Tools

The Best Pans for Cooking Any Kind of Fish

Shop This Video


No matter what kind of fish you’re looking to cook, we have the perfect pan for the job.

By Team Made In
Aug 18, 2023

If you’re cooking fresh seafood, it's important to ensure you’re using the proper pan. Because we love to cook fish in a variety of ways for different dishes and occasions, we pulled together this roundup of the best pans for each preparation.

This all-inclusive guide covers everything you need to know about cooking fish, no matter how you like it.

Table of Contents

    If you’re cooking fresh seafood, it's important to ensure you’re using the proper pan. Because we love to cook fish in a variety of ways for different dishes and occasions, we pulled together this roundup of the best pans for each preparation.

    This all-inclusive guide covers everything you need to know about cooking fish, no matter how you like it.

    For High-Heat Cooking: Carbon Steel Frying Pan

    Chef Tom Colicchio prefers our Carbon Steel Frying Pan for pan roasting fish on the stovetop. Because of its ability to change temperatures on a dime, it gives the exterior of your fish the right amount of char without overcooking it.

    Our Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pans allow you to explore the unparalleled cooking potential of Carbon Steel right out of the box, no setup required. Its design features high walls, keeping the oil where it should be: in the pan and not all over your kitchen.

    For Searing: Stainless Clad Frying Pan

    Our Stainless Clad Cookware excels at creating a perfectly crispy sear on just about any protein—fish and scallops included. Made from five layers of four different metals, it’s designed to heat evenly so your fish develops a crust, while staying flakey and tender on the inside as it cooks through.

    Because our Stainless is non-reactive, you’re able to pair it with acidic ingredients like citrus or tomato to bring out the fresh flavor from your catch of the day.

    For Weeknight Cooking: Non Stick Frying Pan

    If you’re looking for a simple and healthy weeknight dinner, like salmon and rice, our Non Stick Frying Pan is the pan for the job. Made with the same body as our Award-Winning Stainless Clad Cookware, we add two layers of professional-quality non stick coating to ensure even the most delicate filets like trout will still release from the pan with ease. And you won’t even need any additional oil or fat.

    For Frying Fish: Dutch Oven

    Whether you’re frying up the filling for baja fish tacos or creating a platter of fish and chips at home, our Dutch Oven is the pot you should reach for. With a heavy bottom and insulated walls that helps the oil to heat evenly, you can create crispy, beer-battered morsels in style. Wrap in newspaper for the full effect.

    For Grilling Fish: Carbon Steel Griddle

    If you’re looking to take your filets out to the grill, we recommend our Carbon Steel Griddle. With enough surface area for at least six filets, you won't overcrowd the pan, and each piece will get deliciously crispy. Best of all, you can also use this pan indoors on your stove—so no need to miss out on grilled flavors if it’s rainy or too hot.

    For Braising Fish: Saute Pan

    There are few things better than a slow braised piece of fish. Our 3.5 QT Saute Pan is perfect for the job. It’s deep enough to immerse the fish in the braising liquid of your choice, and comes with a tight fitting lid to seal in moisture. The end result will be a juicy piece of flavor-loaded fish just about every single time—like this tomato-braised version from Chef Peter Nguyen.

    The only thing you'll have to decide is whether you want a Stainless Clad Pan, or a Non Stick one: both are great options.

    For Baking Fish: Oval Baking Dish

    If you're looking to bake a side of fish, our Oval Baking Dish is the right choice. Crafted from Porcelain in France, it not only is oven safe, but it is beautiful enough to serve out of—take it straight from oven to table and prepare for the oohs and ahhs to commence.

    For Grilling Shrimp: Carbon Steel Grill Frying Pan

    If you’re planning on grilling up some shrimp or prawns, check out our Carbon Steel Grill Frying Pan. Not only is Carbon Steel ideal for retaining heat, but we designed this pan specifically for the grill. It has 62 intentionally spaced perforations, so you don’t have to worry about your shrimp falling into the coals. Plus, its lightweight construction allows you to quickly remove it from the grill to make sure that nothing overcooks.

    For Steaming Fish: Stock Pot

    Steaming is a simple way to bring out a ton of flavor from just about any type of fish, and to do it, all you need is our Stock Pot and a steaming basket. Simply bring water to a boil, place the steaming basket on top with the fish inside and voila, dinner is served.

    Pro tip: Our Stock Pot is perfect for a clam bake or seafood boil.

    For Roasting Fish: Roasting Pan

    Roasting fish is one of the best ways to cook any kind of fish on the weeknight. Simply pop it in the oven and you'll end up with a great fillet nearly every time. For this task, there is no better pan for the job than our Carbon Steel Roasting Pan. Designed to go from stovetop to oven to table, you'll be sure to impress any guest.

    For Cooking Whole Fish: The Fish Basket

    If you're looking to grill whole fish, look no further than the Fish Basket. Designed with Chef Fermín Nuñez, it was meticulously designed to grill whole fillets without sacrificing any flaky bites to the grill grates. The feature we're proudest of is the hooks welded to the top of the basket—rather than the sides—to hold large fish in place.

    Try out Chef's recipe for grilled redfish zarandeado to see just how perfectly the fish basket works.

    For Serving Fish: Serving Platter

    No matter how you cook your fish, you want something beautiful to show off your hard work. Look no further than our Serving Platter. Made in England, it’s large enough to plate up a whole fish, and stylish enough for any dinner party. On top of all that, it’s oven safe, dishwasher safe, and scratch resistant, so you don’t have to worry about your dinner guests ruining your brand new china.

    Ready to Cook?

    If all of that talk about fish made you hungry, our friend Chef Amanda Turner of Olamaie gave us a recipe for Blackened Snapper and Dirty Rice. Cooked on our Carbon Steel Griddle, it’s packed full of flavor and can be enjoyed no matter the season.

    [@portabletext/react] Unknown block type "legacyCtaSection", specify a component for it in the `components.types` prop