We love this air fryer beer-battered fish. Tender, flaky fillets are coated in a light, crispy beer batter and cooked in the air fryer in under 15 minutes—no deep frying needed. It’s fantastic with a bright slaw and homemade tartar sauce.
The crispiest, crunchiest beer-battered fish made in the air fryer.
Made in the AIR FRYER!
Since it’s Ash Wednesday, it felt like the perfect time to share this beer-battered fish. You get all the crisp, airy batter without heating a pot of oil—we use the air fryer and it works beautifully.
Take a look at this golden, crunchy fish we serve with tartar sauce and a tangy slaw. I make the slaw frequently; it’s a favorite in our house.
I love this time of year and all the fish frys that pop up each week. There’s so much delicious seafood to enjoy, and we’re big fans of crispy fish—whether it’s tacos, bowls, or grown-up fish sticks.
Beer batter is irresistible: light, fluffy and airy, it makes a wonderful coating for flaky, buttery fish.
I was honestly surprised at how well this version turned out in the air fryer — it’s shockingly good.
The air fryer has a few downsides for me. It’s bulky, and I don’t keep it on the counter all the time. For a family of five, the basket can be small, so for big batches of potatoes or vegetables I still roast on a sheet pan in the oven. But for smaller households or simple recipes, it’s indispensable.
Most air fryer breaded recipes use an egg-and-breadcrumb dredge because wet batters usually drip through the basket and don’t crisp in the same way as in hot oil. That’s why many fritters or similar treats don’t translate well to the air fryer—but beer-battered fish can, with a few adjustments.
Key to making beer-battered fish work in an air fryer: double-dip. First dip the fish in the beer batter, then press it into seasoned flour to coat the batter. Finish by spraying the coated pieces generously with olive oil spray. Then air fry—about 10–15 minutes—and you’ll get a crunchy crust and flaky interior. The coating will be a bit heartier than deep-fried, but in a good way. Dip in tartar sauce and enjoy.
I can’t get enough of this version.
Is this better than traditional deep-fried beer-battered fish? No—there’s nothing quite like fish fried in hot oil. But this air fryer method is an excellent alternative when you don’t want to heat a pan of oil, don’t want the lingering fried-oil smell, or prefer a lighter cleanup.
There’s no oily smell to chase away after cooking; you’ll get a satisfying crunch, tender fish, and a delightful meal without the fuss.
P.S. I’ll be sharing more seafood recipes for Lent soon.
Air Fryer Beer Battered Fish
Beer Battered Air Fryer Fish
4
people
30 mins
15 mins
45 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cod, cut into 4 fillets
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces your favorite beer (a light wheat beer works well)
- Pickled onions, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Our favorite tartar sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet relish
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Our favorite slaw
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels.
- Place 1 cup of the flour in a bowl and season lightly with a pinch of salt, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Toss to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together the remaining cup of flour with the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Pour in the beer and whisk until smooth to form a batter.
- Dip each fillet into the beer batter, coating it completely. Then press the battered fillet into the seasoned flour so the flour adheres. This double-dip helps keep the batter from dripping through the basket.
- Spray the air fryer basket generously with nonstick or olive oil spray.
- Heat the air fryer to 380°F. Place the coated fillets in the basket (don’t overcrowd). Spray the tops of the fillets with oil spray. Cook for about 12 minutes, checking once or twice and re-spraying if needed to keep the batter from drying out.
- While the fish cooks, whisk together the tartar sauce ingredients and toss the slaw ingredients. Let the slaw sit for about 15 minutes if you can.
- Remove the fish gently and serve with tartar sauce, slaw, pickled onions and lemon wedges.
Tartar sauce
- Whisk mayonnaise, sweet relish, lemon juice, and salt and pepper together until combined.
Slaw
- Combine cabbage, red onion and cilantro. Toss with lime juice, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Let sit about 15 minutes before serving for best flavor.
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Craving this always.