This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
When you make air fryer fish sticks from scratch, you’ll never deep fry them again! Perfect with homemade tartar sauce.
Fish Sticks in Air Fryer
Forget the frozen aisle – Make healthy fish sticks within the air fryer with cleaner, fresh ingredients that taste so significantly better than packaged ones. They’re delicious and taste even higher with tartar sauce flavored with dill pickles, lemon juice, and dill. These homemade fish sticks within the air fryer are great for meal prep too. Double the batch, and have one for dinner and freeze the opposite for an additional night. Should you don’t have an air fryer, make this baked fish stick recipe as an alternative. More of my favorite air fryer fish recipes are this Air Fryer Salmon Sandwich, Air Fryer Salmon and Blackened Fish with Key Lime Tartar.
Fish Stick Ingredients
- What form of fish is used for fish sticks? One of the best fish for fish sticks is a firm white fish, like cod, sea bass, or haddock. You’ll need 1 ½ kilos of skinless fillets. If using frozen fish, thaw it first.
- Eggs: Beat two large eggs.
- Dijon Mustard to flavor the fish
- Lemon: Squeeze half of a lemon within the egg mixture.
- Panko: Use seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
- Seasoning: Salt and paprika for the eggs and Old Bay for the panko
- Tartar Sauce Ingredients: Full-fat Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, dill pickles, fresh dill, lemon juice, salt
Methods to Make Fish Sticks within the Air Fryer
- Cut the fish into 16 sticks, about 4 inches long and one inch wide.
- Tartar Sauce: Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate.
- Dredging Stations: Mix the eggs, Dijon, lemon juice, paprika, and salt in a medium bowl and the panko and Old Bay in one other.
- Coat the Fish: Dip each fish stick within the egg mixture after which panko. Put aside and repeat with the remaining fish.
- How Long to Cook Fish Sticks in an Air Fryer: In batches, transfer the fish sticks to the air fryer basket and spray either side with olive oil. Air fry at 400°F for eight minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
No Air Fryer? No Problem!
I even have this fish stick recipe with oven directions when you don’t have an air fryer.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F, and spray a big sheet pan with oil.
- Place the breaded fish on the pan, spray the tops with oil, and bake for about 12 minutes.
Variations:
- Gluten-Free Fish Sticks: Substitute gluten-free panko.
- Egg Allergy: Omit the eggs and coat the fish within the Dijon-lemon mixture before dipping them in panko.
- Old Bay: Should you don’t have Old Bay seasoning, add paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and salt to the panko.
- Mustard: Swap Dijon for yellow mustard.
- Herbs: Substitute dill with chives or parsley.
- Tartar Sauce: Should you don’t have time for homemade tartar sauce, buy your favorite brand on the supermarket. You would also serve them with this lemon-caper sauce, ketchup, or cocktail sauce.
What to Serve with Fish Sticks
Keep it kid-friendly and serve them with:
Methods to Freeze Fish Sticks
This healthy fish stick recipe is ideal for freezing to have readily available for simple dinners.
- Place the sheet pan with the uncooked, breaded fish sticks within the freezer for about two hours to flash freeze them.
- Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and squeeze out all of the air. Freeze for as much as six months.
- To eat, place the frozen fish sticks within the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until fully cooked.
If you desire to freeze cooked fish sticks, follow the identical process for freezing uncooked sticks. They’ll keep for as much as 3 months, and you possibly can reheat them within the air fryer until heated through. Once air fried, leftover sticks will last for 3 days within the fridge.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 24 minutes
Total: 34 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 4 sticks plus sauce
-
Cut the fish into 16 sticks, about 4 x 1 inches.
-
Mix the ingredients for the tartar sauce in a small bowl and refrigerate until able to eat.
-
Mix eggs, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, paprika and salt in a medium bowl.
-
In a second bowl mix the Panko crumbs with Old Bay seasoning.
-
Dip the fish into the egg mixture, then the panko. Put aside.
-
Transfer to the air fryer basket, in batches as needed and spray either side with olive oil. Air fry 400F about 8 minutes, turning half way, until golden and crisp.
-
Serve hot with tartar sauce.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us understand how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and proceed providing free, high-quality recipes for you.
TO FREEZE:
- Place the sheet pan with the uncooked breaded fish sticks within the freezer for about 2 hours to flash freeze them.
- Once frozen, transfer them rigorously in a freezer bag or container, squeezing out all of the air.
- Freeze as much as 6 months.
Serving: 4 sticks plus sauce, Calories: 294 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 37 g, Fat: 7.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 170.5 mg, Sodium: 733 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2.5 g