We love straightforward answers: the best grill, the best pan, the best knife. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really work when it comes to fish.
The best pans for cooking fish are relative depending on the outcome you hope to achieve. Do you want crispy skin, tenderness, ease of cooking, or deep-fried perfection? Each requires a different pan, so we tested over a dozen options to determine which is best for each job.
While we found that the best type of pan varies, there are some common things to look for. You want your pan to be sturdy and have even heat distribution so the fish doesn’t cook unevenly.
It’s a major bonus if there are built-in assurances that the fish will cook without sticking, especially if you’re new to cooking fish. Nonstick surfaces make it so much easier to flip fish halfway through the cooking process.
Choosing the right pan for cooking fish
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fish pans—it depends on the recipe.
For the best results, you need to select the right type of pan. Here’s what we recommend, depending on how you’re cooking:
- For crispy skinned fish or breaded pan-fried fish: Cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel skillets
- For sautéing filets or delicate fish: Nonstick or hybrid pans
- For stovetop grilling: Grill pans
- For oven cooking: Covered bakers or roasting pans
- For steaming fish: Pans with a steamer insert
- For braising or poaching fish: Sauté pans
- For frying fish: Dutch ovens or woks
Read on for detailed descriptions of each pan type, along with tips and tricks to use them for cooking fish.
For crispy skinned fish or breaded pan-fried fish
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
Crispy fish requires a pan with excellent searing abilities, like cast iron.
Pan frying is our go-to method when we desire a crispy exterior, whether that’s skin-on fish or breaded fish filets.
You have a few options to get there: cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel skillets. Each has its benefits and drawbacks, but any of these options is ideal for producing a fantastic sear.
We also like that these pans are oven-safe, so you can use them for two-step cooking methods (e.g., crisping the skin on the stovetop and finishing thicker fish in the oven).
For cast iron, we like the Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet, our top pick for the best cast iron skillet. It comes pre-seasoned, minimizing the chances that the skin will stick to the pan. Cast iron also distributes heat evenly and offers excellent heat retention, ensuring that the skin will crisp up equally from side to side.
On the downside, although this pan weighs two pounds lighter than traditional Lodge cast-iron pans, it’s still heavier than carbon steel or stainless steel skillets. Cast iron is also reactive, which means it’s not the best choice if you plan to cook fish with acidic ingredients like tomatoes or lemon juice.
Finally, it can hold onto odors, so it may retain a fishy smell that could affect the next thing you cook. (I have a separate cast iron for baking and cooking, because no one wants their brownies to smell like fish!)
Lodge Cast Iron Chef Collection Skillet
This heavy-duty skillet can deliver slow, even cooking for various types of fish, including thin salmon filets or meaty tuna cuts.
While it’s not as common for home cooks, we love carbon steel pans, especially for quick-cooking weeknight dinners.
Carbon steel heats up significantly faster than cast iron but retains heat just as well. These pans are also lightweight; the Mauviel M’Steel 12.5-inch Black Carbon Steel Fry Pan weighs just over three pounds.
Over time, carbon steel develops a seasoning layer that rivals coated nonstick pans, but they do require proper care. Carbon steel must be reseasoned from time to time and can rust if exposed to water, which isn’t ideal for all homes. Like cast iron, carbon steel is also reactive, so it’s not an excellent choice for finishing crispy-skinned fish with acidic sauces.
Finally, we come to the trusty stainless steel pan. These pans provide the best of both worlds, although they don’t conduct or retain heat as well as the former two.
We recommend opting for clad stainless steel skillets (like Anolon Tri-Ply Clad 12.75-Inch Frying Pan). These pans have multiple layers, giving them exceptional heat distribution for even cooking. We reach for non-reactive stainless steel anytime we’re cooking with acidic ingredients.
But because stainless steel doesn’t have a nonstick finish, it’s not the best choice for those who have never cooked fish or are nervous about it sticking. If you use about a tablespoon of cooking oil, though, you should be fine with this pan.
For the crispiest results, keep in mind that the pan is not the only factor at play. First, make sure the skin is dry, using paper towels to remove any moisture from the surface before starting. To prevent the skin from curling as it cooks, score the skin in a diagonal pattern using a sharp knife. From there, start with a preheated pan and use enough oil to protect the fish from sticking.
For sautéing filets or delicate fish
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
If you’re worried about your fish sticking, a reliable nonstick pan is a great choice.
Nonstick pans have several advantages over traditional pans. These pans are designed to release food easily, making them ideal for eggs, pancakes, or delicate fish.
The nonstick coating is made from two materials: a friction-resistant synthetic called PTFE (previously known as Teflon) or a ceramic coating made from sand that releases oil when heated to resist sticking.
Both coatings degrade over time (especially when in contact with high heat), but we’ve found that the ceramic GreenPan Valencia Pro holds up pretty well over time, and it’s fantastic at cooking fish.
GreenPan Valencia Pro HardCeramic Nonstick 11
Nothing is more frustrating than when your food creation becomes ruined after using the wrong pan, try a nonstick skillet instead.
We like nonstick pans for beginners because you don’t need to use much oil to keep the fish from sticking, so flipping the fish in these pans is fairly painless. These pans are also ideal for sautéing filets, cooking delicate fish such as salmon or flounder, or making any weeknight fish that doesn’t aim for crispy results.
When you’re finished cooking, clean-up is a breeze; simply wipe out the pan with a paper towel to remove excess oil and give it a quick wash. No scrubbing needed!
It’s worth noting that high heat can damage nonstick pans, as can using metal utensils. If you want the ease of nonstick cooking with the ability to sear like cast iron, we recommend a hybrid pan, like HexClad Hybrid Frying Pan.
It does require an initial seasoning process (just like carbon steel), but we’ve found it’s nearly as nonstick as pans with special coatings.
For stovetop grilling
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
We love grill pans for creating crisp, charred fish without having to fire up the grill.
If you want a grilled-fish effect without the hassle of heating up the grill, a grill pan is the way to go. Grill pans are similar to griddles (flat cooking surfaces that resemble a skillet without edges) but contain raised ridges. This gives seared food gorgeous char marks when cooked over high heat—just like the grill!
If you choose a cast-iron grill pan, you don’t have to use much oil to keep the fish from sticking, either, making this a health-conscious way of preparing fish.
If you plan to use your grill pan a lot, we love the gorgeous Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 10-1/4-Inch Square Skillet Grill. It’s large enough to fit several fish filets (or two sandwiches if you want to use it for ingredients other than fish).
Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Skillet Grill
Bring the benefits of an outdoor grill inside with the Le Creuset Square Skillet Grill that can sizzle various meats right on your stovetop.
For a budget option, we also like the Ooni Cast Iron Grizzler Pan. Its 12-by-6-inch size is spacious enough for one large fish filet, but you likely won’t be able to cook multiple portions simultaneously.
As a bonus, though, this grill pan fits nicely in any Ooni pizza oven, which is great if you enjoy outdoor cooking.
For oven cooking
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
Baking fish in the oven is an especially great method for thicker filets.
Not all fish cooking has to be done on the stovetop; oven-roasting fish is an excellent hands-off cooking method. The oven allows you to cook multiple portions at once, making it our go-to technique when cooking for a crowd.
You can use lower temperatures in the oven, reducing the chances of accidentally overcooking the fish on the stovetop’s high direct heat. We also like this method for cooking whole fish, or for thicker filets that won’t cook through on the stovetop.
Any covered baker works for oven-cooked fish, but we especially like the Emile Henry 16″ x 9.5″ Fish Steamer. The inside features raised edges, allowing any liquid to fall to the bottom of the pan and steam. This keeps the fish above it moist, while also preventing it from adapting a soggy texture.
As a bonus, it’s also beautiful enough to double as a serving dish.
Emile Henry Fish Steamer
If you’re craving succulent, juicy fish, try slowly steaming it inside the oven with the Emile Henry Fish Steamer.
For larger portions—or for cooking whole fish—you can also use a roasting pan. These pans don’t have a lid, so you do run the risk of the fish drying out as it cooks.
The benefit of these larger pans is they are sized to fit an entire turkey, so you’ll have more than enough room for more than one whole-roasted fish. A roasting pan with a grid-style rack is your best bet here, like the Five Two Essential Roasting Pan. Larger, slat-style racks may result in the filets sagging between the gaps and looking unappealing.
For steaming
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
Using a steamer results in ultra-tender fish that’s moist and flavorful.
Steaming is a gentle and healthy way to prepare meat and vegetables, and we love it as a cooking method for fish. Dry heat cooking methods (like pan frying or roasting) can remove necessary moisture from delicate fish filets, but steaming ensures the fish stays moist.
This is also an excellent method if you want to enjoy the pure taste of the fish without diluting its natural flavor with heavy fats from cooking oil. That doesn’t mean it needs to be plain, though; you can always dress the fish after it cooks with herbs and sauces, or pair it with other heavily-spiced side dishes.
You can steam in any pan fitted with a steamer insert. The Instagram-famous Always Pan is a fantastic option, but you’ll need its accompanying spruce steamer, which is sold separately.
A more budget-friendly option is the Tramotina All in One Plus Pan, which comes with a stainless steel steamer insert.
Tramontina All in One Plus Pan
The key to steaming a delicious fish is less about the recipe and more about the way in which you prepare it. Try the Tramontina All in One Plus Pan to help.
The steamer inserts above are 10.5 and 12.5 inches in diameter, which is large enough to handle most filets, but a whole fish would be too large to fit. The Norpro Stainless Steel Fish Poacher is much longer (18 x 4.5 inches), and it includes a perforated rack insert that keeps the fish elevated from the liquid for steaming. That insert also doubles to lift the fish out, ensuring you can still present it elegantly.
For braising or poaching fish
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
The Always Pan has tall sides that’s great for submerging fish in flavorful liquids.
Braising and poaching fish are two separate cooking techniques, but they both involve cooking fish in liquid like broth, wine, or sauce. This allows the fish to absorb the flavor from the liquid while maintaining its texture and keeping it moist. But you’ll need a pan deep enough to accommodate all that extra liquid.
While Dutch ovens or enameled cast-iron braisers work, we prefer using a sauté pan. Sauté pans typically weigh less than cast iron products, and their tall, straight sides ensure that sauces won’t slosh out like they would in a skillet’s angled, slanted sides.
If you’re looking for another use for your Always Pan, you can turn to it for braising or poaching fish.
Always Pan
The Always Pan is a versatile buyer favorite across the board with the reviews to back it up.
Just keep in mind that while the Always Pan’s sides are plenty tall enough, its 2.6-quart capacity may be limiting. Most saute pans are larger—3.5-quarts—so you may not have enough room for all your fish filets.
Most cookware sets, come with this size saute pan, though, so check in your cabinets before going out to buy a new pan.
For frying fish
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Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
A wok is a fantastic tool for deep-frying fish (and other foods!).
When you’re in the mood for fish and chips, no other cooking method will do! Fried fish can be coated with an airy tempura batter, pressed into cornmeal for a Southern fish fry, coated with panko breading, or fried whole without any coating at all (allowing the skin to present the crispy element).
In all of these instances, pan frying just won’t do, so you need a pan that’s big enough for deep frying.
An enameled Dutch oven is a fantastic choice here. The pan’s cast-iron construction works to heat the oil quickly and retain that heat when you drop in the fish. For even heating, look for one with insulated walls, like the Made In Dutch oven.
Hand-enameled Dutch Oven
Your kitchen set-up isn’t complete without a dutch oven to bake with, deep-fry with and slow roast various meats with.The possibilities are endless.
If you’re frying small fish filets for fish tacos or making beer-battered fish for fish and chips, we also like using a wok. Woks are fantastic vessels for deep frying because their deep sides create plenty of space. They can hold several cups of oil, and the sloped shape works well to keep the fish submerged as it cooks.
Our favorite is the HexClad 12-inch Hybrid Wok because it’s roomy and retains heat exceptionally well, making it great for deep frying.
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