Baked Fish Sticks are fun. This homemade, oven-baked version is crispy, tender, flaky, and so delicious! Strips of fish are covered in bread crumbs and baked to perfection in this kid-friendly recipe. They make for a simple family dinner, or they can be served as an appetizer or even at a party. And don’t forget the homemade tartar sauce for dipping, and fries for the perfect side.
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What’s in this Fish Sticks Recipe?
This homemade recipe is a much better version of that nostalgic food. It’s crispy, baked, tender, flaky, and full of flavor.
- Fish: I like to use cod for this recipe, but any white fish will work.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhances the flavor of the fish.
- All-Purpose Flour: Coats the fish to help the egg mixture stick.
- Paprika: Adds a bit of color and brightness to the dish. You can use sweet paprika for a fruitier taste or smoked paprika for a smokier taste.
- Eggs: Help the breadcrumbs to stick.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a bit of tanginess and acidity.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use a combination of Panko and seasoned breadcrumbs for great flavor and extra crunchy texture. You can use just one or the other, but I find the combination of the two is what sets this recipe apart.
- Cooking Spray: Olive oil or butter-flavored cooking spray helps them bake up crispy in the oven without being too oily or fatty.
Pro Tip: Tartar sauce is the perfect complement to these fish sticks. It’s perfectly tangy and creamy!
Variations on Baked Fish Sticks
These fish sticks are a great blank canvas to make your own! Try some of these variations.
- Spicy: Add cayenne pepper or chili powder into the flour mixture to give them a kick of heat. Adjust the spice level to your preference.
- Parmesan Crusted: Replace some of the breadcrumbs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a cheesy twist.
- Herb Crusted: Add a blend of dried herbs, such as thyme, basil, or dill, to the breadcrumbs to create a fragrant and herbaceous coating.
- Coconut Crusted: Replace the breadcrumbs with unsweetened shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
- Almond Crusted: Grind almonds into a coarse meal and use it as a coating. The almonds add a nutty flavor and a delightful crunch.
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I love this homemade fish sticks recipe because I know exactly what goes in it. It starts with real cod fish fillets, so I feel good serving these to my family!
The typical ones you find are not going to be particularly healthy, but this recipe is baked instead of fried, which already makes them a bit healthier. I won’t say they’re great for you overall, but fish has a lot of nutrients and it’s a good source of protein. Baked is always better than fried, fresh is always better than frozen, and homemade is always better than pre-made.
Fish sticks and tartar sauce are a match made in heaven! You have to make this homemade tartar sauce to go with this recipe. It’s the perfect dipping sauce.
Yes! In fact, pregnant women should aim to consume fish at least 2-3 times per week! Because these are made with cod, there is no concern about mercury.
While fish sticks aren’t toxic to dogs, they’re not very good for them either. If you’d like to feed them to your dog, I recommend peeling off the breading first and just feeding them the fish.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover fish sticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven on a lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
How to Freeze
Freeze fish sticks in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen, adding an extra 5 minutes to the bake time.
Serving Suggestions
These fish sticks are such a classic meal! I love them with tartar sauce, ketchup, and lemon wedges. You could also serve them with bang bang sauce or ranch.
For side dishes, stick with the fish and chips mentality and make some french fries, shoestring fries, sweet potato fries, or potato wedges and a bit of coleslaw. You could also serve them with a fresh side salad, buttered noodles, homemade applesauce, macaroni salad, potato salad, corn on the cob, street corn, roasted broccoli, or grilled asparagus.
More Kid-Friendly Recipes
We are an expert in Kid Friendly Recipes. It’s one of our favorite things to create and make. Be sure to try these other favorites after you kids devour these Homemade Fish Sticks!
- Crockpot Beef Tacos
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- French Dip
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- See all of our Kid Friendly Recipes!
Fish Sticks Recipe (Baked)
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Ingredients
- 1 pound cod fillets cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Tartar Sauce for serving (store bought or click for recipe)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F, cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray. Spray a metal rack and place it over the baking sheet. Set aside.
- Lightly salt and pepper the fish.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 pound cod fillets
- Set out 3 shallow bowls to create a dredging station.
- In the first shallow bowl, whisk the flour and paprika together.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
- In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and Dijon mustard together.2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- In the third bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs and the seasoned breadcrumbs.1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- For the dredging process, press a fish stick in the flour, making sure to cover all sides and shake off the excess.
- Then, dredge the fish stick in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off. Now, press the fish in the breadcrumb mixture, patting to help the coating adhere.
- Place the coated fish stick on the prepared rack/baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining fish sticks.
- Spritz the fish with olive oil or butter-flavored cooking spray.Olive oil cooking spray
- Place the fish in the oven and bake 6 minutes. Turn the fish sticks over and spray with oil or cooking spray.
- Bake another 6-10 minutes or until the fish begins to flake easily with a fork.
- Transfer cooked fish to a serving tray and serve immediately with Homemade Tartar Sauce or other favorite sauce.Tartar Sauce
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Cut the fish fillets into evenly sized sticks to ensure they cook evenly and have a consistent texture.
- Make sure your oven is preheated to 400°F to ensure even cooking and crispy results.
- Leave space between the fish sticks on the baking sheet to allow for proper air circulation, which helps them crisp up evenly.
- For even browning, flip the fish sticks halfway through the baking time. This helps both sides get crispy and golden.
- Baked fish sticks are best served immediately to maintain their crispiness. If needed, keep them in a warm oven (about 200°F) until ready to serve.
- Nutritional information does not include tartar sauce.
Nutrition Information
This recipe is tried and true. Have used this on multiple occasions. So nice to find a good crispy fish stick recipe that doesn’t require deep frying!
Thanks for stopping by, Margie!
Yum, yum, yum! So good… thank you!
You’re welcome!!
Could prep these up to just before baking, and freeze them?
Absolutely!
Wow.
I work from home and decided I’d make this as a treat for lunch. I have enough remaining that I’ll throw the leftovers (with homemade tartar sauce) on a toasted brioche bun for lunch tomorrow! I’ll freeze two of the sticks just to see how they behave.
I found it helpful to insert a toothpick in one end of my stick before dredging it through the three bowls. Makes for less messy fingers. Meanwhile, I cannot wait to make these for my little cousins!!
That’s a great idea. Glad you like them!
My kids love these and I love how crispy they are!
Crispiness is definitely important for fish sticks. :) So happy the kids love them!
Used to love fish sticks as a kid! These are just so much better!
Definitely an upgraded version of what we used to have as kids. :)
The whole family loved these! Love that the breading gets crispy.
So happy everyone loved them!!
These baked fish sticks look amazing!
Next time I will have to double this recipe — my kids LOVED them!
Thanks Tara!
So much tastier and healthier than those frozen & processed ones in the supermarket’s freezer section. My family likes fish sticks served with creamy mashed potatoes & peas. Thanks for this lovely recipe! :-)
Thanks for saying hi!