This air fryer keto fish recipe is so simple and so tasty, you might never make fish sticks any other way again! Just like my air fryer crab cakes, they come out succulent and crispy at the same time. And the whole family loves them.
Don’t have an air fryer? Don’t worry, I also included instructions for oven-baking. Because I am nothing if not considerate like that! I sure do love my air fryer, though. It’s a convenient way to cook up everything from pork chops to gooey peanut butter stuffed brownies. And my whole family adores Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken.
I first made these Keto Fish Sticks in 2018, so they were ripe for a little update. I’ve added new photos, tips, and best practices. So you can enjoy crispy air fryer fish sticks whenever you want them!
Why we love this recipe
Air fryer fish sticks are a fun way to serve up a healthy dinner. We love them because:
- Quick and easy: It does take a bit of patience to dredge the fish properly but the whole recipe only takes about 25 minutes to make.
- Delicious coating: The keto breading gets deliciously golden and crisp in the air fryer.
- Succulent fish: The fish stays wonderful tender.
- Less messy: Air frying is far less messy and time consuming than deep frying.
- High protein: It’s a delicious way to get some protein into the whole family!
Reader’s Thoughts
“Bravo. These fish sticks are really tasty. I have made them a few times. I really enjoy them. Thanks for the recipe.” — Matt
Ingredients you need
- White fish: Choose a fish with firm flesh. I like to use cod as it holds up well and is incredibly tender.
- Pork rinds: Crushed pork rinds (aka pork panko) makes the best breading for keto recipes. However, you can use almond flour if you prefer. It just won’t get as crisp.
- Binder: I use a combination of mayonnaise and dijon mustard instead of eggs for the glue to hold the “breading” to the fish. If you prefer, you can just whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water.
- Seasonings: Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
Step by Step Directions
- Cut up the fish: Pat the fish dry and cut into sticks about 1 inch by 2 inches wide (how you are able to cut it will depend a little on what kind of fish you by and how thick and wide it is).
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a small shallow bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, and water.
- Prep the breading: In another shallow bowl, whisk together the pork rinds and Cajun seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste (both the pork rinds and seasoning could have a fair bit of salt so dip a finger in to taste how salty it is).
- Dredge the fish: Working with one piece of fish at a time, dip into the mayo mixture to coat and then tap off the excess. Dip into the pork rind mixture and toss to coat. Place on the air fryer rack. Do not crowd the fish. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
- Air fry: Spray the air fryer rack generously with non-stick cooking spray (I use avocado oil spray). Set to Air Fry at 400ºF and bake 5 minutes, the flip the fish sticks with tongs (carefully!) and bake another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
I’ve found is that the bottom of air fried foods never gets that crispy unless you flip them partway through cooking. This is particularly true of fish. But you need to flip it extra carefully, and tongs are the best way to do so. It’s also vitally important to grease the air fryer rack well. Some readers have asked about the air-fryer parchment sheets, but I haven’t tried that myself.
Don’t crowd the fish! Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, so you want to make sure there is space between each piece.
If you don’t want to use pork rind crumbs, you can try almond flour. It will taste good, but I don’t think it will end up that crispy. It will also be higher in carbs.
Anything that can be air fried can also be cooked in the oven. If you’re dying for these fish sticks but don’t own or want to own an air fryer, I’ve included some instructions in the recipe notes. You know I am not the sort of person to leave hungry people hanging!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can enjoy fish sticks on a keto diet, and there are many ways to prepare them. If you want crispy breaded keto fish sticks, use breading ingredients like crushed pork rinds, almond flour, and grated Parmesan.
These air fryer fish sticks are best served immediately, as they lose their crispiness as they sit. But you can store any leftover fish sticks in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They may not be crispy anymore, but you can gently re-heat them in a warm oven. They are great over a salad for lunch!
Most fish sticks are coated with bread crumbs and other high carb ingredients. But this keto version uses pork rinds for a golden brown coating and has only 1g of carbs per serving!
More Delicious Keto Fish Recipes
Keto Air Fryer Fish Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 lb (453.59 g) white fish such as cod
- 1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (30.43 g) Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups (90 g) pork rind panko, such as Pork King Good
- 3/4 tsp cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spray the air fryer rack generously with non-stick cooking spray (I use avocado oil spray).
- Pat the fish dry and cut into sticks about 1 inch by 2 inches wide (how you are able to cut it will depend a little on what kind of fish you by and how thick and wide it is). Pat dry with a kitchen rag or paper towels.
- In a small shallow bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, and water. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the pork rinds and Cajun seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste (both the pork rinds and seasoning could have a fair bit of salt so dip a finger in to taste how salty it is).
- Working with one piece of fish at a time, dip into the mayo mixture to coat and then shake off the excess.
- Dip into the pork rind mixture and toss to coat, gently pressing the coating onto the fish. Place on the air fryer rack. Don't crowd the fish (if you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to work in batches).
- Set to Air Fry at 400ºF and bake 5 minutes, the flip the fish sticks (carefully!) with tongs and bake another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Pork rinds are not commonly used in cooking in the UK so are not found in our shops. Do you have an alternative but easy breadcrumb recipe suitable for fish?
Make your own by putting pork rinds in your blender any brand will do. Amazon also carries them.
Not true – you can buy Mr Porky pork rinds in all major UK supermarkets – just whizz them up in a food processor to exactly the same ‘crumb’ texture.
They look great, but what about us that don’t eat pork? Is there an alternative?
You can try almond flour but it won’t be as crisp.
Looks good. I have a two-ovens appliance and the larger one has a convection oven option. I think I can use it instead of purchasing an air fryer. Yes? No?? Thanks, Carolyn.
Yes… I gave oven instructions in the recipe.
Of course you did! Way too early this morning for me…sorry. 🙂
Haha. 🙂 I get it!
I cannot wait to try the “fried” fish recipe. Crunchy food is sooo good!
Have you tried using the special parchment paper made for air fryers? It’s the BEST! Not only does it keep the food from sticking, but if it’s “breaded”, you don’t lose any of it. The parchment paper has small holes, so the air can circulate while it’s cooking.
Two of these fit perfectly in the Cuisinart Airfryer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LLVLPKD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I’ve seen it, it’s supposed to be very helpful!
There were very tasty but the pork rinds did not stay on during the flip at 5 minutes. I think I might have had too much mayo still on the fish. I will use more sparingly next time.
So easy and yummy. I love the mustard and Cajun seasoning. I only cook for 8 minutes total (used cod filets).
We’ve made these twice and they’re a big hit for the family. I lessen the Cajun seasoning for my kids and add more when I go to coat mine and my husbands. The coating doesn’t stick to the fish well, and doesn’t get crisp. I’m not sure if there’s a remedy for that, but we enjoy eating them with a drizzle of lemon juice over it.
Really good and easy. Still have trouble getting the coating to stick, but I dried the cod as much as I could and pressed in the coating. No sticking in the air fryer after spritzing with avocado oil. We will definitely have this again!
I love fish sticks. These are so good.
This may b the best thing I’ve ever cooked. I used tilapia. Saint put water in the Mayo mixture because the fish seemed moist enough. I breaded them and put them
In the fridge for two hours while I was in a meeting. The mustard and the Cajun seasonings is everything. Thank u.
Bravo. These fish sticks are really tasty. I have made them a few times. I really enjoy them. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m going to try whisps instead of pork rinds.
Do you think it will work
I really couldn’t say, I haven’t tested it.
Made these for lunch today for me and my non-keto husband. It was SUPER GOOD. I’ve made several low carb breaded fish recipes, and he said this one is the best! I crushed and blended my own pork rind crumbs.
When my 8 year old goes back for seconds I know it’s a winner! The entire family enjoyed this one! So good…thanks for another great recipe!
That makes me happy to hear! 🙂
These turned out perfect! I made them exactly as suggested. Thank you for such a simple delicious recipe. And all of the kitten videos. ????
I see people putting parchment in the bottom of the air fryer sometimes. I guess they wouldn’t crisp up as well with parchment. Sure would help sticking though.
Yes, you need the air to circulate more. Have you tried spraying it well?