Homemade Fish Fingers

Name: Homemade Fish Fingers Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 400 grams basa fillets (cut into strips for fish fingers); 1 cup plain flour; 1 egg (whisked with 1/2 cup water); 1 cup panko; 1 cup polenta; olive oil for drizzling

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I grew up on fish fingers but nothing quite beats the taste and crunch of these Homemade Fish Fingers! Quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious, they are set to become a family favourite. Crumbed with delicious breadcrumbs, these fish fillets are perfect served with lemon juice or tartare sauce and a side of fries.

Contents hide

1 Why you're going to love these fish fingers

2 What goes into the recipe

3 How to make this recipe

4 Expert tips and FAQS

5 Want some more family friendly fish ideas?

6 Homemade Fish Fingers Recipe

Why you're going to love these fish fingers

These are nothing like the storebought fish fingers that I grew up on, these crispy fish fingers actually taste and look like fish and are yummy! They are such a good starting point for kids who won't eat fish.

to get the golden colour we use polenta- it also adds to the crunch and helps them to have the appearance of storebought fingers
quick and easy to make, and ready in 40 minutes
you can freeze them uncooked and then cook them from frozen- meaning they are a great substitute for storebought fish fingers
use your favourite white fish, like basa, leather jacket, hoki, bream
perfect for a quick midweek dinner
you know exactly what is in them! No flavours, no colours, just real good food.

What goes into the recipe

don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for quantities and the full method

fish- I use hoki, basa, ling, sea bream, tilapia, barramundi, catfish or leather jacket. They all have the right consistency and are perfect for these fish fingers because they cook quickly and retain their shape and texture. You could also use cod, whiting, halibut, bass, perch, grouper or pollock. Fish is so important for our diet and white fish is an excellent way to start with kids if they haven't had much of it in their diet due to the subtle flavour and the texture.
polenta- polenta is what gives us the golden colour and it adds extra crunch to the fish.
panko breadcrumbs- these bread crumbs used to be tricky to find, but now even the most boring supermarkets have them!

How to make this recipe

Fish is so easy to crumb!

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Mix the panko and polenta together in a bowl.
Cut the fish into fish finger size pieces.
Coat the fish in flour.
Dip each strip individually in the egg and water mix.

Then coat in the panko polenta mix.
Place each strip on a lined oven tray/ baking tray. (this makes it so much easier to clean up!)
Spray the strips with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. I use a decor oil spray bottle for this. There is no need to turn them in the pan during cooking.

Expert tips and FAQS

Fun and simple recipes like this one are easy to make at home! My top tips:

cut your fish into manageable pieces for kids to eat by hand and serve with chips or other finger food (I did cucumbers, carrots and beans cut into sticks).
serve with a dipping sauce, either tartare, mayonnaise or if you have to...tomato sauce!
don't turn the fish during cooking- you risk losing some of the crumb if you do!

What makes the crumbing stick?

The flour acts as glue when it sticks to the egg and then the crumbing sticks to the outside!

What's the best way to cook fish fingers?

In the oven! It's healthier and better for you! And using olive oil and baking these means that they are the best they could be! They would also be perfect in the air fryer, and will probably only take 15 minutes. You may need to do a few batches to get them all done in the airfryer.

Are these the same as fish sticks?

Yes, in Australia and the UK they are called fish fingers, but in the US they are referred to as fish sticks.

How do I freeze these?

I crumb them and then freeze on a baking sheet. To cook from frozen, preheat the oven to 200˚ degrees celsius. Cook the fish fingers for 30 minutes at 200˚ celsius. I put them into containers when frozen solid.

What can I serve with homemade fish fingers?

Vegetables like peas, potatoes, carrot sticks, celery sticks all go great with fish fingers. They are also delicious with salad- try this pasta salad!

Can I add more flavour?

Yes, you can, I have made these by adding a teaspoon of garlic powder, or cayenne pepper, or onion powder. A teaspoon paprika is also a great addition. These ones are made plain for a reason, as they are for kids. You can also add black pepper or salt after cooking to taste.

Homemade fish fingers on a green plate with veggies.

Want some more family friendly fish ideas?

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