Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (2024)

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Vegan fish and chips with a light and crispy beer batter. Full of authentic flavor, flaky hearts of palm “fish” and chips tastes just like the real thing!

Vegan’s resourcefulness for finding plant-based meat replacements that are almost identical to the real thing always amazes me.

Like these jackfruit carnitas tacos that are 100% vegan for example.

But of all the vegan meat replacements, fish is the last thing I thought I would find a worthy replacement for.

The flaky texture of fish is completely unique – or so I thought.

But it turns out there’s actually some amazing fish substitutes out there that mimic the look and feel of fish perfectly!

So naturally, I had to try these out for myself and what better way to do that than with some delicious fish and chips?

Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (1)

What is vegan fish made of?

Banana blossom and hearts of palm are the two most common vegan fish replacements for fish and chips or fish sticks.

They both have a soft, flaky texture that makes them feel very close to the real thing.

Banana blossom is a flower that is most commonly found in Southeast Asian cuisine. It has a flavor sort of reminiscent of artichoke.

Hearts of palm is a tropical vegetable harvested from palm trees with a tender texture and a very mild flavor.

You probably haven’t heard of it but hearts of palm can be found canned in almost any supermarket!

As far as vegan fish and chips goes, I prefer to use hearts of palm over banana blossom. It’s subtle taste doesn’t interfere with the flavor of the batter and it is easier to find at a standard supermarket.

How To Make

Vegan Fish And Chips

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1. PREP POTATOES

Preheat oven to 450 F and place the beer in the freezer.

While the oven preheats, wash the potatoes then cut into thick french fries. The easiest way to do this is to remove the ends of the potato, then slice a thin piece off of each side so you’re left with an even rectangular potato.

Add the fries to a baking sheet with a large drizzle of high heat oil, then sprinkle with fry seasoning (equal parts paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder)to taste.

Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (4)

2. BAKE THE CHIPS/FRIES

Once the oven has preheated, bake the chips/french fries for 30-40 minutes or until crispy on the outside, flipping them halfway through.

Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (5)

3. PREP "FILLETS"

While the chips bake, prep the hearts of palm into “fish” fillets.

Start by draining the can, then push the “cores” out of the middle of each hearts of palm cylinder.

Run your knife down the thin side of the cylinders to open them up, then flatten them out with your hand.

Hand shred the hearts of palm cores and place on top of the flattened hearts of palm fillets. This will help add volume and texture to your “fillets”, and there’s no need to waste the cores!

4. PREP BATTER

Heat a 1 inch layer of high heat oil (I used peanut oil) in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Prep the batter by mixing together all dry ingredients: 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 tsp baking powder 4 tsp Old Bay seasoning.

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5. WHISK IN BEER

Once the oil has heated (to test this add a drop of batter to the oil to see if it bubbles), remove the beer from the freezer and slowly whisk it into the batter mixture.

Continue to slowly add beer while whisking until your batter is thick and combined, but still slightly lumpy (I used about 6 oz or half of a beer).

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6. DREDGE IN BATTER

Sprinkle or dip both sides of the hearts of palm fillets with flour then dunk them into the beer batter. Completely coat the fillets with batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off.

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7. FRY IN PAN

Place the beer battered fillets in the hot oil. Fry about 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches as needed so that the pan isn’t too full. When finished, place the fried fillets on a cooling rack to allow excess oil to drain off.

Tips for making the best vegan fish and chips

There are a few important things to keep in mind if you want your vegan fish and chips to taste as authentic as possible.

Here’s a couple of chef secrets to help you make the perfect fish and chips everytime!

  • Beer Is Key: The secret to the best fish and chips is the beer. The bubbles in the beer give the batter a super light and crunchy texture when fried. Lighter beers like pale ales, lagers, or pilsners work best for fish and chips.
  • Keep It Cold: Keep the beer cold until you’re ready to fry. You want a high temperature difference between the beer batter and the frying oil for the perfect texture.
  • Make It Fishy: Want an even more authentic fish and chips experience? You can add ground kelp as a seasoning to the batter or wrap the fillets in nori (seaweed) before dipping them in the batter. This will add a bit of “fishy” caught from the sea taste if you want that flavor.
Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (10)

Get more awesome vegan dinners!

With so many amazing vegan recipes out there, it is easier than ever to stick with a healthy plant-based diet.

If you need some more delicious vegan dinners ideas, try out this vegan sweet potato gnocchi with creamy rosa sauce or these vibrant falafel buddha bowls!

But what if you don’t have time to constantly scour the internet for new recipes that may or may not be good? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

For my busy readers out there, I definitely recommend checking out Green Chef.

They are a USDA Certified Organic meal delivery plan with tons of dietary options, including a dedicated vegan meal plan!

Each week you get 3 chef-inspired recipes with fresh pre-measured, pre-prepped ingredients delivered to your doorstep. Each healthy and delicious recipe is ready in around 30 minutes!

Green Chef is a super easy and time saving way to stick with a healthy diet. Oh and did I mention you can currently get $40 OFF your first order!

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Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (11)

Vegan Fish and Chips

★★★★★5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Kailey
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 2-3 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Vegan fish and chips with a light and crispy beer batter. Full of authentic flavor, flaky hearts of palm “fish” and chips tastes just like the real thing!

Scale

Ingredients

Vegan Beer Battered “Fish”

  • 14 oz can Hearts of Palm
  • 3/4 cup Flour
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 6 oz Beer, I used a pale ale
  • 4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

Or make your own Old Bay seasoning:

  • 1 tsp Celery Salt
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper

Baked Chips (French Fries)

  • 2 Russet Potatoes, cut into thick french fries
  • a few pinches Fry Seasoning, to taste

Or make your own Fry Seasoning:

  • 1 part Garlic Powder
  • 1 part Onion Powder
  • 1 part Paprika

Dipping Sauce

  • Vegan Tartar Sauce (I used this recipe)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F and place the beer in the freezer. While oven preheats, wash the potatoes then cut into thick french fries. Add fries to a baking sheet with a large drizzle of high heat oil, then sprinkle with fry seasoning to taste.
  2. Once oven has preheated, bake the chips/french fries for 30-40 minutes or until crispy on the outside, flipping them halfway through.
  3. While the chips bake, prep the hearts of palm into “fish” fillets. Start by draining the can, then pop the “cores” out of the middle of the hearts of palm cylinders. Run your knife down one side of the cylinders to open them up, then flatten them out with your hand. Hand shred the hearts of palm cores and place on top of the flattened hearts of palm fillets.
  4. Heat a 1 inch layer of high heat oil (I used peanut oil) in a large pan over medium-high heat. Prep the batter by mixing together all dry ingredients. Once the oil has heated (to test this add a drop of batter to the oil to see if the oil bubbles), remove the beer from the freezer and slowly whisk it into the batter mixture. Continue to slowly add beer while whisking until your batter is thick and combined (I used about half of a beer). You should still have a few lumps in the batter here and there.
  5. Sprinkle both sides of the hearts of palm fillets with flour then dunk them into the beer batter. Completely coat the fillets with batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off, then place them in the oil. Fry about 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Notes

  • Goes great with this vegan tartar sauce
  • Category: Main Dish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 Fillets + 1 cup Chips
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 0.7g
  • Sodium: 421mg
  • Fat: 0.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 51g
  • Fiber: 3.5g
  • Protein: 6.3g
  • Cholesterol: 0g

Keywords: Vegan Fish and Chips

Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What kind of beer do you use for beer battered fish? ›

What is the best beer for fish batter? It's best to save your craft beers for drinking, and use a simple light beer. Anything from very light (PBR) to a mild British ale (like Newcastle Brown Ale) will work well.

What is a good beer substitute for beer batter? ›

Swap the beer for soda

Found among the beer and wine, but lacking the alcohol, is the perfect swap for beer battered fish: club soda. Full of bubbles due to its carbonation, club soda can give the same lightness to a batter as beer would.

Can you use soda water instead of beer for fish batter? ›

You can use club soda, sparkling water, seltzer or beer but I would stay away from anything with too many sugars. Consistency: You definitely don't want your batter to be too thick. It should be much thinner than pancake batter. Fish: The most popular types of fish to use are haddock or cod.

How do you keep beer battered fish crispy? ›

Set out a bowl with about a cup of flour, and before you dip the fish in the beer batter, coat the fish in flour. Also- to keep them crispy, make sure to drain the excess oil on a paper bag after frying. You shouldn't have any problems after that!

Does non alcoholic beer work for beer battered fish? ›

In sum, carbonation and pH are the biggest factors in delivering a better batter-fried crust, so feel free to use bubbly substitutes such as nonalcoholic beer or seltzer water. PICK YOUR BUBBLY: Any of these carbonated drinks will lead to a light, tender batter-fried crust.

Does the alcohol cook out of beer battered fish? ›

Lagers and pilsners have a minimal quantity of alcohol at about 5% by volume. So, it's not really about the alcohol, which cooks off, anyway, in the hot oil the fish is fried in. The beer bubbles have the sought-after quality.

Can I use Sprite instead of beer in batter? ›

The use of beer is recommended as the fizz in the beer is what lends the batter its light, airy texture. If you really must substitute for a non-alcoholic version, use soda water or carbonated drinks such as Sprite instead.

Should beer be flat for beer batter? ›

Using beer in the batter for onion rings or fritters helps break down the gluten in the flour, resulting in a light, crisp, fried coating with good color. If you need flat beer for a recipe, open a fresh bottle or can and let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Can I substitute ginger ale for beer in beer batter? ›

Ginger ale, with its citrusy, sometimes even sour tang, is a great option if you need something akin to a pale ale. For dark or ruby beers, the molasses-adjacent taste of the sassafras in root beer works really well as an alternative. Of course, there's no reason why you can't use other sodas.

What does vodka do in fish batter? ›

Vodka adds extra crunch to the classic battered fish and chips. Our beer and vodka battered fish recipe is adapted from Heston Blumenthal's book In Search of Perfection', it seems he has elevated the humble fish and chips to greater heights.

What is the best fish for fish and chips? ›

Haddock is the fish that most chefs prefer for fish and chips. The texture isn't as flaky or tender as cod but the meat has more flavor. Haddock has a slight sweetness that pairs well with the buttery flavor of the batter.

Why add vodka to fish batter? ›

Because vodka is more volatile than water, it evaporates more quickly, which dries out the batter faster and more violently. That creates larger bubbles and even more surface area, in turn resulting in a much crispier crust.

Can you put beer batter in air fryer? ›

Add beer and egg and whisk until smooth (the batter should be thick). Refrigerate the batter. Preheat air fryer to 390°F (see Tip). Coat the basket generously with cooking spray.

What is the best oil for deep frying beer battered fish? ›

Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils.

How does Gordon Ramsay make batter for fish? ›

Cooking instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix both flours, baking powder and sugar.
  2. Add soda water, lager and salt.
  3. Mix together only until the batter binds together and is smooth. ...
  4. Cover your fish with a dusting of plain flour, then drop into the batter and coat completely.
  5. Pre-heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 180C.

Can you use any beer for fish batter? ›

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different beers will impart different flavors to the batter. However, a light, mildly flavored beer is generally a good option for fish batter. If you want to avoid using beer altogether, you can substitute sparkling water or club soda.

Can you use Bud Light for beer batter? ›

Different beers will yield varied flavors. I like a robust beer, like an IPA or stout, but any American light lager (Coors Light, Bud Light, Miller Lite, etc.) works great, too. Fish with white fillets are ideal for beer batter.

Is Corona good for beer batter? ›

And while typical beer batters include dark heavy ales, I knew that the lightness of the Corona Extra beer would provide just the right amount of flavor without taking over the dish. And like all fish taco recipes, there needed to be a crunchy slaw on top to cut through the deep fried aspect of the dish.

Is IPA beer good for beer batter? ›

Hoppy is your enemy in beer batter because it will make things oddly bitter. A nice West Coast IPA is great to drink with your fish and chips, however.

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