3 Ingredient Keto High Protein Fish Sticks

These fish sticks are so crunchy and crispy. They are also low carb, high protein and keto-friendly. The fish sticks need just 3 ingredients and are easy to make. No breading or frying needed.

These fish sticks have such a crunchy exterior even though they don’t have a flour coating and aren’t fried. They are so tasty and you don’t need to be on a low carb diet to enjoy them.

Ingredients

• Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Canned tuna

Parmesan cheese: Make sure to use shredded Parmesan cheese. This is the key to fish sticks getting a crunchy exterior coating. Grated parmesan cheese will not work. Parmesan cheese also adds flavor and masks some of the fish flavor.

Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent.

Canned tuna: I recommend solid albacore tuna for this recipe and not chunk light tuna or skipjack tuna. Solid albacore tuna has a firmer texture that holds up better for the fish sticks.

How to Make Keto Fish Sticks

• Drain the tuna and squeeze out the excess moisture with a few paper towels or a kitchen towel.
• Add the tuna, eggs and parmesan cheese to a food processor. Blend on high speed until the mixture becomes the texture of coarse crumbs.
• Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Squeeze and shape each into a stick about 1 inch thick and around 4 inches long.
• For a more even golden crunchy coating, lightly grease the surface of the fish sticks with cooking oil spray. The fish sticks will still crisp up without the oil, but it does help create a more even colored golden surface.
• The fish sticks can be baked or air fried until golden and crispy.

Expert Tips

• I prefer cooking these in the air fryer. They cook up faster so the fish sticks stay very moist and crispy. You can make them in the oven but it takes longer for them to crisp so the fish sticks are more dry compared to the air fryer version.
• Make sure to use shredded Parmesan cheese and not grated Parmesan cheese. The recipe also works with shredded mozzarella cheese but the fish flavor is much stronger if you use mozzarella cheese and the coating is more dark brown rather than a golden brown.
• If you prefer less sodium, you can use no salt added albacore tuna.
• This recipe works best with albacore tuna. Other canned tuna varieties like skipjack and chunk light have a softer consistency that makes the fish sticks more mushy.

More Keto High Protein Recipes

• 3 Ingredient Keto Cottage Cheese Biscuits
• 2 Ingredient Keto High Protein Fries
• 3 Ingredient Keto High Protein Cheetos

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4.67 from 3 votes

3 Ingredient Keto Fish Sticks

These easy keto fish sticks are made with just three ingredients—no breadcrumbs, no flour, and no frying. Canned tuna, Parmesan, and an egg come together to make a high-protein, low-carb snack or meal that gets crispy in the air fryer or oven. They’re crunchy on the outside and tender in the center—ready in minutes.

Servings: 12 pieces

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 (5 oz/142g) cans white albacore tuna, avoid using other canned tuna varieties
• ▢ 2 cups (190g) shredded Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 large eggs

Instructions

 

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If baking the fish sticks, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
• Drain the tuna from the cans. Use a few layers of sturdy paper towels or a kitchen towel to squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the tuna. The drier the tuna, the crispier the fish sticks will get.
• Add drained tuna, parmesan cheese and eggs to a food processor. Mix on high speed until the cheese pieces are very small, the eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture starts to clump together. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs and not should be like a paste (see photo in post for reference.) This should take less than a minute.
• Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Take one portion and squeeze between your palm a few times to help it hold its shape. Then place the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and shape into a stick, about 1 inch thick (around 4 inches long)—similar to the size of classic frozen fish sticks. Press them firmly as you shape to help the mixture hold together. Repeat with remaining fish, spacing the fish sticks about 1 inch apart.
• Optional step: Lightly coat the surface of the fish sticks with cooking oil spray. This will help create an even golden coating. The fish sticks still crisp up without the oil spray but the coloring will not be as even.
• Oven version: Bake the fish stick in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly before serving.
• Air fryer method: Lightly grease the inner basket insert for your air fryer and place the fish sticks in a single layer, making sure they do not overlap or touch. You may need to cook in several batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Then add fish sticks and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Let them cool slightly before serving.
• Store any uneaten fish sticks in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

• Make sure to use solid albacore tuna and not chunk light or skipjack tuna.
• Make sure to use shredded Parmesan cheese and not grated parmesan cheese.
• You can garnish the fish sticks with salt and freshly chopped parsley if desired.
• If your air fryer basket insert tends to stick, you can line it with parchment paper and punch a few holes for air flow and place the fish sticks on the parchment lined basket insert instead of directly on the insert.
• The best cooking method for these fish sticks is the air fryer. The fish sticks cook in less time so they stay crispy and moist. The oven method will work but the fish sticks come out more dry.

Serving: 1fish stick, Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.1g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 269mg, Sugar: 0.03g

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

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