I have four words for you: vegan fish and chips. Make these faux fish sticks and a batch of fries and you can enjoy a plant-based version of the British pub staple. Or use vegan fish sticks to make vegan fish tacos. Or…just devour them as-is with creamy tartar sauce for dipping. Basically, if you’ve been looking for a vegan seafood recipe, this is going to become your go-to anytime you’ve got a craving for something fishy. When I stopped eating meat, seafood was the hardest for me to give up, so I was over-the-moon when I took my first bite of these vegan fish sticks. Let me tell you: seasoning is key here. I took all the fishy and salty seasonings I had—crushed nori and Old Bay seasoning—and paired them with hearts of palm and my trusty beer batter recipe. The result is a crispy, crunchy, golden-brown exterior and an inside that tastes like fish!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
For the Vegan Fish Sticks:
Hearts of palmBreadcrumbs – This recipe works with either gluten-free or regular breadcrumbs.Old Bay seasoning – Because this seasoning is so often used with seafood, it’s a flavour that tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating real fish!Dried crumbled nori – And this is the ingredient that gives the recipe that distinctive fishy flavour. Don’t skip it!Sea saltGround black pepper
For the Beer Batter:
FlourSaltPepperGarlic powderOld Bay seasoningBeer or sparkling water – Use a pale-colored ale; avoid stout and other strong, dark beers.
For the Vegan Tartar Sauce:
Vegan mayo – Store-bought or make your own vegan mayonnaise.Lemon or lime juiceChopped pickles or sweet relishSaltPepperFresh dill
Oil for Frying
Peanut oil or safflower oil
What are hearts of palm?
Hearts of palm are harvested from the core of a palm tree. It’s hard to describe, but their texture is very much like artichokes. They work so well here because of their colour, texture, and natural flakiness. Hearts of palm make the best texture for vegan fish sticks because of this flakiness! Like tofu, hearts of palm take on any flavours you add to it.
How to Make Vegan Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce
You’ll never buy disappointing plant-based seafood at the grocery store again when you see how easy it is to make vegan fish at home! Make the vegan tartar sauce. Stir all of the ingredients together in a small bowl; season to taste and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat. Pulse the ingredients. Place all of the fish stick ingredients in a food processor and pulse until flaky and well-combined. This should take about a minute; the mixture is done when you can press it into a firm shape, but it’s not yet mushy. Form the fish sticks. Transfer the fish mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use clean hands to shape the mixture into fish sticks; you should be able to make about 8. Press the sticks together firmly so they don’t fall apart! Place the baking sheet in the fridge. Make the batter. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large, wide bowl, then stir in the beer. Cook the fish sticks. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet set over high heat. Take the fish sticks out of the fridge and dip each into the batter, letting the excess drip off. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Serve. Once all of the vegan fish sticks are cooked, serve them with tartar sauce for dipping!
Tips for Success
Here are some tips for getting the best vegan fish sticks!
Shaping the sticks. I used about 2 tablespoons of the fish mixture for each stick; you can make them smaller if you like (fish bites!), but larger than this and it’s more likely that the sticks will fall apart while frying. Mine were roughly 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.Using less oil. If you like, you can use less oil, but I don’t recommend baking these in the oven—they won’t get as crispy!Serving suggestions. Not into tartar sauce? Try spooning Mango Basil Salsa over the fish sticks!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These vegan fish sticks are really best eaten fresh, so I don’t recommend making them for meal prep. If you do end up having some leftovers, you can refrigerate them for 3 to 4 days and reheat them in a 350ºF oven or in a pan with a tablespoon oil.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
No, this is not a good recipe for freezing. If you want to make fish sticks to freeze, skip the beer batter and use a panko coating instead. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months; you can bake the fish sticks in a 350ºF oven from frozen for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan fish stick recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
