Crispy Baked Fish Nuggets & Tartar Sauce
Even as I type this post out I’m easily reminded how good these are and how I don’t make these as often as I should. Which then triggered another thought of how next time I could/should/will make a double {or even a triple} batch let them completely cool, flash freeze and then store in the freezer bag for later! Sometimes the good ideas strike too late. But now I know what I’m doing next week. Fish-fest. Oooo yeeeeahhh!
Now… *ahem* Three reasons why you will love these fish nuggets {besides the fact that they are AWESOME!!}…
1. Because they have a crispy outside and a tender inside. Who doesn’t love that in regards to EVERYTHING?
2. Annnnnd you get to dunk them in a most delicious tartar sauce. duh.
3. But mostly because they beat Gordon’s and Van de Kamp’s to a PULP in flavor, texture and real fish-ness. Can I get an AMEN?!
Let me break it down for you…
These are positively deeeelicious. I promise you that the boxed variety will no longer suffice your craving for fish-sticks or whatever. My girls LoVeD them and even ate them with tartar sauce! That was a first, an extremely proud moment in the McNamara household fo sho.
Let’s get started, shall we? Crack two eggs into a dish.
Measure out two tablespoons of Dijon mustard and add it to the eggs.
Then add a little hot sauce… it doesn’t make these “hot”… just good flavor. Promise.
Greek yogurt.
Whole milk.
Then whisk it until everything is smooth and creamy.
Dump two cups of Panko bread crumbs into a separate dish and then set the egg mixture and the crumbs aside.
This is cod. Hello cod. Cod is a white fish {obvi} and it’s the bestest fish for nuggeting. If you can’t find cod, then try tilapia.
Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top of the fish.
Season it with salt and pepper.
Then slice it lengthwise into long strips.
Then cut the strips into nugget-looking pieces. Try to keep it uniform so they cook at the same rate.
Dunk a few of the fish pieces into the egg mixture.
Then roll them around in the Panko. Pressing the crumbs into the fish if needed.
Place them onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Pretend that’s not a silpat, k? After I baked these for 10 minutes I remember that I really shouldn’t broil using a silpat. So I did a little switch-a-roo and put them on some parchment. Do it the right way the first time. Don’t be like me.
Turn the broiler on, and with the door ajar, watch carefully so they don’t burn. Once they are a deep golden remove and let cool for a smidge.
Serve with this tartar sauce and I promise you’ll be so glad you did.
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Dunk…
Seriously tho… make.the.tartar!
Bite, re-dunk and repeat. You could also stuff a few of these little nuggets-o-love into some toasty corn tortillas with some shredded cabbage and a squeeze of lime, maybe even some avocado and jalapenos for a little fish taco heaven. Yeah those sound real good too.
Crispy Baked Fish Nuggets & Tartar Sauce
Yield: serves two to four
Ingredients:
1 pound Fresh Wild Caught Cod
2 whole Eggs
1/2 a Lemon
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
1/4 cup Whole Milk
4 tablespoons plain Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 cups Panko Japanese Style Bread Crumbs
FOR THE TARTAR SAUCE:makes half a cup
1/2 cup Mayo
2-1/2 tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
1/2 tablespoon of Frank's Red Hot {more or less to taste}
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper {optional}
Directions:
FOR THE NUGGETS: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking pan with parchment.
In a shallow dish combine the eggs, mustard, hot sauce, milk and Greek yogurt. Whisk until combined and set aside. Place two cups of Panko in another dish and set aside as well.
Squeeze fresh lemon over the cod and season it with salt and pepper. Slice the fresh cod lengthwise and then cut into nugget like pieces. Dunk the cod into the egg mixture and using a fork remove {drain off any excess} and then place in the Panko. Roll and press the breadcrumbs to help them adhere, then place the breaded nuggets onto prepared pan. Working in batches if needed, bake for 10 minutes. Turn on broiler, crack the door and watch carefully until golden. Serve with my homemade tartar sauce {recipe to follow}.
For the tartar sauce: Combine all ingredients, stir and refrigerate until ready to use.
Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
I make chicken nuggets often, but it has never once crossed my mind to make fish nuggets. call me inspired!
what a GREAT idea. Seriously. I love how flakey the fish is and the crunchy outside. You don't feel much guilt eating these! Love it
I was totally drooling reading the post and looking at the pictures, but when you mentioned using these in tacos, you DID.ME.IN. Lordy!!
Yeah, these do look totally awesome. Im back to my childhood reminded of how often I would ask for 'fish sticks' instead of a fancier fish meal that was being prepared with wines and stuffings (i hated wine as a kid). Maybe I was on to something, these make me want them all over again!
These look amazing! And I love the fact that you made the sauce yourself.
Zomg! I want to make these so bad!! They were really good!
Waaaaaant, want want want want WANT.
All of your recipes are amazing. I love learning about new ways of preparing my food and every time I come to your blog I'm inspired to try something new! Great recipe!
These look scrumptious! I love panko and the cod you used looks beautifully, and very fresh. Nice post!
Oh this looks way too tempting..I love this idea, and recipe! Just beautiful! I also wanted to tell you that this morning when I watched morning show they were talking about site Tasty Kitchen and there was your picture among many..I got up really close to tv and yup it was you
)) Just wanted you to know!:))
I've been having a craving for fish nuggets, which I thought was one of my weirdest cravings to date. Now I'm craving these which look 1 billion times better than fish nuggets from a box
I would love these as much as Indigo, super idea.
These look great! I've made something similar with tilapia, but cut them into more of a fish finger. I'm going to try these soon….yum!
I am following your blog and loving it…but I wish the thumbnail photos was actually showing the photo of the finished product not the ingredients. Just saying.
my mouth is watering seeing that laurie..that looks so crispy..
Isn't it curious that somehow hot sauce loses its spice in an egg wash? I guess the egg and/or dairy quell the heat! I tell people all the time that hot sauce in the egg dip won't make the dish spicy and if they want some heat, they should use some dried red pepper flakes in the panko or whatever breading mixture they are using. Great recipe/technique! Thank you! I'm off to make some
I have been following your blog for a few months. The reason it's my favorite EVER is because
1. Everything is scratch
2. Your photos seriously are amazing. It is what mainly attracted me to this site
3. YUMMY!!!
Oh, and the fish nuggies look AMAZING!!!
These are gorgeous! Need to try them soon, my son and husband LOVE fish! Great idea to freeze the too!
Dear Anonymous… Thank you so much! I love that you called them nuggies.. too funny! Xo
Tom.. I don't use Frank's in the batter for heat.. I just think the vinegar balances the mustard. Totally optional!
Hi Laurie, this recipe looks so crispy and delicious, I think my son would love it. Your blog is great! I, too, was born and raised in Michigan.
Yay! Fish nuggets! I cannot wait to try these on my boys. For some reason, if I served them a fillet of fish, they won't touch it, but anything in nugget form is perfectly acceptable. I really like the addition of dijon mustard to the dredging liquid.
Oh man. These look INCREDIBLE. I've been loving your blog recently — would you mind if I added you to my blog roll (I'm in the midst of developing it now)?
I often have fish fillet served for my family. I love that it's easy to prepare and never disappoints them in anyway. I would love to try this out and serve my family a new recipe twist with something already familiar. i'll go with the tilapia version. Thanks!
We made these and everyone loved them from my 3 and 5 year old grandchildren to my 74 year young mother. We liked it better than fried and our house didn't smell fishy. Definitely a keeper.
I appreciate the E mail update.
I usually think about fish, but that's as far as I get. The nugget idea is great and flash freezing works for me, too.
Wow,I like these.I want to make it for my kids.thanks for the recipe.Now following your blog.Love your step-by-step photos.
I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved them! Such a simple recipe, but really good and definitely something different for us. AND my 2yo even loved them. It may seem like an obvious like, but he's in that stage where he's really unpredictable with food and because gobbled these up I will absolutely be making these again next week! Thanks for the recipe!
And oh
We've made them twice already. Once with tilapia and once with cod. Both were great.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I just made it tonight for dinner and it was a big hit! This recipe is going into high rotation at our house. Simple to prepare, and delicious beyond expectations!
I grew up on deep fried fish, and don't much like it unless its deadly fattening. I had some very fine thin corn tortilla chips I ground up instead of the bread crumbs. Topped it with a mango salsa with jalapenos that I made. AWESOME !
Thank you so much for the original recipe! I shall try it! Batter was amazing with the yogurt, and it was greek FAT FREE !
gonna be a
These look amazing! And I love the fact that you made the sauce yourself.
Used fresh grouper instead of cod (which I love) and it was yummy. Make my own crumbs with leftover bread, any old buns, slices…I toast in the toaster and butter, sprinkle with old bay and sometimes, as in this case when oven frying, toast them in the convection oven, makes them crunchier, and away we go.
Absolutely loved the tartar sauce will use it ever on, even the picky hubby loved it, yeeha!
I will check your blog continually for your recipes. Can’t wait to try the ahi and other recipes.
Thanks, Cat