Quick and easy, baked homemade fish sticks are crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside, and packed with flavor. With a crispy and well-seasoned breadcrumb crust, these fish sticks have the perfect crunchy texture that is loved by all, especially the kids. Serve this fun kid-friendly recipe for a family dinner, a fun lunch, or as an appetizer on game day. The best part? It is ready to serve in about 30 minutes (including prep!). The perfect last-minute recipe.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Fish Sticks
- A kid-friendly meal that's healthy. Homemade fish sticks are a fun way to get all the health benefits from the essential nutrients found in fish. It's healthier that store-bought fish sticks that are often deep-fried, filled with preservatives or are not made from a whole fish fillet. Plus, it's always a hit with everyone (big and small), and even with the pickiest eaters!
- Flavorful and crispy. While it’s not your classic Fish and Chips recipe, these homemade fish sticks boast a delicious breading with the best crunchy texture that we just can’t get enough of. With Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and paprika, the breading on these homemade fish sticks is seriously so good.
- Freezer-friendly = perfect for meal prep. Homemade fish sticks are great for meal prep since they store and freeze really well (before or after cooking!). Freeze them for up to 3 months and cook or reheat directly from frozen for a quick meal on a busy weeknight. If you like to meal prep, I recommend doubling this recipe.
Ingredients
To make these delicious and easy homemade fish sticks, you will need the following ingredients (full recipe list in recipe card at bottom of post):
- white fish fillets - I would recommend using a firm fish such as Atlantic cod, Pacific rockfish, catfish, or even salmon. The last thing you want is a fish stick that falls apart when you pick it up. It will still work with softer fish, but be prepared for it to be much more delicate to handle.
- salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning
- paprika
- breadcrumbs - I used regular breadcrumbs. Feel free to use Panko instead for a crunchier crust.
- Parmesan cheese
- all-purpose flour
- eggs
- cooking oil spray
You can serve these as is or with tarter sauce. You can use store-bought sauce or make homemade tarter sauce in just a couple of minutes. To make your own, you will need mayo, lemon juice, dill pickles, and pepper.
How to Make the Best Homemade Fish Sticks
- Prep the fish. Use a paper towel and pat dry each fillet completely dry. Evenly season both sides with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and paprika. Cut the fish fillet into approximately ¾-inch wide and 1-inch long pieces.
- Coat the fish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together breadcrumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese until combined. Prepare two shallow plates with flour and beaten eggs. Dip each fish stick into flour to coat it completely and evenly. Then, dip it into the egg, and then breadcrumb mixture, coating completely and evenly. The flour sticks to the fish, the egg sticks to the flour, and the breadcrumbs stick to the egg. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the fish sticks to adhere them on as much as possible and shake off any excess.
- Bake. Transfer the breaded fish sticks onto a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and coat each of the fish sticks evenly with cooking oil spray. This will create a golden brown crust during baking. Bake in a 400F preheated for 15 minutes until fully cooked through and golden brown.
- Serve. Serve immediately on its own or with tarter sauce for dipping. To make tartar sauce, combine mayo, lemon juice, pickles, and pepper in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
How to Serve
Serve homemade fish sticks with a homemade tarter sauce on the side and a serving of Air Fryer French Fries, Baked Sweet Potato Wedges, or Crispy Leaf Potatoes.
They also go well with a side salad such as a Classic Coleslaw, Creamy Cucumber Salad, or Potato Salad, or some roasted veggies like Honey Roasted Carrots, Air Fryer Broccoli, or Roasted Spring Vegetables.
You can also use the leftovers in easy Fish Stick Tacos or Fish Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How to store homemade fish sticks: If you want to store homemade fish sticks in the refrigerator, let them cool completely to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. If they're still hot when you store them, condensation will build inside the container and make your fish sticks soggy. Eat them in three days or less.
- How to freeze homemade fish sticks: You can freeze these homemade fish sticks before or after baking for up to three months. Either way line them on a large baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 1 hour (if cooked, allow the fish sticks to first cool down completely to room temperature). Then, transfer into a freezer bag and use are desired.
- Cooking from frozen: To cook frozen fish sticks, you can cook them directly from frozen. Follow the recipe instructions but increase the cook time by 6-8 minutes. The fish sticks will be ready once the crust turns golden-brown.
- How to reheat cooked fish sticks from frozen: You can reheat the cooked frozen fish sticks in a 400F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until heated through.
More Kid-Friendly Recipes
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw
Cheeseburger Sliders
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Ricotta Crostini with Peas and Mint
More Seafood Recipes
- Fish Tacos with Lime Crema
- Greek Salmon
- Baked Coconut Shrimp
- Healthier Fish and Chips
- Fish Burgers with Creamy Slaw
- Miso Black Cod (Sablefish)
- Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
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Recipe
Homemade Fish Sticks
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 fish sticks
Description
Quick easy baked homemade fish sticks are crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside, and packed with flavor. Kid-friendly + freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 white fish fillets (1.5 lb.), preferably firm fish such as Atlantic cod, Pacific rockfish, salmon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, Panko or regular bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- cooking oil spray
Tartar dipping sauce:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dill pickles, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Use a paper towel and pat dry each fillet completely dry. Evenly season both sides with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and paprika. Cut the fish fillet into approximately ¾-inch wide and 1-inch long pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together breadcrumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese until combined. Prepare two shallow plates with flour and beaten eggs.
- Dip each fish stick into flour to coat it completely and evenly. Then, dip it into the egg, and then breadcrumb mixture, coating completely and evenly. The flour sticks to the fish, the egg sticks to the flour, and the breadcrumbs stick to the egg. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the fish sticks to adhere them on as much as possible and shake off any excess.
- Transfer the breaded fish sticks onto a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and coat each of the fish sticks evenly with cooking oil spray. This will create a golden brown crust during baking. Bake for 15 minutes until fully cooked through and golden brown.
- Serve immediately on its own or with tarter sauce for dipping. To make tartar sauce, combine mayo, lemon juice, pickles, and pepper in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
Notes
How to store homemade fish sticks: If you want to store homemade fish sticks in the refrigerator, let them cool completely to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. If they're still hot when you store them, condensation will build inside the container and make your fish sticks soggy. Eat them in three days or less.
How to freeze homemade fish sticks: You can freeze these homemade fish sticks before or after baking for up to three months. Either way line them on a large baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 1 hour (if cooked, allow the fish sticks to first cool down completely to room temperature). Then, transfer into a freezer bag and use are desired.
Cooking from frozen: To cook frozen fish sticks, you can cook them directly from frozen. Follow the recipe instructions but increase the cook time by 6-8 minutes. The fish sticks will be ready once the crust turns golden-brown.
How to reheat cooked fish sticks from frozen: You can reheat the cooked frozen fish sticks in a 400F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until heated through.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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