What Is Swai Fish?

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If you're a seafood lover, you've probably come across swai fish on your menu. Sweet and tasty, these fish aren’t just worthy of a place on your plate, but they also look great in aquariums because of their incredible looks. 

If you've never heard of the name, you might have encountered one of its aliases: panga, cream dory, striped catfish, Vietnamese catfish, basa fish, or iridescent shark. However, in the U.S., they're commonly known as Asian Catfish.

These freshwater fish are also loaded with several benefits and can instantly jazz up your meal with their delightful flavors. Keep reading to learn more about what swai fish are, what they taste like, and how you can use them in your meals.

What is swai fish?

Swai fish are freshwater fish found in rice paddies, ponds, and rivers. These fish do not have the typical appearance of a catfish, like a big bottom-feeder mouth, but they can be identified with their beautiful silver scales, small whiskers, and beige-colored skin. They also have two stripes along their body, ergo the name, striped catfish.

These fish are typically found in Southeast Asia, in the fresh waters of Mekong River and Chao Phraya river. Swai fish can grow as large as four feet tall and weigh up to a whopping 45 kg. 

Swai fish is also cheap. They are only sold for a price of $2 per pound in the U.S. This is largely due to the fact that swai are inexpensive to raise. 

Since they are cheap, restaurants often swap expensive fish for swai. If you've ordered a "fish item" from a seafood menu, there's a good chance you may already have had swai fish.

What does swai fish taste like?

Swai fish has a sweet, buttery, and has a milder flavor profile with a flaky, delicate, and tender texture. It has a pretty neutral flavor which makes it great to serve with a simple sauce. One of the best parts about this fish is that it retains moisture even when cooked.

In its raw form, swai fish has a light beige color which turns white when cooked. Since swai has a subtle flavor, they go well with strong sauces. 

Both flavor and texture-wise, swai resembles salmon fish, making it a cheaper alternative to wild salmon. 

You typically won't encounter any bones when eating the swai fish. They lack bony plates in their body, which is also why they are called naked catfish.

Is swai fish safe to eat?

Swai fish are often raised in overcrowded fish farms, which increases their possibility of developing infectious diseases. So they are injected with antibiotics to prevent this from happening.

However, some of these antibiotic drugs may remain in these fish and inadvertently affect consumers' resistance to bacterial infections.

But not all swai fish are raised in polluted waters. Those that do are often raised on farms operating illegally.

Swai fish is safe to consume, provided you cook them at an internal temperature of 144 Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria. And while they do contain mercury, like most seafood, these levels are too low to adversely impact your health. 

How to cook swai fish

The incredible wild white fish can be prepared in various ways, from frying, and baking, to grilling and steaming. The best thing about this fish is that it lacks the "fishy" taste that most seafood has. 

Lemon butter swai fish fillet makes for an incredibly delicious dish. The lemony-buttery sauce paired with the flaky texture of swai filets makes a combination worth trying. 

The buttery texture is what makes this fish stand out in cream-based dishes. You can also make a crunchy pan-fry swai filet coated in cornmeal and seasoning and cooked until browned.

Alternatively, you can opt for crispy roasted swai. If you want to keep things simple, marinate the fish with your favorite seasoning and simply grill it to perfection. Make sure to wrap it up in foil so it's cooked until delicious and tender.

Health benefits

While its nutritional value isn’t as great as other types of fish, swai fish still has plenty of health benefits.

Research shows that swai fish provides a healthy dose of Omega 3 fatty acids, which can help improve heart health by maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Moreover, folks trying to lose weight should incorporate swai fish in their diet because this low-carb fish stocks up on protein. This can help you feel full for longer and improve your energy levels to help you power through the day. 

Swai fish also has plenty of selenium, niacin, and vitamin B12 reserves, which can help support bone health and improve memory, per Healthline.

Best swai fish substitutes

If these health benefits aren't impressive enough to sway you, there are still plenty of fish in the sea. Other similar white-fleshed fish you can have are:

• haddock
• tilapia
• sole
• salmon
• cod

Salmon is the best alternative to swai due to their similarities in flavor and texture. You can cook salmon the same way as you would a swai fish and even swap the two in recipes.

If you're more inclined towards a sweeter fish with a non-existent fishy taste, go for Tilapia. This fish is an affordable option for those on a limited budget. 

Pacific cod can also be used in place of swai fish. It's also a mild-flavored fish with plenty of nutritional benefits and delicate meat that is best fried or baked.

Remember that swai fish is often mislabeled as perch, grouper, or sole. So it's best to buy them from the fish counter at specialty markets or fishmongers instead of your local grocery stores.