The Surf-And-Turf Hack To Up The Protein In McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

The McDonald's documentary-worthy Filet-O-Fish has been around for decades. It was a menu item that originally launched to bring in more customers during Lent, but its widespread success has kept it on the menu since the 1960s, and it's even become one of those sandwiches people can easily recreate at home with store-bought ingredients. On its own, the Filet-O-Fish contains 16 grams of protein. But if you want an extra protein boost, add a burger patty.

Gina Hardy, vice president of U.S. marketing and menu strategy for McDonald's, told Chowhound the addition of a burger patty is an easy way to add an extra 7 grams of protein to the Filet-O-Fish, bringing it to 23 grams total. And since the burger patty itself has a pretty mild flavor, it's not as funky of an add-on as it might seem. Plus, it gives a surf-and-turf vibe to this simple sandwich. You can customize the sandwich in the app, at a McDonald's in-store kiosk, or by ordering from an employee at the register. Prices vary by location, so you should confirm the additional cost of the patty before ordering.

Just about every McDonald's order is customizable, and many menu items are packed with protein. Even if the add-on isn't available in the app, from personal experience, speaking with an employee should grant you access to any customization you want (though this could ultimately vary by location). Another great way to get a protein-packed McDonald's order is to add a fish fillet to a McDouble.

The McDouble has two beef patties with cheese and comes in at 22 grams of protein. While the exact protein in the McDonald's fillet is unknown, it's safe to say it's somewhere in that 16-gram range (though other ingredients, such as the cheese on the Filet-O-Fish, make up that total protein count). You can also swap ketchup and mustard on a McDouble with tartar sauce, and you have a sandwich that's similar to the Filet-O-Fish but with even more protein, sticking to that surf-and-turf theme.

For another high protein surf-and-turf pairing, try adding a Filet-O-Fish patty to a Spicy Deluxe McCrispy. You can do the same with a standard Deluxe McCrispy, but that extra spice adds fun flavor. The spicy version has 27 grams of protein, and when coupled with the fish fillet, you have a protein-packed surf-and-turf sandwich with serious flavor.