Crispy Fish Stick Sushi Rolls
Sushi night just got an easy and delicious upgrade! These crispy fish stick sushi rolls combine the crunch of golden fish sticks with creamy avocado, fresh cucumber, and perfectly seasoned sushi rice. Wrapped in nori and finished with a crispy toasted panko coating, they bring together the best textures and flavors in every bite. No sushi mat required—just simple ingredients and a few easy steps to a fun and flavorful dish you’ll love!
Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
- Crispy, golden fish sticks add an irresistible crunch to every bite.
- The sushi tartar sauce brings a creamy, tangy kick that pairs perfectly with the roll.
- A toasted panko coating gives extra texture and a restaurant-quality finish.
- No raw fish required, making it an easy and accessible sushi option.
- Simple ingredients come together to create an elevated, sushi-inspired dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the rolls, you’ll need crispy fish sticks, nori sheets, sushi rice, cucumber, and avocado. The toasted panko adds an extra layer of crunch, and a simple yet flavorful sushi tartar sauce ties everything together.
Let’s Make It!
Prepare the Fish Sticks
Cook the fish sticks according to package instructions until golden and crispy. Air frying at a high temperature ensures they stay crunchy. Set aside.
Make the Toasted Panko
In a pan over medium-low heat, melt butter and stir in panko. Continuously mix until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
Whip Up the Sushi Tartar Sauce
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chopped pickles, shallots, dill, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined, then set aside for serving.
Season the Sushi Rice
Gently mix warm sticky rice with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully incorporated. Allow to cool slightly before assembling.
Assemble the Rolls
Lay a clean kitchen cloth on a flat surface, then top with plastic wrap and a sheet of nori. Spread an even layer of sushi rice onto the nori and carefully flip it over. Place fish sticks, cucumber, and avocado in the center. Using the plastic wrap and kitchen cloth, roll tightly while applying gentle pressure to seal the ingredients together.
Coat with Toasted Panko
Unroll the sushi from the plastic wrap, then spread toasted panko onto the wrap. Roll the sushi over the panko to coat evenly. Reseal with plastic wrap and shape as needed.
Slice and Serve
Cut the sushi rolls into bite-sized pieces and serve with a side of sushi tartar sauce. Enjoy immediately!
Storage and Reheating
These sushi rolls are best enjoyed fresh, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours. The fish sticks may lose some crispiness over time, so for best results, consume right away. If you need to refresh them, a quick air fryer reheat will bring back some crunch!
Crispy Fish Sushi
Equipment
- Kitchen cloth
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 6-8 premium fish sticks
- 3-4 nori sheets
- 1 small cucumber sliced
- 1 small avocado sliced
Toasted Panko
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
Sushi Tartar Sauce
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 tsp pickles chopped
- 1 tsp shallots chopped
- 1 tsp dill chopped
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Sushi Rice
- 2 cup cooked sticky rice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Crispy Fish
- Follow cooking instructions for fish sticks. I used Trident Seafoods, The Ultimate Fish Stick and air fryer them at 400F for 10-12 minutes.
Toasted Panko
- In a pan over low medium heat, add the unsalted butter and panko breadcrumbs. Continuously stir until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
Sushi Tartar Sauce
- In a small bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Sushi Tartar Sauce.” Mix until fully incorporated and set aside.
Sushi Rice
- To a bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Sushi Rice” and mix until combined.
Assemble
- Lay down a clean kitchen cloth, then some plastic wrap and a sheet of nori.
- Create a thin layer of sushi rice to the nori and flip over to have the empty side of the nori facing up.
- Add a few pieces of fish and cucumber to the center. Top with slices of avocado.
- Grab one end of the plastic wrap/kitchen cloth, fold it over and tuck to create the roll. Gently apply pressure to the roll to pack it in as tightly as possible.
- Unroll from the plastic wrap/kitchen cloth and spread out a layer of toasted panko on to the plastic wrap and roll the sushi over them. Seal with the plastic wrap and continue to form.
- Slice into pieces and serve with a side of the sushi tartar sauce. Enjoy!
