Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish)

Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish) is a high-protein fish recipe ready in 40 min. It makes 2 servings, each 470 kcal with 33 g protein. Intermediate level, 19 ingredients.

Adapted from a home cook's recipe and measured by Cookpath.

  • 40 mintotal
  • Intermediatelevel
  • 470kcal a serving
  • 33 gprotein
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Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish)

What is Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish)

Whole tilapia fried until crisp and covered in a sweet and sour sauce of pineapple, carrot, pepper, ketchup, vinegar and soy sauce.

More:Fish and seafood recipes

How to make Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish)

Tips from the cook

  • Pat the fish dry and season it inside the belly too, so it fries crisp and tastes seasoned all the way through.
  • Fry the fish for 5 to 7 minutes on each side without moving it, so the skin crisps.
  • Mix the cornstarch with cold water before stirring it into the sauce, so it does not clump.
  • Spoon the sauce over only at the end and serve straight away, so the skin stays crisp.
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Goes well with

Sides from Cookpath that balance this dish, the same picks the app suggests.

White Asparagus Hollandaise20 min · 420 kcalCucumber Dill Salad15 min · 50 kcal

Meal prep and storage

The sauce keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Prep a few days

See this week’s meal prep plan on the blog, or plan your own week in the app.

Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish) substitutions

Out of something, or cooking around an allergy. Each swap was checked against a source.

Whole tilapia2 options
  • Tofu (extra-firm, marinated, as a fillet) 1:1

    No fish flavour; use the nori-miso marinade for a sea taste.

    Still contains soy.

  • Haddock, hake or halibut fillets 1:1

    Still fish.

    Still contains fish.

Spring onions2 options
  • Chives 1:1 by volume, add at end

    Not cooked well.

  • Leek, thin use 1/2 as much (stronger)
Shallot2 options
  • White onion, finely diced 1:1 by volume (use slightly less)

    Stronger; still allium.

  • Leek or chives 1:1 by volume

    Still allium.

Onion2 options
  • Leek, white and light-green part 1:1 by volume

    Still an allium; raw dishes.

  • Fennel bulb, finely diced 1:1 by volume

    Sweet aniseed note; raw dishes.

Soy sauce2 options
  • Tamari (labelled gluten-free) 1:1

    Still soy.

    Still contains soy.

  • Coconut aminos 1:1 (sweeter, use a bit more salt)

    Less salty; dark, sold in health-food aisles.

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