This “fish” fillet sandwich is a twist on a classic comfort food using plant-based ingredients to make vegan “seafood“. Made with cashews and palm hearts, it replicates the flaky texture and rich flavor of traditional fish fillets. This recipe comes from Kim-Julie Hansen’s cookbook Best of Vegan and captures the essence of a beloved menu item from Terri, a (now closed) vegan restaurant in New York City.

The sandwich features crispy, golden fillets seasoned with Old Bay and cayenne, adding a savory and mildly spicy kick. A creamy tartar sauce made from vegan mayonnaise, dill pickles, and lemon juice enhances the flavors. It’s served on a soft bun with melted vegan cheddar-style cheese and fresh lettuce, creating a perfect balance of textures and tastes.

Take note that soaking your cashews with take up to eight hours. If you want to make these sandwiches for lunch or dinner, make sure you soak your cashews the night before.

Read more: 10 Vegan Sandwich Ideas

Terri’s ‘fish’ fillet sandwich

This 'fish' fillet sandwich will be a tasty addition to your vegan seafood roster. Have these tasty cashew and palm heart fillets with a soft bun, your favorite vegan cheddar, and vegan tartar sauce.

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Cook Time15

Prep Time15

Servings

Ingredients

For the ‘fish’ fillets

1 x 400g (14-ounce) can palm hearts
70 g (1/2 cup) cashews, soaked in water to cover for 8 hours or overnight, then drained (see Notes)
3 to 4 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
4 grinds fresh black pepper or ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
30 g (¼ cup) plain flour gluten free if desired (see Notes)
60 ml (¼ cup) high-heat neutral vegetable oil for frying (preferably not olive oil), or as needed

For the tartar sauce

120 ml (½ cup) vegan mayonnaise
70 g (½ cup) finely chopped dill pickles
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced white or yellow onion
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve

4 vegan burger buns gluten free if desired
4 vegan cheddar-style cheese slices
Lettuce leaves optional

Instructions

Drain the palm hearts and cut them lengthways into very thin strips, until the palm hearts look shredded. This doesn’t have to be perfect, but the strips will give you a fleshier texture.
Place the soaked cashews in the blender and add the water to cover them. Add the salt, pepper, Old Bay and cayenne and blend the cashews until smooth. Add the flour and blend again.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, mix with the palm heart strips and form into 4 patties with your hands. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the patties and fry on each side until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side (see Notes). Mix the tartar sauce ingredients and set aside.
To assemble, spread the tartar sauce on the buns, then add the lettuce, patties and cheddar-style cheese to make 4 sandwiches.
If you want the cheese to melt a bit, wrap each sandwich in foil for a few minutes; the cheese should melt on its own. Or, top the patties with the cheese as they finish cooking.

NOTES:

If you don’t have time to soak the cashews, you can simply boil them for 5 minutes, then rinse them with cold water and drain.
You can use gluten-free flours, but make sure they will bind when heated (those with added xanthan or guar gum, for instance).
You can also bake the patties if you want to avoid frying, but I recommend still using some oil so they crisp on the outside. Place the patties on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush both sides with a little oil, and bake at 160°C fan (350°F/Gas 4) until they’re somewhat firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

Best of Vegan: 100 recipes from around the world that celebrate comfort, culture and community by Kim-Julie Hansen (Pavilion Books). Image credit: Kim-Julie Hansen