Homemade Fish Sticks
Crispy, crunchy, flavorful strips of fish that you can pick up and dip in tartar sauce are simply the best. They remind me of my childhood. Now, with a family of my own, I make Homemade Fish Sticks. Usually made with tilapia or walleye, my family adores them. This has become of our our favorite 30-minute meals!
We ate fish sticks and macaroni and cheese for lunch when I was a kid. While she was a great cook and made many things from scratch, she was also a working Mom. She bought frozen fish sticks instead of making her own. They were crispy and we gobbled them down.
As I got older and realized how simple they are to make, I decided to make Homemade Fish Sticks. Kid-friendly and delicious, this has become one of my family’s favorite weeknight meals. Served with french fries and coleslaw, it makes everyone happy at the dinner table!
What kind of fish should I use to make fish sticks?
WALLEYE– This fish is sourced primarily from the Great Lakes and Canada. It a meaty white fish with a mild flavor. It’s perfect for frying and grilling.
CATFISH– They are abundant across the US and can be found in lakes and rivers, as well as coastal waters. It is a large fish and is often fried.
TILAPIA– It is often healthier to buy farm-raised tilapia, which is lower in mercury levels and more sustainable. This is a smaller white fish and very mild in flavor. Tilapia is a versatile fish that can be used in a variety of dishes, including dips, soups, main courses and salad.
COD– This fish comes from the Northern Atlantic and Northern Pacific oceans, as it likes colder, deeper waters. They are often used to make Fish and Chips because Cod are a thick, meaty fish that hold up well to frying.
For this recipe, cut the fish of your choice into strips that are 1 by 4 inches in length. It is always good practice to run your fingers along the fish to check for tiny bones that might have been missed when the fish was cleaned, especially when working with fresh fish.
Homemade Fish Sticks
What’s needed?
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3 large white fish fillets, about 2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs with a splash of water, beaten well
- 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
How to make Homemade Fish Sticks?
- Cut your fish fillets into sticks. Each fillet should give you about 7-8 sticks. Each fish stick should be about the size of a finger, 4 inches long by 1 inch wide. Toward the tail of the fillet the sticks will be thinner. Sprinkle each fish stick with garlic salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs and water in a shallow dish. Put the bread crumbs, cornmeal and paprika into another shallow dish and mix thoroughly. Dip each fish stick in egg and then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
- Place your fish sticks gently into the hot oil, always facing them away from you so not to get splashed with oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Turn and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. When done, remove the fish sticks to a baking pan lined with parchment paper to drain. Sprinkle with an additional pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Serve the fish sticks with your favorite vegetable and some amazing tartar sauce. I whipped together some mayonnaise, relish, a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley to make a quick tartar sauce. And don’t forget to squeeze some fresh lemon juice over each fish stick. Crunchy and delicious, you will want to make these again and again.
This recipe makes 20-24 fish sticks and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Enough for a hungry family of four! Who says HOMEMADE has to take a lot of time in the kitchen?
Looking for more tasty fish dishes, check out these easy recipes:
Homemade Fish Sticks
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 pounds white fish fillets, about 3 large fillets
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs , with a splash of milk, beaten well
- 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 large lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Cut your fish fillets into sticks. Each fillet should give you about 7-8 sticks. Each fish stick should be about the size of a finger, 4 inches long by 1 inch wide. Toward the tail of the fillet the sticks will be thinner. Sprinkle each fish stick with garlic salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs and water in a shallow dish. Put the bread crumbs, cornmeal and paprika into another shallow dish and mix thoroughly. Dip each fish stick in egg and then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
- Place your fish sticks gently into the hot oil, always facing them away from you so not to get splashed with oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Turn and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. When done, remove the fish sticks to a baking pan lined with parchment paper to drain. Sprinkle with an additional pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Equipment
- 1 large skillet