Easy homemade fish sticks that are perfectly tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. And you’ll love how flavorful they are, thanks to a little seasoning and the Parmesan crust!
Be sure to watch my video below. You can make these with a white firm fish or even with salmon for a little more Omega-3!
Fish dinners are a fairly frequent thing around here–no surprise to those who follow the Mediterranean diet.
For something a little different today, we’re doing fish sticks! A grown-up, tastier and healthier version than the store-bought stuff!
Most of the time, a firm and meaty white fish like cod or halibut is the obvious choice. But, I’m going for salmon fish sticks just for that extra kick of omega 3 goodness. (Either option you chose is fine).
These baked salmon fish sticks turn out perfectly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. And you’ll love the pop of flavor, thanks to a little seasoning and the Parmesan crust!
Ingredients
- Fish- A firm and meaty fish fillet (about 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick center-cut piece). Be sure the skin is removed. I used 1 1/2 pounds of salmon but, like I said earlier, a firm white fish fillet such as cod or even halibut will work.
- Seasoning- Aside from a sprinkle of kosher salt, I use a trio of spices to give the fish sticks great flavor: black pepper, oregano, and paprika.
- For dredging or coating- A dredging station will have the different items the fish will be covered in to make that beautiful, crispy coating. In one dish, flour. In another, an egg wash of 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water. And in the third dish, a combination of bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, which adds another interesting layer of flavor.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice- Zest of about 1 lemon and lemon juice, to your liking (I use juice of 1/2 lemon) are added as soon as the fish is out of the oven. Citrus and fish are a match made in heaven, and that goes for these little salmon fish sticks too!
- Garnish- If you have it, garnish with a little sprinkle of fresh parsley
- Fish Sticks Sauce- You can serve these with the usual tartar sauce or homemade tzatziki or tahini sauce.
How to Make Fish Sticks in the Oven
Time needed: 25 minutes
How to make fish sticks (print-friendly recipe with ingredient measurements below)
- Heat Oven and Season Fish
Set a rack in the middle of your oven and heat to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, pat fish dry (I used salmon fillet that’s about 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) and season with salt on both sides.
Cut the fish into pieces or sticks that are about 3-inch long (so the sticks would be 1 1/2 inches thick and about 3 inches long).
Combine 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sweet paprika, and 1 tsp oregano and season the fish sticks on both sides.
- Prepare a Dredging Station
One dish of all-purpose or gluten free flour. One dish with the egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water). And in the last dish, mix together grated Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. (Don’t be confused by the lemon zest in the bread crumb dish. You do not need to mix it in at this point. It can be used later to finish the salmon fish sticks once they’re baked).
- Coat the Fish Sticks
Take each fish stick and coat it with the flour first. Shake off excess flour, then dip the fish stick in the egg wash. Finally, coat the fish stick in the bread crumb and Parmesan mixture.
Arrange the coated fish sticks on an oiled baking sheet (the oil on the baking sheet ensures that the bottom of the fish sticks get nice and crispy).
Now, with a brush, dab the tops of the fish sticks with extra virgin olive oil (be sure not to brush the coating off though). - Bake
Bake in the heated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked. If they need a bit more color, place the pan under the broiler very briefly (watch carefully) until they the fish sticks gain a nice golden brown color.
- To Finish
Transfer fish sticks to a serving platter. Add lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice. Sprinkle a bit of fresh parsley for garnish. Serve with you favorite sauce for dipping (I like Tahini sauce or Tzatziki sauce)
What goes with homemade fish sticks?
A fish-n-chips dinner is never out of the question around here! And these hearty are the perfect entree next to oven baked sweet potato fries. And for something colorful, add a big salad like this Mediterranean white bean salad or chickpea salad.
This crispy fish is obviously a great choice for a an appetizer with just a little sauce for dipping. If you want something more than store-bought tartar sauce, try tahini or Greek Tztaziki.
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Crispy Homemade Fish Sticks Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 14 fish sticks 1x
Description
Easy homemade fish sticks that are perfectly tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. And you’ll love how flavorful they are, thanks to a little seasoning and the Parmesan crust! You can make these with a white firm fish or even with salmon for a little more Omega-3!
Be sure to watch my video.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb firm fish fillet such as salmon, skin removed (You can use a firm white fish fillet like cod)
- Salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten free flour)
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO)
- Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon to finish
- Parsley for garnish
To serve:
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Pat fish fillet dry and season with kosher salt on both sides. Cut the fish fillet into pieces or sticks (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick and about 3-inch long).
- In a small bowl, combine black pepper, dried oregano, and paprika. Season fish sticks on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Make a dredging station. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place the egg wash in a deeper dish or bowl next to the flour dish. And in another dish, combine the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan and lemon zest. Place next to the dish with the egg wash.
- Now coat the fish. Take a fish stick and dip it in the flour to coat both sides; shake excess flour off. Then dip the fish stick in the egg wash, and then in the bread crumb and Parmesan mixture. Pat to help the coating adhere to the fish stick. Repeat until all the fish sticks have been coated.
- Arrange coated fish sticks on an oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops of the fish sticks with a little extra virgin olive oil (you’ll want to basically dab the salmon fish sticks with the oil so that you don’t end up removing the coating).
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the heated oven. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. If the fish sticks need more color still, place them under the broiler very briefly (watch carefully) until fish sticks gain a nice golden brown color.
- Finish with lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Garnish with parsley.
- Serve with your favorite sauce for dipping. I used tahini sauce here, but tzatziki sauce would be great as well. Add a big salad and call it dinner (I especially like Mediterranean white bean salad or Greek salad with these salmon fish sticks
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Baking time may vary slightly depending on the kind of fish and how thick your fish sticks are. The salmon fillet in this recipe is about 1 to 1 1/2 inch-thick, cut into 3-inch long sticks.
- Storage: Leftover homemade fish sticks can be refrigerated in a tight-lid glass containers for 2 days. Serve cold or warm through in the oven.
- Visit our Online Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices used in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Fish and Seafood
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean/American
I used cod, they tasted fine but completely fell apart. I didn’t use flour, would that make a difference?
Can the fish sticks be frozen after baking?
Hi, Linda. I think that would be okay, but it’s not something we’ve actually tested. If you give it a try, please stop back and share your thoughts!
This is absolutely phenomenal. I am gluten intolerant so I used garbanzo flour, and instead of panko I pulverized almond slivers with a mortar and pestle. This was unbelievably crunchy and flavorful using the substitutions above. Thank you for an incredible recipe!
Thanks for sharing your gluten-free adaptations here, Rani! So very helpful!
My wife has never liked fish sticks…………..I mean, never. I convinced her to try this and she loved it. Our list of Mediterranean recipes from your site which we’ve tried and love is growing!
Yay! So glad to hear that, Len! Thank you!
Didn’t really like this one not gonna lie. We had a cormeal one that was way better. I found this was as a replacement and was dissapointed.
We finished dinner an hour ago I must say…it was GREAT! We don’t like salmon but LOVE cod, so I used that. I followed the recipe as stated & I wouldn’t change a thing! Well, I used what I had on hand. Asiago cheese instead of the parm were the ONLY changes I made. Will definitely will make again.
I’m assuming that we need to take the skin off of the salmon first?
Yes
My new favorite!
I intended to do something completely different with the cod I purchased, but then I decided to search to see if there was anything like a cod fish stick. (and there was!) I have gleaned recipes from your site before, and the fish sticks are very good, too. It’s nice I can make my own, and they are so much better than Mrs. Paul’s frozen fish sticks (which I probably still like, since I grew up with them.) By the way, I purchased your cookbook today.
Oh, wonderful, John! Thank you so much for your support 🙂