Vegan Tofu 'Fish' Sticks

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 05/10/22
Vegan tofu "fish" sticks

Westend61 / Getty Images  
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
282 Calories
9g Fat
32g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 282
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 588mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 481mg 37%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 306mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The fish sticks beloved by kids do not necessarily need to be made from fish. For a homemade vegetarian fish substitute, you can use tofu and seaweed flakes.

You need firm or extra-firm tofu for this recipe. Tofu provides the necessary consistency so that the sticks hold their shape and do not fall apart when baked or fried. And nori, the edible dried seaweed, provides the sealike, sea-salty flavor that makes the sticks taste like seafood. 

The prep time for this recipe is all but five minutes, but depending on the type of tofu you use, you might need some extra time for pressing the tofu. Usually, firm and extra-firm tofu already have some of the moisture removed, but it won't do any harm to place the block of tofu between paper towels or a clean dishcloth and with a weight on top to remove any excess moisture. This process might take up to 30 minutes. The drier the tofu, the better the breading will come out. When the sticks are breaded but the tofu is too wet, the breading won’t have the crispy texture that makes fish sticks such an appealing dinner fare for kids.

Instead of using egg and milk for breading the mock fish sticks, this recipe uses soy milk seasoned with soy sauce for dipping before dredging the sticks in a combination of breadcrumbs, nori, and lemon pepper.

Because the soy sauce and the seaweed already add saltiness to the dish, there is no need for extra salt in this recipe.

You can either bake these vegan mock fish sticks in the oven, which is the low-fat way of preparing them, or you can pan-fry them.

Like real fish sticks, these are best when served hot straight from the oven or the pan.

There are many options for serving these “fish” sticks: with a vegan tartar sauce, ketchup, or even ranch dressing or barbecue sauce. To make them a full weeknight dinner or back-to-school meal, serve them with mashed potatoes, french fries, or sweet potato fries, and vegan coleslaw on the side.

Ingredients

  • 2 blocks firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed

  • All-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup soy milk

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 cup breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons nori seaweed, crumbled

  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

  2. Slice tofu into strips and coat well with flour.

  3. In a pie plate or shallow bowl, whisk together the soy milk, soy sauce, and lemon juice. In a separate bowl or pie plate, combine breadcrumbs, nori seaweed, and lemon pepper.

  4. Carefully dip floured tofu in soy milk mixture, then coat well in breadcrumbs.

  5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, turning over once, until crispy and golden brown. Or pan-fry on both sides in a bit of oil.