Quick and Easy Pan-Fried Sand Dabs

One of the many benefits of living in California is the State’s 840 miles of Pacific coastline. So, needless to say, finding fresh seafood, including Sand Dabs and Crab, is a pretty common thing. Whether you go out and catch it yourself or pick it up from the market, freshly caught fish is relatively easy to come by.

Our neighbor, who occasionally takes chartered fishing trips out of our local Monterey Bay, often shares some of his catch with us. Fresh-caught Ling Cod, Rock Fish, and Halibut are always thoughtful and appreciated gifts. Recently, he surprised us with a big bag of Sand Dabs and two Crabs. We made a mouthwatering Crab Bisque and yummy pan-fried Sand Dabs with this fresh catch!

Sand Dabs are some of our favorite dishes to order in the coastal restaurants, but this was our first time cooking them at home.

The result: Quick and Simple Pan-Fried Sand Dabs! Check out the recipe below, AND we’ll even share our secret homemade Tartar Sauce recipe as a bonus (goes with Sand Dabs or any other white fish)!

Fun Facts

Hold on, but what are Sand Dabs? And why do you like them so much? Sand Dabs are a local delicacy, available year-round, but winter seems to be the best time for fishing for them. Often caught four to five at a time on one line, it’s easy to fill a bucket with these guys quickly.

Sand Dabs or “little halibuts” were generally used as bait to catch larger fish until somebody (probably unlucky with catching the larger fish) tried eating one and realized they were pretty darn tasty! This white fish has a mild, sweet flavor and flaky delicate texture once cooked. As a matter of fact, you don’t want to overpower Sand Dabs with too many spices — in this case — less is more!

Quick & Easy Sand Dabs Recipe (serves 2)

PREP TIME: About 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5-6 minutes (max)

Note: Our fish was pre-cleaned for us, so cleaning is not included in the prep time.

Ingredients:

4 Sand Dabs fillets, cleaned, head and tail removed with the spine intact
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Juice of a half of lemon, plus a couple of slices to garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste
Capers
Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)

Instructions:

The great thing about these little buggers is that they don’t require much fuss. Just a few simple instructions, and there you go!

1. Bring your fish to room temperature and salt & pepper it to taste.
2. Beat eggs in a bowl and set aside (you can add a pinch of salt & pepper or another favorite spice if you like)
3. Heat your skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 
4. Once the skillet is hot, dip your sand dabs into the egg mixture completely, shake off excess egg, then roll in panko crumbs until the entire fish is coated.  
5. Carefully place the sand dabs into the skillet and fry them until the coating is turning golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip fish once and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. But keep an eye on them — they cook pretty quick. Also, try not to move them around too much, as this may cause the coating to fall off.
6. Gently move cooked fish to plates, sprinkle with lemon juice, and add a few capers and parsley on top. 
7. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.                                                   

Ta-Da! Easy-Peasy Sand Dabs pleasey! 😊

Bonus: Secret Homemade Tartar Sauce for Sand Dabs (optional)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup miracle whip (or all mayo, if miracle whip isn’t on hand)
1 teaspoon of horseradish
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 heaping tablespoon of sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon or so of dried dill
(add a dash of Old Bay Seasoning and Lemon Pepper, if desired)

Instructions:

Mix well and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve with your fish.

Serve Pan-Fried Sand Dabs with a dollop of a tartar sauce on the side, accompanied by your favorite side dish. Personally, we think that a simple arugula salad compliments our sand dabs perfectly because of the extra pepperiness of the greens.

Helpful Hint

The entire spine and bones lift out of the Sand Dabs pretty easily. Once Sand Dabs are cooked, simply use the tines of your fork to gently lift the top half of the meat downward and off the spine and ribs. With bones now exposed, grab the spine at the ‘head end’ and carefully lift it out. You are now left with a nice, mostly intact piece of a Sand Dab. But, like with any fish, always be mindful of bones.

Try this quick and simple pan-fried Sand Dabs recipe at home and tell us what you think! Looking for more deliciousness to make at home? We’ve already mentioned the Crab Bisque, but also check out our Barnyard Chicken Cutlets, Chorizo in Wine, and more!

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