Can you guess what the base of this vegan fried fish sandwich is? If you guessed that it's hearts of palm, you're right! I already have a vegan fried fish recipe but it calls for banana blossoms which can be a bit of a challenge to find unless you live near an Asian Market. I decided to recreate my vegan fried fish (fit for a sandwich) using hearts of palm which is very easy to find. I purchase mine from Walmart, Wholefoods, Target, local community grocery stores, you name it.

So if you can get your hands on some hearts of palm, MAKE THIS SANDWICH! I made this for my hubby and me a couple of weeks ago and when I tell you we were both shook, I mean it! He yelled from the room “Yoooooo this is sooooo good!” And at that moment, I flipped my hair and said “well duh, what did you expect” LOL kidding.

Serve this bad boy with some homemade tartar sauce and you are in business.

When flattening out the hearts of palm, it should have the same shape as above. You will need to combine two of hearts of palm for a similar size and shape

Ingredients:

For the "Fish" Fillets:

1 can hearts of palm, drained

3 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos/vegan fish sauce)

1/2 cup crushed seaweed

Oil for frying (avocado oil works great)

"Fish" Fry Mix (Bowl 1)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup chickpea flour (or substitute more all-purpose flour)

2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Wet Batter (Bowl 2)

1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk (any variety)

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

2 tablespoons of the dry mix (from Bowl 1)

For Assembly

Hamburger buns

Lettuce leaves

Sliced tomatoes

Pickle slices

For Tartar Sauce:

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Make the Tartar Sauce: Mix all tartar ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pop it in the fridge while you prep everything else.

Prepare the hearts of palm "fish": Drain the canned hearts of palm and fork through the hearts of palm and open them up

In a bowl, combine flattened hearts of palm, crushed seaweed, and soy sauce. Mix with your hands to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Set Up Your Coating Stations:

Bowl 1: Whisk together all dry coating ingredients.

Bowl 2: Whisk plant milk, hot sauce, mustard, and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix until smooth.

Assemble and Bread the Fillets: Remove hearts of palm from fridge. Sprinkle a bit of the fish fry mix into to the bowl and toss. Shape the hearts of palm into 4-5 fillets-like pieces and gently squeeze out any excess liquid.

Dip each fillet in dry mix (Bowl 1), then wet batter (Bowl 2), and back to dry mix (Bowl 1). Shake off excess and set on a large plate or baking sheet

Pro tip: Freeze breaded fillets for 20-30 minutes for extra crispy results that hold together better while frying.

Fry the fillets: Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy pan to 375°F.

Once the oil is hot, fry fillets 2 at a time depending on the size of the fillets (don't overcrowd!) for 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

Build Your Sandwich: Toast buns until lightly golden. Spread tartar sauce on both halves. Layer: lettuce, tomato, crispy "fish" fillet, pickles. Top and serve immediately with fries or chips!

Serve with french fries, chips, or your choice of sides