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Grain-Free Pecan Crusted Flounder (Delicious and Easy!)

Katie Wells Avatar

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Healthy pecan crusted fish recipe
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Grain-Free Pecan Crusted Flounder (Delicious and Easy!)

This pecan crusted flounder is a recipe that I’ve been making about once a week at our house. The crunchy, nutty crust topped with pastured butter really makes it a comfort food we all love.

Finely chopped nuts mimic the crunchy delicious texture of fried fish (without all the frying in rancid processed oil). The kids love fish baked this way … especially dipped in homemade ketchup!

Pecan Crusted Flounder vs. Fried Frish

I first tried this nut “breaded” fish at a favorite restaurant of ours that closed and loved it. I knew I had to find a way to make it at home.

After a few attempts I found that it wasn’t that hard to make and only required a few ingredients … and so a new family favorite was born! We especially enjoy this in the winter months when warm comfort food is especially delicious.

Pecan crusted flounder is my favorite version, but any whitefish works well. (For what to consider when buying fish see this post.) Just be sure to adjust cooking times and temperature to the thickness of the fillets as flounder tends to be on the thinner side.

Add a fresh green salad on the side or a sweet potato with roasted Brussels sprouts for a great meal, or use this herb-infused compound butter in place of plain melted butter to add another layer of delish!

Healthy Grain-Free Comfort Food

Ask any kid … texture matters as much as taste when it comes to food. Often a kid (or let’s face it, grown-ups too) who won’t eat plain baked fish will eat the heartier breaded version, especially when served with dipping sauce.

Here are some other favorite savory dishes that are kid-friendly and grain-free (and a few for the grown-ups as well). Add one of these to the family meal rotation for that comfort food fix:

Grain-Free Fish Sticks – Another kid-friendly fish recipe. A coconut flour-based breading makes these baked fish sticks grain and gluten free. Can also be used as breading on whole fillets.

Grain-Free Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard – Nuts again for the win! Almond flour and pastured eggs combine to make grain free, gluten free chicken nuggets that honestly taste better than the traditional version. Homemade honey mustard dipping sauce adds more healthy fats (and makes kids happy).

Easy Coconut Shrimp – Sweet, crunchy, decadent … and healthy. Serve with piña colada or mango dipping sauce (see recipe).

Cajun Gumbolaya – This savory grain-free gumbo/jambalaya reminds me of my Louisiana roots. Chicken, sausage, shrimp, cauliflower, okra, and of course plenty of rich flavor and Cajun seasoning make this real comfort food for our family.

Parsnip Fries with Harissa Mayo – Crispy golden parsnips fried in tallow and served with a exotic creamy dip … it’s comfort food for grown-ups! (or for kids if they’re adventurous!)

Find more grain-free recipes here and in The Wellness Mama Cookbook.

Healthy pecan crusted fish recipe

Pecan Crusted Flounder Recipe

A delicious pecan and walnut crusted fish. Serve with a fresh salad and/or roasted brussels sprouts on the side to complete this healthy meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Calories 424kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

4

Ingredients

For the Fish:

For the Salad:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and make sure fish is defrosted if using frozen.
  • In a bowl, whisk eggs until smooth in a bowl.
  • Put ground nuts on a large plate.
  • Dredge each piece of fish in egg and then dip in the ground  nuts. Nut mixture will not stick as well as flour and this is ok. You should have some leftover nut meal after lightly coating the fish.
  • Carefully place each piece in a large baking dish.
  • After all fish is in dish, top with any remaining ground nuts and pat down.
  • Add the minced garlic to the melted butter or ghee, then pour over the fillets.
  • Put fish into preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and starting to flake.
  • While cooking, prepare salad by washing spinach and lettuce and topping with desired toppings: pumpkin seeds, nuts, feta cheese, olive oil, and homemade dressing of choice.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Pecan Crusted Flounder Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 filet)
Calories 424 Calories from Fat 183
% Daily Value*
Fat 20.3g31%
Saturated Fat 5.8g36%
Cholesterol 3.3mg1%
Sodium 206mg9%
Fiber 2.1g9%
Sugar 0.5g1%
Protein 41g82%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Can’t do eggs? I’ve had success with these egg alternatives.

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

What is your favorite way to prepare fish? Ever made a copycat version of a favorite recipe that turned out well? Please share!

pecan crusted flounder
Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

17 responses to “Grain-Free Pecan Crusted Flounder (Delicious and Easy!)”

  1. Robert Chaney Avatar
    Robert Chaney

    You list one clove of minced garlic in the ingredients, but I can find where it is in the recipe. Should it be mixed with the butter?

  2. Irene Avatar

    I’d love to make the recipe but I can’t find the list of ingredients (the amount of carbs aren’t there either). As a lot of people already used the recipe, they must be somewhere??

    Btw great site. Thanks for all your work.

  3. Carmella Avatar

    Made it tonite, so delicious! I added a little whole wheat flour to the pecan before blending and to hold the meal to the fish better.

  4. Kelly Killeen Avatar
    Kelly Killeen

    I love pesto crusted fish. Works with every kind of fish I’ve tried it with. Just rub down the fish with a healthy helping of pesto and bake. Works best at a lower temp so the pesto has more time to crisp without burning the fish. Gonna try this new recipe soon though! 🙂

  5. Amanda C. Avatar
    Amanda C.

    This sounds great! My roommate and I are always looking for ways to dress up fish.

  6. Tara Sz Avatar
    Tara Sz

    I put the butter on top of the fish as it baked.  Is that where it should go?  It was great!

    1. Carmem Avatar

      Check Katies’ recipes for condiments, the ketchup recipe is in there somewhere 🙂

  7. Deborah Avatar

    OK so we made this last night. Agreed, GREAT dish for adults. My two kiddos were so-so with it, but I think I baked the fish (tilapia)a bit too long because I cut it up into smaller portions first and so it cooked faster on all sides. Definitely one I will be doing again. Thank you for posting. 🙂 Also, (maybe I have missed it?), but I can’t find a recipe for home made ketchup on here… would you mind posting it as I have a ketchup-mad three year old and this would be a no-brainer for us. Thank you in advance.

  8. Gissel Orellana Avatar
    Gissel Orellana

    Tried this tonight, we love it!!!! Thank you

    One comment though, where does the butter come into play I don’t think you mention it in the recipe. I mixed mine up with the eggs LOL!

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