, honey sriracha salmon, ginger garlic air fryer salmon, tuna steak with tomato relish, black vinegar fish.

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Description

With a tender interior and a crispy, nutty crust, this sesame crusted fish is a fun and delicious way to serve seafood to your family!

Make the marinating paste. Mix the salt and flour in a bowl and add the water. Add the water and miso paste and whisk until a thin smooth paste forms.
Marinate the fish. Place the fish fillets on a plate and pat them dry on both sides using a paper towel. Coat each side with the flour mixture using a basting brush or a spoon. Put the fish in the fridge and let the fillets marinate for 15 minutes.
Coat the fish with sesame seeds. Take the fish out of the refrigerator and sprinkle the sesame seeds on both sides of the fillets, gently pressing down so they stick well to the marinade. If the marinade has become watery, pat some if off with a paper towel before adding the sesame seeds. The key is to get the seeds to stick well to the fish so they create a solid, crispy skin when they cook.
Cook the fish. Place a skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat its surface evenly. Add the fish and cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the sesame seeds as they can burn quickly! You can turn the heat down to low if that's the case. Cook until the sesame seeds are golden brown.
Serve. Serve immediately (the crust taste best right out of the skillet).