If you miss crispy beer-battered fish and chips due to a gluten-free diet, this easy recipe will be a game-changer! The gluten-free fish batter uses fizzy soda water or GF beer to achieve an ultra light, airy coating. White fish is dredged in a mixture of gluten-free all purpose flour and rice flour, fried until crisp and golden for a gluten-free fried fish just as tasty as the classic pub food!
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Gluten-Free Fish Batter
Sometimes we just have to take matters into our own hands. You may not readily find gluten-free fish and chips on a restaurant menu, but that doesn’t mean you can never enjoy tender, flaky fish battered with a light, crispy coating again!
In fact, when testing this recipe I found it simple enough to make for a weeknight gluten-free dinner option alongside with a perfect accompaniment, creamy gluten-free slaw. And the better news? My non-gluten-free family had no idea they were indulging in fried fish coated with a gluten-free fish batter!
While the process to make gluten-free fried fish is actually quite simple, below are some easy steps to make this a no-fail recipe, even if you have never made battered fish before. I put in the effort to determine the most crucial homemade fish batter rules, so you’ll have perfect, consistent results when making this easy gluten-free recipe.
First of all, beer-battered fish is delicious for a reason! Of course, it adds taste, but more importantly it improves the texture of the coating. The carbonation aerates the batter as it fries, and the released carbon dioxide creates a light, crispy breading.
You have two options to replicate this. One, choose a brand from this gluten-free beer list. This would provide the bubbles for the batter, plus the alcohol, which evaporates faster, meaning the fish requires less frying time, decreasing the chances for a greasy coating.
If you don’t have gluten-free beer on hand, or would like a more affordable alternative, carbonated club soda water also works. I tested the recipe both ways and there was negligible differences in the fish batter.
Another important tip for making the best gluten-free fried fish is the addition of rice flour. Rice flour absorbs less fat and moisture than wheat flour so it fries up lighter and less dense. I use a combination of rice flour with gluten-free flour to ensure the batter adheres to the fish while frying.
Read on for more tips to make the best gluten-free battered fish, including the ideal oil temperature, how to keep the fish warm while frying batches, and the best way to reheat fish and chips! If you are looking for an universal seafood batter, be sure to check out this crispy, breaded gluten-free shrimp recipe as well.
Absolutely phenomenal! Best GF fish batter EVER. I’m from England so I know 😊👍
—Clareity
Used GF beer but only because some was on hand. Gonna use club soda next time. Turned out light and crunchy without being even slightly heavy. NO leftovers to worry about 😉
This is now my ‘go-to’ recipe for fish.
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Ingredient Tid Bits
When making homemade fried fish, some ingredient variations are possible. Any workable modifications are listed below, as well as how substitutions will affect the fish fry.
- Gluten-free all purpose flour – I tested the recipe with both Cup4Cup gluten-free flour and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure, which yielded better results. C4C contains a lot of cornstarch in the blend, which thickened the batter, made it harder to coat, and a more dense fried coating. Therefore, I recommend King Arthur Measure-for-Measure or a blend that does not list cornstarch as one of the top 3 ingredients.
- White rice flour – This is used to dredge the fish is before dipping in the batter, which helps the coating to not slide off. Also, a combination of rice flour and GF flour is used for the batter recipe, which creates a lighter texture. If your flour blend does not contain any cornstarch, that may be substituted, but rice flour is best!
- Gluten-free beer or club soda – The carbonation improves the texture while frying, while the alcohol in the beer reduces cooking time. However, it’s possible to achieve the same great results by substituting soda water as well!
- Fish – For a classic fried fish flavor use a flaky white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, pollock, flounder, halibut or tilapia. The thickness of the fish will determine the frying time. I used my favorite internal thermometer to make sure the fish was cooked to a temp of 140ºF. There are other considerations with fish, so I included more tips in Best Types of Fish to Use section.
- Oil – Use canola, peanut or vegetable oils for frying. Place in a deep, large skillet and fill until it covers about 2 inches deep. If it is less than that the fish will stick to the bottom as it fries.
Best Types of Fish To Use
I live in the Midwest, so unfortunately good quality fresh fish is limited or can be quite expensive. Therefore, I also tested GF fried fish using frozen and thawed cod. Unfortunately, this did not have as good of results as using fresh fish.
When dipping fish in batter, it should be as dry as possible so the coating stays on. When fish is thawed it releases a lot of moisture. It was virtually impossible to blot out enough excess liquid. After cooking, the fish has a mushier texture inside.
Fresh white fish does not require as much blotting beforehand and has a meaty, flaky texture after frying. Therefore, if possible fresh is best!
As far as fish types, any white fish will do, but a thicker filet gives better results for a gluten-free fried fish recipe, especially if you are looking for a classic fish and chips experience. Thinner filets, such as tilapia and swai will work but the batter to fish ratio will be off. Those fish types work really well for gluten-free oven fried fish, though!
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Prep the fish
Lay the cut fish on another baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place a top layer of paper towels over the fish and press to blot up excess moisture. Fresh fish is best because there is not as much excess moisture to blot out.
Shortcut dredge
A faster way to “dredge” fish – shake in bag with rice flour, salt, and pepper. We want to make this as fast and easy as possible. Always the goal!
Time to whip up the batter
Combine all the dry ingredients first. You will add the cold, liquid ingredients right before frying so the batter stays optimally cold. Using a GF flour without a lot of cornstarch keeps the batter nice and thin for dipping.
Now let’s fry!
Pour the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed deep skillet. Add enough oil until it covers about 2 inches deep. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 375ºF. The temp of the oil for frying is key so it doesn’t become too brown or too greasy. (Key when making airy gluten-free apple donuts as well!)
Take a piece of fish from the ziplock bag and dip it into the batter bowl. Use a fork to lift the fish out of the batter and transfer to the oil. Repeat so you have 3-4 fish cooking in the oil. It’s also key to not overcrowd the oil.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish, and use tongs to flip occasionally. Transfer the cooked fish to the paper towel-lined plate to briefly absorb excess grease. See tips below for how to keep fish warm while cooking in batches – key for maximum enjoyment!
Making Gluten-Free Fish and Chips
To make homemade gluten-free fish and chips you have options, depending on the time and effort you’d like to put in.
- Cook the “chips” or fries in the oil before frying the fish. Heat the oil to a lower temp first, 330ºF, and also soak the cut potatoes in cold water and dry on a lint-free towel before frying. Fry the potatoes in batches and keep warm in a 200ºF oven while the fish fries. Increase cooking oil temp to 375ºF when ready to batter the fish.
- While the fried fish is prepared and cooked, bake these crispy homemade oven fries. They also require a cold water soak first, so read through the directions before beginning.
- The easiest option for fish and chips? Bake or use an air fryer to prepare store-bought french fries while making the fish. Read ingredient labels carefully before choosing a brand, but Ore-Ida, Alexia Foods, and Grown in Idaho are safe. If frozen fries have seasoning on them, pay particular attention to the ingredient label!
Serving Suggestions
Serve homemade fried fish with lemon slices and tartar sauce. Of course, french fries pairs best with battered fish, but other options include from-scratch gluten-free fried onions, gluten-free tater tots, or steamed veggies for a side dish.
This fish recipe would also be a great option to make gluten-free fried fish tacos or a fried fish sandwich. Don’t forget to prepare a batch of these extra soft gluten-free buns ahead of time!
Essential Tips to Remember!
I want you to make this recipe with success the first time! Below are highlights of important steps to remember!
- For best results use fresh fish because it contains less moisture than frozen and thawed. Blot the fish dry before dredging in rice flour. This helps adhere the batter to the fish.
- For fish that is light and crispy and not oily, maintaining proper oil temperature is crucial! If it is too low, the fish will take too long to fry and become greasy. I made this mistake the first time! The oil temp will decrease as cold fish continues to go in the batter. Continually check the temp to make sure it maintains around 375ºF. If it is too hot, the batter will become too brown before the fish is cooked through.
- To properly maintain oil temp, it’s also key to not overcrowd the pan. The cold fish and cold batter will reduce the temp too much. Therefore only fry about 3-4 pieces of fish at a time, which also allows space for the hot oil to circulate around it.
- King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour, or a flour blend that doesn’t contain cornstarch as a main ingredient, yields a better fish batter consistency.
- For a light fried texture, it’s also key to keep the liquids cold before adding to the batter. Don’t add the cold egg or beer / soda until you are ready to dip the fish and fry.
- To keep the fish warm while frying batches, preheat the oven to 200ºF. Place a baking sheet with wire rack set inside. Briefly bot excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate and then transfer the fried fish to the wire rack to keep warm.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
No-Fail, Crispy Battered Gluten-Free Fried Fish
Ingredients
For Dredging
- ¼ cup white rice flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Gluten-Free Fish Batter
- 2 pounds white fish, cut into 2-inch strips, see recipe notes
- 1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour blend, King Arthur Measure-for-Measure recommended
- ¼ cup white rice flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces gluten-free beer or club soda, very cold
- 1 large egg
- cooking oil (canola, vegetable, or peanut), for frying
- tartar sauce and lemon, for serving
Instructions
- In a large ziplock bag combine the mixture for dredging – white rice flour, salt, and pepper. Shake to combine.¼ cup white rice flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200℉. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet and set in the oven. Line a plate with paper towels. After the fish cooks it will be transferred from the oil, to the plate, to oven to keep warm while frying batches.
- Lay the cut fish on another baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place a top layer of paper towels over the fish and press to blot up excess moisture. Fresh fish is best, but if using frozen and thawed, remove as much moisture as possible, changing out paper towels. Set aside while the the fish batter is prepared and oil preheats.2 pounds white fish, cut into 2-inch strips
- For the fish batter, in a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients – gluten-free flour, white rice flour, paprika, salt, baking powder, seasoned salt, onion powder, baking soda, and pepper. Set aside. You will add the cold, liquid ingredients right before frying so the batter stays optimally cold.1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour blend, ¼ cup white rice flour, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pour the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed deep skillet. Add enough oil until it covers about 2 inches deep. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 375ºF. This will take about 10-15 minutes to heat. Use an instant thermometer to maintain and keep testing the oil temp. As the fish cooks, it will have a tendency to lower the temp, which will make longer cook times and greasy fish. Adjust the heat accordingly throughout frying.12 ounces gluten-free beer or club soda, 1 large egg
- While the oil is heating, add the fish to the ziplock bag and shake to coat evenly. When the oil is the proper cooking temp, add the add gluten-free beer or soda and egg to the fish batter. Whisk to combine.
- Take a piece of fish from the ziplock bag and dip it into the batter bowl, coating on all sides. Use a fork to lift the fish out of the batter, letting excess drip off and transfer to the oil. Repeat so you have 3-4 fish cooking in the oil. Don't overcrowd the pan or the oil temp will reduce too much. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish, using tongs to flip occasionally. The fish should reach an internal temp of 140℉.
- Transfer the cooked fish to the paper towel-lined plate to briefly absorb excess grease. Transfer the cooked fish to the wire rack baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with remaining fish. Serve immediately with tartar sauce and lemon.
Notes
Recommended Fish
I tested the recipe using fresh fish and frozen and thawed cod. The frozen and thawed fish did not have as good of results as using fresh fish. When fish is thawed it releases a lot of moisture. It was virtually impossible to blot out enough excess liquid. After cooking, the fish has a mushier texture inside. Fresh white fish does not require as much blotting before hand and has a meaty, flaky texture after frying. Therefore, if possible use fresh fish! As far as fish types, any white fish will do, but a thicker filet gives better results, especially if you are looking for a classic fish and chips experience. Use cod, haddock, pollock, flounder, or halibut.Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container, refrigerated up to two days. After storing the coating will become softer, but there’s an easy way to reheat fried fish to revive the crispy outer coating. The fastest and easiest way is to use an air fryer. Spray the basket and preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Lay the fish in a single layer and bake for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you don’t have an air fryer, oven reheating is another good option. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Spray cooking spray on the wire rack and lay the fish on top. Bake in a 375ºF oven for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
WOW! I made this for the first time last weekend and it was a huge success at our house. As the one in the family that has the problem with Gluten, I am always on the lookout for recipes that my non gluten free husband and daughter also like. This was good enough, my daughter said today, that fish was so good”….something I did not expect to hear. Thank you for an easy to follow recipe that helped me create fabulous results. I used bobs red mill 1:1 and added the rice flour.
It’s the best compliment when our children like a recipe! Thanks so much for sharing, Erika!
Best,
Melissa
I was diagnosed with Celiac 3 years ago and I have really missed fried fish and have been looking for a restaurant that has gf fish. My wife, who is not gf, said try this recipe. Having never fried fish before I was a little nervous but it came out amazing. We are lucky in central NY to have a number of places you can get fresh raw haddock. My wife said that you would never be able to tell this was gf. I am going to make onion rings and fried fish next week. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!! A side note I used Ghostfish beer as I love the taste.
Yay! This is such a win and I’m so grateful you shared it with me, Linda. Thank you!
Best,
Melissa
Went PERFECTLY – it was our first time deep-frying anything, and even though our thermometer got swapped from F to C midway through without notice, the overcooking didn’t even leave the fish greasy. When they came out, they looked professional. Will absolutely make again!
Oh that’s great to hear, Angie! Especially with the accident F to C switch. Thanks for the comment!
Best,
Melissa
Absolute fail proof – the best gluten free batter ever.
Yay! So kind of you to comment, Candice. I appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
Yum! These were seriously better than I could have imagined. Even my fish hating kids approved.
Wow, Theresa! That’s quite the compliment. Thanks so much for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Oh my word! This is delicious!
Thank you, Kathi! I appreciate you saying so.
Best,
Melissa
I used this recipe tonight with halibut- very tasty! I don’t do a lot of deep frying so it was a bit of an experimented for me but we really enjoyed it! Thanks, Melissa🥰
I love that you stepped out of your comfort zone! Thanks for leaving me this note, Kathleen!
Best,
Melissa
Hi Melissa, really want to try the GF crispy batter recipe as looks so good, but interested what gf flour Clareity UK used whose review you posted – I see you recommended a flour blend that doesn’t contain cornstarch as a main ingredient, but would be good to know. Thanks
Gosh, that would be great to know. I will respond to her comment so hopefully she can chime back in.
Best,
Melissa
Used this recipe for the first time last night to make battered mussels. Worked a treat and was delicious. Have not had battered fish for so long as really hard to find a good gluten free batter. I’m now looking forward to trying it out on some snapper. Thank you!
Love to hear this, Toni! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note.
Best,
Melissa
Fabulous recipe 😋 My son is GF and has been wanting to eat some fish and chipsmy husband brought back a box of sh from Alaska and this recipe was an honor to follow and utilize. Crispy, flaky, light and tender. We are so grateful for the share. Dinner was delicious! It was so so good that it was difficult to tell that it was GF. Now that’s a win!!
Its one of the best compliments when someone tells me they couldn’t tell it was gluten-free! Love that you got to use it on fish right from Alaska. Thanks for the note, Ariel!
Best,
Melissa
Amazing! My daughter has Celiac and was missing battered fish – this is so good, the non Celiacs loved it too. 😊 I’ve made it twice using Halibut – the GF beer is flavourful , but the club soda works in a pinch. Thank-you!
Love hearing this, Sky! Thank you for taking a moment to share.
Best,
Melissa
Very yummy & oh so crispy. We used walleye fillets which cooked up quickly. Thanks for sharing!
So lovely to hear! Thank you so much for taking a moment to share!
Best,
Melissa
Made this a few times. It’s really good. Not sure what I’m doing wrong as the first time I made it, it was thick and the batter seemed better than my second attempt. I followed everything to the T. Also wanted to say when I use the measurements, this makes a lot of extra batter to fish according to the weight of 2 pounds of cod. I end up making fried mushrooms and veggies with the left over batter. Seems the amount of batter is good for almost 3 pounds of fish.
If you can find it Austin Beerworks Pearl Snap or any non hazy beer from Austin beerworks are considered Gluten Free. You can Google their company and gluten free and it explains why they are. Anyway I am Gluten intolerant and I drink and use it in my beer recipes.
Hey Chad,
Thanks for writing. What GF flour did you use? When I was testing the recipe with different types, I found that some made the batter too thick. That is why I recommended the King Arthur Measure-for-Measure. I’m sure others work too, but just going through what was in my pantry!
Best,
Melissa
This looks like a million dollar recipe. I really love my fish lemony. I want to try adding lemon zest to the dredge. Thank you for posting your good research and enginuity!
That sounds like an amazing idea, Tommy! Let me know how it works out for you.
Best,
Melissa
I’m getting ready to make this recipe a third time this year; it IS that good! I was interested in how much gluten is in beer, and it turns out that if a clear, light-colored, non-wheat, beer is used, the gluten content is extremely low, such that, unless someone is allergic to gluten, it shouldn’t cause a problem for them, especially considering the amount of beer that would be contained in a reasonable serving of this recipe. I’m going to use peanut oil this time, since the previous uses of olive oil were a little expensive 🙂
Thank you so much, Bob! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment on the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
I have made this recipe twice and it was delicious both times. This is my go to for fish. The batter also works perfectly well for onion rings. I use corn starch instead of white rice flour and egg replacer as we cannot eat eggs. So nice to have crispy battered fish again. Thanks for this recipe!
So lovely to hear, Lyn. This makes me so happy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Best,
Melissa
Lyn, what egg replacer did you use? I would love to try this
Wow! Just finished scarfing down a pound of fish with my wife! This recipe is so good we didn’t even make it to putting on plates; we just ate right from the paper-towel lined plate used by our grill (I cook fish outside to keep the smell out of the house 🙂 ). I used light olive oil. I don’t know if that made it better or not, but it WAS DELICIOUS! Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you so much, Bob! I really appreciate the time you took to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
I would highly avoid canola oil, one of the worst ones for human consumption.
So good!
Thank you, Marilyn!
I had tried other GF batter recipes before, but never achieved a satisfactory crispy batter. I could see that your recipe was similar, but had a few different ratios, etc. I did substitute Tapioca flour for the rice flour as I didn’t have any. It still came out just splendid. Using fresh Cod, I dusted the pieces individually instead of the ziploc method, I just put the flour into a pie plate to make sure it covered every bit of the surface. It took 5 batches to complete the 2.5lbs of Codfish. The batter did not come loose from the fish oil. But the batter dripping made really good crispies.
The method of draining to a plate, then to a warm rack in the oven worked really well.
Overall, this recipe served our family well and will be added as my go to for Fish n Chips. Thanks so much for publishing it!
Thanks for bring a smile to my face, Denise! Your compliments mean a lot and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
I made this for my family (that is not gluten free) and it was a huge hit! In rural Michigan we only have frozen options, So I thawed the fish then sandwiched pieces between paper towels and covered that with another cutting board with a brick on top. Turned out perfect. My Hubby liked it so much he insisted I use this exact batter for onion rings. THANK YOU! I am gluten free for medical reasons. Next time I will use 3 lbs. of fish (4 people) and hope there are leftovers.
Thank you Nancy! I’m so happy your family enjoyed it. It’s always great to hear when non-GF people give their stamp of approval!
Best,
Melissa
Absolutely devine. Not buying store bought fish in batter anymore! Yummy 😋
I really appreciate this, Julie! I didn’t know you could buy fish batter!
Best,
Melissa
Fish in batter is for sale in supermarkets in UK
Ah, I see. We just have mixes here, but they are not GF.
Best,
Melissa
I did a trial cook using halibut before my wife returns from her travel. She and my daughter are celiac so I’m always looking for recipes to accommodate them. The batter was crispy and delicious. I did omit the egg and used LaCroix lemon sparkling water (it’s all I had).
I can’t wait to try it with fish with more flavor, e.g., lingcod, black sea bass or rockfish.
The recipe is now in my book. Thank you!
Oh, love this so much, Rick! What a sweet gesture for your family. By the way, I’m so jealous of all the tasty fish available to you! That is not the case in Indiana…
Best,
Melissa
Hello! I made this last night for dinner with some nice haddock I got while working in Maine. I had to fudge my ingredients a little (used different starches/flours, had no baking soda) because I’m trying to decrease grocery spending and use what I have at the moment, but the fish came out muy perfecto!!! So good. SO GOOD.I had it with some steamed broccoli I needed to use up and it felt so good to have a belly full of yummy fish.
This makes me so happy to hear, Patty! Thank you so much for taking the time to share. That meal sounds amazing!
Best,
Melissa
Absolutely phenomenal! Best gf fish batter EVER. I’m from England so I know 😊👍
Used gf beer but only ‘cos some was on hand. Gonna use club soda next time. Turned out light and crunchy without being even slightly heavy. NO leftovers to worry about 😉
This is now my ‘go-to’ recipe for fish. Happy grandson!!
Wow, this makes me immensely happy! Thanks for giving the stamp of approval from England even! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Quick question for you, Clareity, so hopefully you can help out other UK cooks! Which brand of GF flour did you use for the fish batter?
Best,
Melissa
I tried the gluten free deep fried batter tonight and was amazed with the light crunchy outer batter, however the batter quickly became soggy when it sat on the plate for a few minutes. I measured exactly, but need to know what went wrong. Please advise.
Hi Terry,
Hmm, I haven’t had this problem. So you’re saying when it came out it was fine, but then as you were eating it it became soggy? Could it have been moisture from the fish? You used fresh fish and not frozen? And the batter and fish were cooked through? I’m sorry that happened. I’m perplexed too and would love to figure out the reason behind it.
Best,
Melissa
Thank you for your reply. We dried the fish very well before using it. It was fresh. Not really sure what happened.
This fish was delicious! Such an easy recipe! I can’t have eggs, so I used the flax with water, and I don’t even think I needed to. Made a light and crispy breading. Everyone loved it!
Oooh! I love the egg-free adaptation! Thank you so much for taking the time to share!
Best,
Melissa