If you’re a fan of fish, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of walleye. It’s one of the most delicious freshwater fish available in North America, and anglers all over the continent do all that they can to land big ones so that they can feast on it.
Here’s a little bit of information regarding walleye, how safe it is to eat, and some recipes for you to indulge in during this year’s walleye fishing season!
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Is Walleye Good to Eat? Is It Safe to Eat?
Walleye is one of the most sought after game fish in North America, and a large part of that has to do with how good it is to eat. Walleye is one of the best freshwater fish in terms of flavor as well as health benefits.
Health Facts About Walleye
While eating many species of fish risks exposure to waterborne parasites, pathogens, and poisons, walleye is considered safe in terms of all of these risks. Walleye are noted as being very low risk in terms of exposure to contaminants of any kind, whether they be organic or chemical. As such, it’s a highly sought after game fish.
When eating a 3 ounce serving of walleye, the nutrition facts are as follows:
- Calories: 79
- Protein: 17g
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Mono-unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
- Poly-unsaturated Fat: 0.4g
- Cholesterol: 73mg
As you can see, walleye filets are incredibly healthy, and are rich in flavor, unlike many other freshwater fish. Walleye can be prepared in many ways, but today we’re focusing on delicious oven-baked recipes that will be sure to get anyone excited about fish.
Commercial Availability
Walleye is not yet a large-scale farmed fish, and the majority of walleye available in supermarkets and grocery stores is wild-caught. When purchasing walleye, it’s best to buy frozen fish unless buying from a fish market specifically, as freezing the filets before transport helps preserve the quality of them.
Walleye filets are most likely going to be easier to come by in the spring and the fall, as the fish are naturally more active then. Walleye can be as inexpensive as $11 a pound, but prices can skyrocket to $20 a pound depending on the market.
That being said, the best option for walleye will always be fresh caught fish. If you live in an area where walleye can be caught, catching fish and eating it the same day is going to be the most delicious way to enjoy walleye, as well as the most cost effective in most cases.
Crispy Baked Walleye
A delicious crispy fish filet without the need to fry! Oven baking crispy walleye filets is a great way to keep the meat healthy, all while obtaining that delicious, crunchy texture that frying fish provides. If you or your family are fans of fried fish, give this oven baked recipe a try.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup instant mashed potatoes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 walleye filets, 3 to 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and lightly grease a baking sheet
- Beat the eggs with water in a bowl until smooth
- In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, instant mashed potatoes, sea salt, and black pepper and mix thoroughly
- Dip walleye filets in the beaten egg, then thoroughly cover in the bread crumb mixture, transferring to baking sheet once coated
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork
Flash Baked Walleye
If you need dinner in a flash, this flash baked walleye recipe will do the trick. Walleye is a delicious freshwater fish that can be enjoyed in any number of ways, and takes well to baking at a high heat quickly. The same can’t be said for other fish. For a quick and easy meal, give this recipe a shot, and add any number of seasonings to suit the rest of the meal!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 walleye filets, 3 to 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees
- In a shallow baking dish, pour the melted butter in the pan, taking care not to spill it
- Add filets to the pan, if skin is present place them skin side down
- Sprinkle sea salt and pepper onto the filets
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until filets easily flake with a fork
Parmesan Crusted Walleye
Another crunchy favorite, parmesan crusted walleye is sure to please the entire family. It may become your family’s favorite dish, and it’s incredibly easy to make. It pairs well with almost anything you can throw at it, like tuscan seasoned steamed vegetables or homemade garlic red mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 4 walleye filets, 3 to 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and grease a baking dish
- Pour the ¼ cup of milk into a shallow bowl
- In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt, pepper, and paprika until thoroughly mixed
- Dip each walleye filet in milk, then coat in the breadcrumb mix, placing in the greased baking dish once completed; filets should not overlap with one another
- Drizzle melted butter over all filets once arranged neatly in the baking dish
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or once fish filets easily flake with a fork
Lemon Pepper Walleye
Lemon pepper fish is a classic recipe used on all different species, so it must be good on walleye, too! This recipe takes next to no time to prepare, and hardly any time to bake. If you’d like to speed the process up, though, consider baking it using the flash baking method mentioned prior!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 4 walleye filets, 3 to 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and grease baking sheet
- In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and white wine
- Place walleye filets on the greased baking sheet, skin side down if skin is on
- Using a brush, baste the filets in the butter and seasoning mixture
- Bake fish filets for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily using a fork
Panko Crusted Walleye
While crispy breaded walleye is great, sometimes a panko crusted walleye is better. Panko provides a crunchier texture than bread crumbs do, and makes the fish more dipping-friendly. Try serving alongside soy sauce and ginger for an Asian-inspired meal that’s sure to make your mouth water.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 walleye filets, 3 to 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and lightly grease a baking sheet
- Beat the eggs and soy sauce in a bowl until smooth
- In a separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and ground ginger and mix thoroughly
- Dip walleye filets in the beaten egg, then thoroughly cover in the bread crumb mixture, transferring to baking sheet once coated
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork
- Serve alongside soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi for a sushi-inspired experience
Read more about Pike Vs. Walleye