Slimming Friendly Fish Recipes

 

High in protein and low in calories, delicious flaky fish is ideal when you’re trying to eat a little bit healthier. Once you know how to cook fish, you open the door to a whole host of easy, tasty recipes that are super slimming friendly. 

If you’re never quite sure what to do with fish, or what to serve it with, we’ve got you covered. We’re rounding up all of our favourite fish recipes to inspire you to add a fish dish or two into your meal plan this week! 

Classic Fish Dishes

Certain dishes are classics for a reason – combining simple ingredients to make delicious, familiar recipes that hit the spot every time. When it comes to fish, there are always a few favourite dishes that spring to mind. We’re talking tasty, easy-to-make dinners that are filling, flavourful and great for the whole family. 

A comforting combo of fish and mashed potatoes, a fish pie always seems like such a treat for dinner. With a creamy sauce and buttery mash, most fish pies are fairly high in calories – not ideal if you’re trying to watch what you’re eating. 

We’ve given our Admiral’s Fish Pie a slimming-friendly makeover, cutting out lots of the calories that would normally be found in the rich, creamy béchamel sauce. This doesn’t mean our version isn’t decadent-tasting – it’s packed full of succulent seafood, cooked in a parsley infused, lemony sauce made from quark. And don’t think about scrimping on the fluffy potato topping; it wouldn’t be a fish pie without plenty of mash on top. 

We can’t talk about fish recipes without mentioning Fish Fingers. A childhood staple, there’s no reason not to enjoy breaded fingers of flaky white fish as a grown-up. Go on, you know you want to!

Whether you squish them between some bread to make a fish finger butty, or scoop some chips and peas on the side, they’re a quick and easy option for lunch or dinner. The beauty of making them yourself is that you’ll always know exactly what’s gone into them – plus our fish fingers are nice and chunky, so you get a substantial portion for just 165 calories. 

It doesn’t get much more classic than fish and chips. Of course, we had to put our own Pinch of Nom twist on it, so we turned it into this slimming-friendly Fish and Chip Pie! It brings together all the best bits of a chippy tea, down to the mushy peas and salt and vinegar. 

The fish gets poached in zesty milk until it’s beautifully flaky, but still holding its shape. Top with chips and bake in the oven until they’re golden brown and crispy at the edges. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Lunches and Light Dinners

The great thing about fish is that it’s light enough for lunch and still filling enough to make into a substantial dinner. Whether you pair it with vegetables or add some stodgy carbs, there are plenty of options to switch up your dishes to suit the time of day. 

This Baked Cod Provencal is on the table in just over half an hour, so you can whip it up in the middle of the day if you need something warm for lunch. Bright and colourful, the roasted veggies are the perfect partners for the flaky cod fillets – and the punchy French-inspired Herbs de Provence bring the whole dish together. 

It’s light and tasty on its own, but you can also add some new potatoes or some couscous if you need to bulk it out into a more hearty meal. 

It’s true that creamy dishes can often be quite heavy (and high in calories) but we’ve worked our Pinch of Nom magic on this Creamy Cod and Spinach recipe. By switching double cream for a lighter alternative such as Elmlea, the end result is so much more slimming friendly. 

We love the delicate flavours in this one – sweet cherry tomatoes, a garlicky, lemony sauce and that protein-packed cod. Each portion comes in at only 232 calories, despite the luxurious, silky sauce. You can either serve it with some Garlic Green Beans to keep the whole meal super low-calorie, or spoon on some Creamy Mashed Potatoes for a dinner that’s both substantial and slimming friendly. 

Need a quick lunch but fancy something tastier than a sandwich? You won’t believe how much flavour you can build up in just 20 minutes. This Moroccan Salmon Skewers with Couscous recipe is a must-try for a speedy midday meal. 

The flavours are so fresh and fragrant – the salmon gets marinated in cumin and paprika, and then the whole dish is finished with a punchy herby green yoghurt sauce. You can add as many vegetables to this recipe as you like, so chuck in anything that needs using up and mix it with your couscous. Anything goes!

Fish Fakeaways

When you’re tempted by the takeaway, opting for fish instead might not seem like the obvious choice. Next time you plan a fakeaway night, pick up a couple of fillets from the supermarket. Whether you go for salmon or white fish, you can turn it into a really healthy, low-calorie version of your favourite takeaway dish. 

This Smoked Salmon Spaghetti Carbonara is the perfect example. It might not be traditional, but it tastes incredible, and it’ll more than satisfy your cravings for a big bowl of pasta. It’s hard to believe there’s just 314 calories per serving and, better yet, you’ll be twisting spaghetti round your fork in no time – it’s on your plate in 15 minutes. 

Go on, treat yourself to some Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side; how could you say no? 

You might not think of giving burger night a fishy twist, but once you’ve tried these Salmon Burgers they’re sure to become a new family favourite. They pull from the classic flavour combination of salmon, dill and lemon, serving it up in a new way that will pleasantly surprise everyone around the table. 

The burger patties are perfect for freezing, so you can make them in advance and always have them on hand for when you fancy a tasty fish dinner (just make sure you only freeze salmon that hasn’t previously been frozen and defrosted). 

If it gets to Friday night and you feel like the chip shop is calling your name, we’ve got the perfect slimming-friendly fish recipe to turn to. Have you ever tried a Fish Kiev? If the answer is no, you’ve been missing out! 

You’ve probably tucked into some Chicken Kievs in the past, but our fish version is made with a nice chunky piece of cod. Rather than deep-frying it like a traditional Kiev, this recipe is oven baked until it’s golden and crispy. Cut it open to find a delicious melty garlic and herb filling in the middle!

Serve with some Homemade Oven Chips and a scoop of fresh garden peas and you won’t even remember that you were tempted to nip to the chippy! 

What are your favourite fish dishes?

Head on over to our Facebook group to tell us what fish recipes your family love to get stuck into! It’s the place to be for inspiration and motivation, with almost 1 million lovely members all supporting each other on their slimming journeys. 

Did you know that you can now share your hints, tips, quotes and photos in our PON Gallery too? Have a scroll through all the submissions if you’re looking for some inspiration for dinner tonight!