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Fish, European

Hamburg Pannfisch with mustard sauce

Hamburg Pannfisch is a German dish of pan fried cod served over sautéed potatoes with bacon and onions, topped with a creamy mustard sauce. This recipe for 4 people takes 45 minutes, it's easy to make and costs €3.60 per serving. The trick is dusting the fish with flour right before cooking so it browns without falling apart.

I suggest Hamburg Pannfisch, pan fried fish served over sautéed potatoes and onions, topped with a mild mustard sauce.

Hamburg Pannfisch with mustard sauce
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
940 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Pannfisch is a Hamburg fisherman's dish, built to use up the day's catch and leftover potatoes. Here the cod stays tender inside with a light golden crust, resting on crispy potatoes that soak up the flavor of bacon and onions. The mustard sauce, smooth and just spicy enough, pulls everything together without ever covering up the fish.

It's a weeknight dinner that breaks from the usual fish routine, simple enough for a rushed evening but good enough to serve to guests without extra effort. Kids generally like the mild, creamy side of the sauce, as long as you pick a mustard that isn't too sharp. Mon Chou suggests it whenever you want something warm and comforting without spending the whole evening at the stove.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Onions 2
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Butcher

  • Bacon lardons 100 g

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g
  • Milk 25 cl
  • Heavy cream 10 cl

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Strong mustardoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Lactose, Mustard, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Boil the potatoes in water, then cut them into thick rounds. 15 min

    Cook them slightly firm, they brown better in the pan.

  2. Melt the bacon lardons and sliced onions in the oil, add the potatoes and brown everything together. 15 min

    Let the potatoes form a crust before flipping them.

  3. Melt half the butter, stir in 1 tbsp of flour, whisk in the milk then the cream, add the mustard off the heat. 8 min

    Whisk constantly to avoid lumps.

  4. Cut the fish into large chunks, season with salt, dust lightly with flour and brown it in the remaining butter. 6 min

    Flip it only once, the fish cooks very fast.

  5. Plate the potatoes, place the fish on top, spoon over the mustard sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

    Serve right away, the fish stays tender.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick waxy potatoes, they hold their shape better in rounds and brown without turning mushy in the pan.
  • Pat the cod pieces dry with paper towels before flouring them, it keeps the oil from spattering and helps them brown evenly.
  • Make the sauce last and keep it on very low heat while you finish the fish, it thickens if it sits too long before serving.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for haddock or pollock, two white fish that hold together well in the pan.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with pan fried celery root slices and leave the bacon out of the potatoes.
  • To save time, boil the potatoes the day before and simply reheat them in the pan that evening.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Pickles or marinated beets
  • A light lager or apple juice

Storage

Store leftovers separately, fish, potatoes and sauce, in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the fish and potatoes gently in a pan, and warm the sauce over very low heat while stirring. This dish doesn't freeze well, the texture of the fish and cream sauce suffers.

Questions about this dish

What fish can I use instead of cod?

Haddock, pollock or whiting all work well, just pick a firm white fish that won't flake apart too much while cooking.

Can I make Pannfisch ahead of time?

You can boil the potatoes and make the sauce a few hours ahead, but cook the fish right before serving so it stays tender.

How do I make the sauce milder for kids?

Use a mild mustard instead of a strong one, or cut the amount in half, the sauce stays creamy without any bite.

Why flour the fish before pan frying it?

The flour forms a thin crust that protects the cod pieces, they turn golden nicely and come off the pan whole instead of falling apart.

How long does it take to make a Hamburg Pannfisch, pan fried fish with sautéed potatoes and mustard sauce?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Hamburg Pannfisch, pan fried fish with sautéed potatoes and mustard sauce?

About 940 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Hamburg Pannfisch, pan fried fish with sautéed potatoes and mustard sauce cost?

About €3.60 per serving, or €14.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose, mustard, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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