Fish Fingers recipe

Fish Fingers so perfectly golden and crunchy it’s hard to believe they’re BAKED rather than fried! Breaded white fish baked in the oven using a secret method to make them super crispy outside and tender on the inside, with the extra bonus of a mess-free way to coat the fish in breadcrumbs. Clean fingers – yay!

Say bye-bye to the boxes in the freezer aisle. Homemade fish fingers are incredible, SO EASY to make and they’re healthy {226 calories for 3!}

Fish Fingers recipe

Homemade fish fingers made without frying, and without your fingers getting caked with batter and breadcrumbs? YES YOU CAN!

This fish fingers recipe uses a much loved reader reader favourite baked breading technique involving a quick toasting of breadcrumbs in the oven and a single extra-strength dredge batter, by passing the usual flour-then-egg method.

This same breadcrumb baking method is also used in these reader favourite recipes: baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, Crunchy Chicken Tenders and even homemade Filet-O-Fish.

Just look at this pile of golden fish fingers! Don’t you just want to devour them all??

How to make fish fingers

So getting right to the point (because I know you’re just busting to know how I got them so perfectly golden!), here’s how to make fish fingers my way:

My secret steps

1. Toast the breadcrumbs: it’s an extra step but it’s effortless – just spread the breadcrumbs on a tray, spray with oil, then bake for 5 minutes. Fish fingers cooks quickly in the oven (15 min max), faster than the time you need for the breadcrumb to become golden and crisp (no matter how much oil you use). So we give it a little helping hand by toasting it beforehand. This is how you can make anything breaded that’s baked beautifully golden ALL OVER rather than splotchy like this; and

2. Single extra-strength dredge batter: no dusting with flour then dipping in egg. I use a single flour-egg dredge batter that provides extra sticking power which we need when we baked things that are breaded.

What goes in Fish Fingers

And here are the ingredients you need.

Best fish for fish fingers

I’ve used Ling – the long shape makes it ideal for cutting into fish finger batons.

Virtually any fish fillets will work here except lean fish that dries out easily, such as swordfish, kingfish, bonito and tuna.

Other popular fish that will work well include: tilapia, cod, basa, catfish, barramundi, bream, snapper, John dory / Silver dory.

See the recipes notes for more suggestions and fish to avoid.

Other ingredients

• Oil spray – There’s less than a teaspoon of oil used in the whole recipe by using oil spray instead of liquid oil. You get even coverage in a way you can never achieve using normal liquid oil. But if you don’t have spray, just substituted with a couple of tablespoons of oil;

• Mayo for batter – this might look like an odd ingredient to use, but there’s logic to my madness! The mayo adds a bit of oil into the dredge batter to help the breadcrumbs brown evenly from the inside as well as the outside. It also adds a touch of flavour;

• Parmesan – adds a boost of umami to the fish fingers, compensating for not frying in oil (because let’s face it – deep frying makes everything taste better. Even Mars Bars, apparently 😂)

 Sauce for Fish Fingers

The classic sauce for Fish Fingers is Tartare Sauce which you will find in this recipe along with Thousand Island, Marie Rose and the RecipeTin Family Favourite seafood dipping sauce. All these go equally well with Fish Fingers.

If you’re after a really quick sauce, try one of these:

• Quick creamy lemon – mix together mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or a combo of these) with a squeeze of lemon juice;

• Ketchup and/or Sriracha with mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or any combo of these);

• Ketchup and/or mustard!

The breadcrumb coating is nicely flavoured, so you don’t need a ton of flavour in the sauce. You just want something wet. Even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice would suffice here!

What to serve with Fish Fingers

Here’s a few suggestions for things to serve on the side. I’m sticking with healthy options here to be one theme – but no one ever said no to a side of Cheesy Garlic Bread or homemade Wedges!

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Lemon Yogurt Dressing

Broccoli Salad with Lighter Creamy Dressing

Wickedly Delish Sweet Potato Salad

Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomato Feta

5 Healthier, Creamy Yogurt Salad Dressings

Lemon Potato Salad

Kale and Quinoa Salad

Corn Salad with Avocado

Side Salads

And it’s freezer friendly – from frozen!

I know those boxes of frozen fish fingers are tempting for a convenience meal. Take out of freezer, throw it on a tray, bake from frozen.

Well guess what? You can bake homemade fish fingers from frozen too! Sure it takes a little longer to make them from scratch rather than grabbing a box at the grocery store.

But these taste better, they’re way better for you and you know exactly what’s in them. Win, win, win! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Fish Fingers

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Mains

Western

4.97 from 62 votes

Servings4

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Recipe video above. Fish Fingers so perfectly golden and crunchy it's hard to believe they're BAKED rather than fried! Toasting the breadcrumbs makes all the difference because fish cooks in the oven so much faster than it takes to brown the breadcrumbs. BONUS: This is a mess free breading technique!

Ingredients

• ▢ 600g / 1.2lb white fish fillets , patted dry (Note 1)
• ▢ Oil spray (olive oil or any plain)

Crumb

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups (75g) panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)
• ▢ 1/4 cup (25g) parmesan
• ▢ 2 tsp paprika , optional
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each

Batter

• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 tbsp flour
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt and pepper , each

Serving

• ▢ Tartare sauce or other seafood dipping sauce
• ▢ Lemon wedges
• ▢ Finely chopped chives or parsley , garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Crumbing:

• Toast breadcrumbs: Spread breadcrumbs on tray. Spray with oil, bake 4 minutes until golden. Transfer toasted breadcrumbs into bowl, add remaining Crumb ingredients and mix.
• Increase oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C). Spray used tray with oil.
• Batter: Mix Batter ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Cut the fish into strips 1.5 x 11 cm / 3/5 x 4.5" (they shink 30% in length).
• Place fish in Batter, gently mix with rubber spatula to coat. Do not leave sitting around (will become watery), coat immediately.
• Breading: Pick up fish with tongs, place in breadcrumbs. Spoon over crumb, use fingers to press to adhere.
• Baking: Transfer to baking tray. Spray with oil, bake 13 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
• Serve immediately with lemon wedges, Tartare Sauce or other Sauce of choice - see here for recipes, any of these great for fish fingers! Also Note 3 for few quick sauce options.

Recipe Notes:

1. Fish - I've used Ling - the long shape makes it ideal for cutting into fish finger batons. Virtually any fish fillets will work here except lean fish that dries out easily, such as swordfish, kingfish, bonito and tuna.

Other popular fish that will work well include: tilapia, ling, cod, basa, catfish, barramundi, bream, snapper, John dory / Silver dory.

Frozen fish works fine - thaw completely, pat dry then use per recipe. Any frozen white fish from grocery store should be fine - they always sell great all rounders.

2. Panko breadcrumbs - larger pieces than normal breadcrumbs which creates a really nice extra crunchy coating. Pretty common nowadays, found in the Asian section of supermarkets here in Australia. Can sub with normal breadcrumbs, but measure using cups not weight.

3. Sauces:

• Classic - Tartare Sauce which you will find in this recipe along with Thousand Island, Marie Rose and the RecipeTin Family Favourite seafood dipping sauce. All these go equally well with Fish Fingers.
• Quick sauces:
  • Quick creamy lemon - mix together mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or a combo of these) with a squeeze of lemon juice;
  • Pink sauce - Ketchup and/or Sriracha with mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or any combo of these);
  • Ketchup and/or mustard!

The breadcrumb coating is nicely flavoured, so you don't need a ton of flavour in the sauce. You just want something wet. Even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice would suffice here!

4. Storage - either bake immediately once assembled OR freeze immediately raw then bake from frozen, 15 min. Cooked fish fingers don't keep that well because crumb goes soggy and because they are so small, they don't reheat well in the oven (inside tends to dry out).

5. Nutrition per serving, excluding dipping sauce. Takes into account leftover breadcrumb mixture about 1/2 cup (sounds like a waste but hard to coat properly if you use too little).

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 266cal (13%)Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fat: 9g (14%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 120mg (40%)Sodium: 538mg (23%)Potassium: 514mg (15%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 575IU (12%)Calcium: 77mg (8%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Keywords: baked fish, breaded fish, crumbed fish, fish fingers recipe, homemade fish fingers

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Life of Dozer

I took this 5 minutes before I hit Publish on this recipe. He’s spotted something of interest…. just not sure what 😂 Whatever it is, it must be really captivating – he’s been out there for ages in the beating hot sun!