Taste of Sunshine: What Does Sunfish Taste Like?

Are you wondering what does sunfish taste like? Wait, have you ever seen a sunfish on a menu before? If not, then you’re not alone.

Sunfish isn’t commonly found in restaurants or grocery stores.

In fact, many households may not have even heard of this fish before.

However, if you’ve come across this unusual and weird-looking fish, you’re probably trying to figure out how it would taste.

Well, in this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about sunfish, including its appearance, taste, nutrition, and more.

What is Sunfish?

Sunfish, also known as common mola, is one of the heaviest bony fish in the world.

Despite their massive size, they’re often preyed on by larger predators such as sharks, killer whales, and even humans.

Sunfish are round and have flattened bodies with large heads and mouths.

Their small dorsal and anal fins are located far back on their bodies, while their pectoral fins are close to their heads.

And as for their weight, adult sunfish can weigh as much as 4400 lbs.

So, you can only imagine how big they are.

These fish get their name from their habit of basking in the sun near the water’s surface.

And while they may not be a popular meal choice in Western cuisine, sunfish are commonly eaten in Japan and Taiwan.

In fact, their entire body is edible, including their flesh, internal organs, and fins.

What Does Sunfish Taste Like?

Since every part of the fish is edible, it will be a good catch if you can get hold of even one sunfish from the ocean.

You won’t have to waste a single part and be able to cook the fish in multiple ways.

However, it can be a problem if you catch a large fish because they can grow to nearly 10 feet in length.

Its weight you already learned earlier. So, hope for a smaller catch.

Though it isn’t popular in the West now, you can find sunfish in many Asian cuisines, so the fish is probably delicious.

Obviously, it isn’t widely eaten in other places because it looks weird, and people don’t know what it tastes like.

Many people may also hesitate to eat sunfish because they don’t know much about it.

Most people refrain from putting something in their mouth unless they know what they’re eating.

Seafood lovers will probably start eating sunfish when they realize how good it tastes and how versatile it is.

Alright, so it tastes good, but what is its actual flavor?

When it comes to flavors, people have different opinions.

Some seafood lovers say that sunfish has a delicate and nutty flavor.

Several others opine that sunfish has an intense fishy flavor.

Another group says that its taste resembles a mixture of halibut and cod.

For some, the fish’s meat is flaky and mild, and its skin may give a hint of bitterness.

No matter what everyone say, sunfish have a unique flavor and people also compare them to black sea bass, crabmeat and lobster.

A serving size of 1 fillet (37gms) of sunfish has 42 calories, 9.2gms protein, 32mg cholesterol, 38mg sodium, and 166mg potassium.

How to Cook and Use Sunfish?

People who have tasted sunfish have a lot of things to say- while some say it tastes as flaky as a lobster, others find the taste to be a little bland.

But the final flavor of your sunfish depends on how well you cook it and with what flavors you choose to season it.

The good news is that you can get as creative as you want while cooking sunfish.

Like preparing any other seafood, clean and gut your sunfish properly before cooking.

Once cleaned, you can cook the fish the way you prefer – fry, grill, roast, broil, or anything you want.

If you want to be adventurous, you can even smoke sunfish.

Pan-fried sunfish fillets are also a popular choice among many.

But, no matter how you choose to cook it, we recommend that you add some bold flavors to really bring out the taste of the sunfish.

Some great seasonings include garlic, lemon, thyme, rosemary, and chili pepper.

Before cooking, you can also stuff your sunfish with some of your favorite ingredients.

When it comes to serving sunfish, you can serve it whole or fillet it.

Sunfish are often served with side dishes such as mashed potatoes, rice, salad, and roasted vegetables.

If you want to avoid a heavy meal, you can simply snack on fried sunfish fillets with sweet or savory sauces like ketchup, honey mustard, or ranch dressing.

Conclusion

The sunfish, or mola, is the largest teleost in the ocean.

Though weird looking, it’s a delicious fish and versatile.

If you’re a curious eater, you should try it at least once.

You can check out Asian restaurants or buy fillets from the market and cook them at home.

Besides the ideas mentioned above, you can also find many recipes online.

So, get the fish and other ingredients and make lovely dishes with sunfish.