Tofu Fish Sticks – Fried or Baked

Tofu Fish Sticks are a great introduction to the convenience of frozen tofu. They can be fried or baked. No lemon juice needed.

Makes 4 Servings

Vegetarian Fish Sticks:

Although we call these fish sticks, they really do not have a fishy taste. I am not a fan of strong fish flavor. But I do like tartar sauce. So this is mostly an excuse to have tartar sauce. Once you have prepared some sliced frozen tofu, then you are ready to make these tofu fish sticks. By keeping extra frozen tofu on hand in the freezer, you can make these fish sticks on the spur of the moment. If you like this recipe, you may also like our recipe for Frozen Tofu Chicken Nuggets.

If you are looking for something with a more solid texture like beef, then you might be interested in our recipe for Vegan Seitan Steak.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) tub extra firm tofu

Instructions:

1. Drain tub of extra firm tofu and place on a cutting board. Cut across the width of the tofu into eight equal size pieces about 1/2-inch wide. Place the tofu pieces on a baking sheet and keep in the freezer for at least 8 hours.
2. Remove the tofu from the freezer and allow to thaw on a countertop (which could take a couple of hours), or defrost in a microwave oven. Once thawed, press each slice between the palms of your hands over the sink. This should remove most of the water in the tofu.
3. Place each slice of tofu on a cutting board and cut in half lengthwise. This will give you 16 strips of tofu to make into fish sticks. This means that you will have four fish sticks in each serving.

For more detailed instructions on freezing and thawing tofu, refer to the recipe “How To Freeze Tofu.”

Ingredients for preparing fish sticks:

Frozen tofu slices (from above)
2/3 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs (If you have not had time to make these Seasoned Bread Crumbs, you can use Contadina Italian Style or Panko bread crumbs)
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil
Tartar Sauce (see below) Prepare the tartar sauce ahead of time.

Instructions for preparing tofu fish sticks:

1. In a medium bowl stir together the 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour and 2 Tablespoons milk until free of lumps. Stir in the beaten egg. Place the 2/3 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs in a separate medium bowl.
2. Dip each tofu strip in the beaten egg mixture and dredge in the Seasoned Bread Crumbs.
3. Fry the tofu fish sticks in a small amount of oil over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes and then turn. Please note that I fried 8 pieces at a time and used less than 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
4. After turning the tofu fish sticks, fry for another 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Finally, drain on paper towel and serve warm with tartar sauce (see below).

 

Tartar Sauce from Scratch:

Main Ingredients in Tartar Sauce:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions for tartar sauce:

In a small bowl stir together the 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped dill pickle, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Baked Tofu Fish Sticks:

Instructions:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 from above. After dredging the tofu strips in the Seasoned Bread Crumbs, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 15 minutes.
3. Turn the fish sticks and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The baked tofu fish sticks will not be as dark in color as the fried fish sticks. Serve.