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Homemade Gluten Free Fish Sticks Recipe

by Laura Fuentes

April 18, 2022
updated Jun 27, 2023
4.91 from 22 votes
Crispy, crunchy fish sticks made with fresh fish and gluten-free breading, this kid-favorite meal is way healthier than the storebought version!
Jump to Recipe

All the articles & recipes on this website have been created through real-life testing and experience (no ai) since 2010. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Gluten-free fish sticks made with fresh fish and gluten-free breading, this kid-favorite meal is crispy, crunchy, and super delicious. And watch how easily these tasty fish fingers can be made in this quick recipe video!

Kids love fish sticks for the crispy, finger food they are but we parents love them because they’re an easy fix for dinner and a winner with the kids.

I already recreated the popular drive-thru chicken nuggets and they were a HIT but I figured it was about time I recreated fish sticks.

Gluten Free Fish Sticks

To up the ante on regular fish sticks, I chose a gluten-free breading and baking versus frying to make these a smart choice for lunch or dinner.

Of course, if you don’t need these to be gluten-free, go ahead and use the regular version of the flour and breadcrumbs in the recipe.

How to Make Gluten-Free Fish Sticks

Since 3 out 5 in my family are gluten-free I wanted to recreate these fish sticks so everyone could enjoy the same ones. I make my own gluten-free breading with a combo of gluten-free flour, ground flax, and gluten-free bread crumbs.

Don’t worry, they still have that perfect crunchy coating we all adore. If you’re a fanatic for crispy, baked fish then you might want to check out my Salmon Nuggets, after you make these of course.

Are these fish sticks allergy friendly?

These homemade fish sticks are free from gluten, nuts, dairy, and eggs so that everyone can enjoy them. Even if you’re family doesn’t have any food allergies/intolerances, this is an excellent recipe for the classic kid-favorite recipe.

Plus, with the golden, crispy coating, no one will guess they’re gluten-free!

How to make bread crumbs stick with no eggs or dairy

Instead of regular Parmesan cheese and milk, this recipe uses vegan Parmesan cheese I like this one and full-fat coconut milk.

If dairy isn’t a problem for your family you can swap the vegan Parmesan cheese for regular.

Gluten Free Fish Sticks

How to prep-ahead gluten-free fish sticks for lunch

These are perfect to make ahead of time to pack for school lunches or pull off for an easy dinner. Whenever you plan to make fish sticks, double the batch and bake them.

Allow the leftover fish sticks to cool down to room temperature before placing in an airtight container and freezing.

How to re-heat gluten-free fish sticks

When you’re ready to pack for lunch, remove the frozen fish sticks from the freezer and bake them at 425F for 15 to 20 minutes. They are just as convenient as the grocery store option but way tastier and healthier.

More gluten-free kids lunch ideas

If you want a taste of how we do gluten-free lunches go here and take a look at the recipes below:

  • Greek Cups
  • Egg Roll in a Bowl
  • Mini Quiche
  • Burrito Bowls
  • Teriyaki Lunch Bowls
  • 7 Layer Mexican Dip
  • Bento Box Ideas

But before you try these lunch ideas, make these fish sticks, then come and tell me what ya think! Way better than the frozen ones from the store, right?

Gluten Free Fish Sticks

Homemade Gluten Free Fish Sticks Recipe

Laura Fuentes
4.91 from 22 votes
Crispy, crunchy fish sticks made with fresh fish and gluten-free breading, this kid-favorite meal is way healthier than the storebought version!
Servings: 30 fish sticks
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax
  • 1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan topping
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 pound cod fillets

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
  • Add flour to a plate and set aside. Pour the coconut milk into a shallow dish and set aside.
  • In a separate shallow dish, combine the flax meal, bread crumbs, Parmesan, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Using paper towels, pat dry each fillet of Cod before slicing into ½-inch thick strips.
  • To dredge, dip each fish piece into the flour, then the milk, and finally, the crumb mixture, coating both sides and pressing lightly to adhere.
  • Place the fish sticks onto the baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart, and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown, flipping once halfway through.

Notes

Don’t need an egg-free version? Omit the coconut milk and flax and use 2 eggs instead.

Equipment

Gluten-Free Flour
Kids Lunch Box

Nutrition

Serving: 6 fishsticksCalories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 12.9gProtein: 6.8gFat: 3.7gSaturated Fat: 2.9gCholesterol: 13.8mgSodium: 372.5mgFiber: 1.4gSugar: 0.1g
Like this recipe?Rate and leave a comment below

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Leslie Montgomery

    February 23, 2021 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    Please tell me that either;
    A) You have a housekeeper; or
    B) The rest of your house is a mess!
    LOL!
    No, really, I’m so glad to have found you! I have a 35 y.o. special-hearts son (I hate the term special-needs) and a 10 y.o. special-hearts son, and a 12 y.o. daughter tucked in the middle. My little guy is on the Autism spectrum, can’t have gluten, dairy, or soy, and to add fuel to the fire, he’s got to be the WORLD’s pickiest eater (I know everyone says that, right?!). If I ate like he does I’d still be wearing my Freshman year prom dress! Ugh! Anyway, we won’t go THERE… We were at my son’s doctors office yesterday and the doctor asked him, “Elijah, what will you eat?” My son replied, “Fish sticks!” So, here I am. I appreciate you. God bless you.

    Reply
  2. Ly

    February 08, 2021 at 9:10 pm

    3 stars
    I followed the recipe, but for some reason my fish sticks were mushy. I also found the taste to be rather bland. Unfortunately, my kids really didn’t like it despite being fish-lovers. If anyone has any tips for making them crunchy and ideas for spices or other sources of flavoring, I wouldn’t mind trying again!
    Thank you,
    Ly

    Reply
    • MOMables-Laura

      February 12, 2021 at 12:22 pm

      Hi Ly, I apologize for any troubles you had with the recipe. I’ve made it often and had quite the success, but I do know a few steps that could help the fish sticks turn out crispy and crunchy. Before dredging them, make sure to pat dry them with a paper towel. It also helps to space each fish stick about an inch apart on the sheet pan so they don’t “steam” while in the oven. I made sure to include these tips in the recipe card. As far as seasonings go, feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite spices or spice blend to the breadcrumb mixture. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. Mich

    April 04, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for the recipe cooking them as i type! if i freeze them before baking them do i have to defrost the before cooking or can i just pop them straight in the oven from frozen? Thank you gaian my son has allergies we love your website ;0)

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura

      April 19, 2019 at 1:58 pm

      I typically freeze them before I bake them but you can freeze them after you cook them and just heat them up. Thanks for trying our recipe!

      Reply
      • Kristy

        January 22, 2021 at 8:53 am

        5 stars
        I made these last night and they were awesome! I used halibut, made a garlic mayo dip with a mango tomato salsa, lettuce and put them in taco shells – my kids devoured them! This will be a regular recipe in my house!

        Reply
        • MOMables-Laura

          January 22, 2021 at 5:30 pm

          Great idea on the halibut and garlic mayo dip, that sounds amazing!

          Reply
  4. Laurlita Johnson

    September 03, 2017 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Would this recipe work with other fish? My son can’t have cod. Thank you!

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura

      September 06, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      absolutely, it’s just that cod is the thickest. Will work with salmon too. enjoy!

      Reply
      • Jill Bieberich

        April 06, 2020 at 9:00 am

        5 stars
        We used it for blue gill, it was great, very crunchy. Thx for the recipe!!!

        Reply
  5. Calamesha

    January 24, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    Can you bake and freeze. And just heat when you need them?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      January 25, 2016 at 12:22 pm

      Yes! You could definitely try that.

      Reply
  6. pierrette

    November 15, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    5 stars
    going to try a variation of these tonight. Need to omit the cheese.

    Reply
    • MOMables

      November 18, 2015 at 12:38 pm

      I hope they came out well!

      Reply
  7. Deepti

    February 15, 2015 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    my 20 month old loved the chicken nuggets. I am going to try more of your recipes. Please tell me is there any substitute to coconut milk you used for fish sticks?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      February 15, 2015 at 9:42 pm

      Deepti – any milk will work.

      Reply
  8. robin

    August 16, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    I’m concerned about how to send things into school with proper heat or refrigeration so the food doesn’t collect bacteria in the 4-5 hours before its eaten. How do you send things like fish sticks, chicken tacos and toasted waffles with cream cheese to school? Do you pack the warmed foods on an ice pack? My daughter has no access to a microwave at school to warm foods and sending cold fish, pizza and chicken to school doesn’t sound appetizing. How do you do it?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      August 16, 2013 at 8:53 pm

      Robin, I send fish, meat, chicken tacos… all the time to school. some things in a thermos, some in a lunch container. Our menus tell our subscribers exactly how to pack each item. Also, our kids are less picky about temperature than we think.

      Reply
  9. Kaitlyn

    April 16, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    I thought you couldn’t cook fish sticks in the microwave, so how do you serve them in your kids lunches?

    Reply
    • KeeleyMcGuire

      April 16, 2013 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      You bake them, as per the recipe above.
      There’s nothing wrong with reheating them in a microwave however they do lose their “crispness”, so bear that in mind or enjoy at room temperature. Thanks!

      Reply
  10. Heather Meade

    March 22, 2013 at 6:53 pm

    Have you come across any bread crumbs that are gluten free, as well as egg, soy and dairy free? The bread I have found for her doesn’t crumble well even when dried out to make bread crumbs. Thanks!

    Reply
    • KeeleyMcGuire

      March 22, 2013 at 7:15 pm

      Hi Heather! First let me ask what method are you using to dry them out? We use Udi’s gluten nut dairy and soy free bread scraps for crumbs all the time. :)
      Another alternative that I know of is Ian’s Natural Foods.

      Reply
      • Heather Meade

        March 22, 2013 at 7:34 pm

        Unfortunately, Udi’s has eggs, which my daughter can’t have. The only bread I have found for her is an Ener-G bread. To dry it out I have tried putting it in the oven at a low temperature. Not sure if it is the texture of the bread that just doesn’t work quite right or not. I will keep trying! I think my next step is trying making bread on my own! Thanks for all the great info!

        Reply
        • Keeley McGuire

          March 22, 2013 at 7:41 pm

          5 stars
          Oop missed the egg free too. I’ve had Ener-g brand too but have not made crumbs with that particular brand, however you’re right there is a texture difference for sure. Making your own might serve well. Can you do oats?

          Reply
    • Stephanie Cramer

      June 22, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      5 stars
      I use gluten free pretzels in the food processor to make bread crumbs.

      Reply
      • MOMables-Laura

        June 24, 2022 at 4:31 pm

        I love this idea!

        Reply
  11. Ashley Hamm

    February 21, 2013 at 12:49 am

    Where did you find the vegan Parmesan?! My son is exclusively bf and has a billion and one intolerances. I’ve been living off of plain meat and veggies for months I need more variety so I can’t wait to try this recipe! If you have any made w/o dairy,soy,corn,peanuts or treenuts, and honey that would be awesome! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura

      February 21, 2013 at 12:08 pm

      The one I use is made by Galaxy foods and purchase it through amazon. Check out the allergy friendly recipes on our site under the recipes menu. we have gluten free, egg free dairy free recipes all the time.

      Reply
  12. Gratefulfoodie

    September 11, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    Great site and work! How did I miss you???

    Reply
    • Laura

      September 11, 2012 at 2:38 pm

      we are not sure but hang with us! we have lots of allergy friendly foods and fresh lunch ideas!

      Reply
  13. Keeley McGuire

    August 21, 2012 at 11:29 am

    5 stars
    If anyone would like help or suggestions finding brands that fit your allergen needs, please let me know and I’d be glad to advise!

    Reply
    • Cindy

      August 24, 2012 at 2:02 pm

      Thanks for this recipe Keeley! My youngest daughter had bad asthma & I took her off wheat and it literally disappeared. We are a mostly GF and meatless family so the occasional fish recipe is a delight for all four of my kids!

      Reply
      • KeeleyMcGuire

        August 27, 2012 at 4:32 pm

        Thank you Cindy! That’s so wonderful she’s doing better!
        My daughter has been made a 180 since going GF, as well. Enjoy the fish sticks!!

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Menu Plan Monday- On Tuesday « Organized SAHM says:
    September 4, 2012 at 1:56 PM

    […] Home made fish sticks, fruit and […]

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