6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (2024)

This recipe is: dairy freenut free

These quick and easy fish cakes are fun appetizer or main course made with cod, or you favorite white fish. Pair them with homemade tartar sauce to really take this recipe to a new level.Makes 16 fish cakes.

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6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (1)

Why I love this easy fish cake recipe

I’m a huge fan of all things seafood, and these fish cakes are no exception. I first made them two years ago for New Year’s Eve, and they were a hit, and this year I plan to make them for Christmas (along with my Canadian meat pie) I’ve tweaked the recipe a little since, though.

I’ve simplified it, and limited the ingredients to make these cod cakes a more realistic option for weeknight dinners and last minute get-togethers. Fish cakes a great alternative to crab cakes – especially if you’re on a budget.

They’d also be a great way to use up leftover fish, if you have it. I’ve laced them with my favorite seafood seasoning, and I paired them with my favorite homemade tartar sauce. You could also serve your fish cakes with your favorite remoulade (think like a crab cake here!) or co*cktail sauce for something a little lighter.

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (2)

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6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (3)

Here’s what you’ll need to make these cod fish cakes

Ingredients
  • Baked cod (or other flaky white fish, such as pollack or haddock)
  • Panko breadcrumbs (make sure you check the ingredients for dairy free)
  • Green onions
  • Eggs
  • Lemon juice
  • Old Bay (or your favorite seafood seasoning)
Equipment
6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (7)

How to prepare your cod

Start by cooking your cod. You can prepare it anyway you want, as long as it’s cooked through. If you have enough leftovers from another meal, that’s even better.

I usually chose to bake mine because I think it’s the easiest option. To bake your cod, put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season it liberally with salt & pepper, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 350˚F.

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (8)

How to make 6 ingredient fish cakes

Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a fork, flaking the fish as you go. The texture may seem a bit dry, but I promise they won’t be once they’re cooked. When the ingredients are evenly mixed, it’s time to portion them out.

You can make your cakes any size you want, but I prefer mine a bit smaller. I used a two tablespoon scoop to measure them evenly, and then pressed them flat into the shape I wanted. The larger your cakes are, the longer they will take to cook.

More 5 ingredient mains: slow cooker beef tacos /walnut crusted salmon/ beer brined chicken drumsticks / baked stuffed pork chops

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (9)

Fry your fish cakes

Once your cakes are all measured out, heat a large skillet to medium-high and add your cooking oil of choice.You can really use any type of oil here since your pan won’t be getting super hot. I’ve used both olive oil and canola oil. Just use whatever you have on hand.

Fry your fish cakes in two batches so you have enough room for flipping. I used my regular plastic spatula, but if you have a fish spatula, this would be a really great time to use it (the extra length helps you be maneuver a little better).

Let your fish cakes fry on the first side for about 3 minutes before flipping them. They should release on their own without much effort.

If they seem stuck, don’t force it. Wait a little longer and they will release on their own.

This will help prevent your fish cakes from breaking and ensure you get that nice golden-brown color. If you’re worried about them getting cold, keep your first batch warm in the warm oven while you fry the next batch.

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (10)

This fish cakes recipe would pair really well with:

  • Broccoli salad (perfect for summer)
  • Kale and brussel sprouts salad (great for the colder months)
  • Caesar co*cktail
  • Brandy old fashioned
  • Blue moon ice cream

More great appetizer recipes:

  • Shrimp toast
  • BBQ pulled pork nachos
  • Thai tuna cakes
  • Spicy chicken sliders

Print

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (11)

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes

★★★★★4.9 from 15 reviews
Print Recipe

These quick and easy fish cakes are fun appetizer or main course made with cod, or you favorite white fish. Pair them with homemade tartar sauce to really take this recipe to a new level.Makes 16 fish cakes.

  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16 fishcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 pound cooked cod
  • 3/4 cup panko
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking oil

Instructions

  1. Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together with a fork, breaking apart the fish, until evenly combined.
  2. Portion mixture into patties (about 2 tablespoons each).
  3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with cooking oil and heat to medium-high. Fry fish cakes in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 cakes
  • Calories: 108
  • Sugar: 0.7 g
  • Sodium: 392.1 mg
  • Fat: 3.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
  • Fiber: 0.4 g
  • Protein: 12.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 72.6 mg

Keywords: dairy free, seafood, fish, cod, easy, 5 ingredient, Fish cake, fish cakes, fish cakes recipe, fish cake recipe, fish cake recipes, fish patties, how to make fish cakes, cod cakes, cod fish cakes, fishcake recipe, fishcakes, recipe for fish cakes, fried fish cakes, easy fish cakes recipe

Published: July 26, 2018. Updated: September 26, 2023.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

6 Ingredient Fish Cakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make fish cakes that don't fall apart? ›

Just peel and place into salted water and boil until they are soft and tender. My trick here is to let them stand in the colander for a few minutes after you drain the water. This dries out the potato flesh making them extra fluffy and preventing the fish cakes from falling apart when cooking.

What are the components of fish cake? ›

A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, starch, and egg. They can include a combination of fish paste and surimi.

What is the binder for fish cakes? ›

One thing you'll always need for fish cakes is an egg. The proteins in the egg will help bind together your fish cake mix as it cooks.

How to stop fishcakes from falling apart? ›

Some chill time and alone time

According to Every Last Bite, once you've whipped up your tuna cake mixture and formed 'em into patties, instead of heading to the stovetop, chill them in the fridge for about 20 minutes, or in the freezer for 5 minutes if you're in a pinch.

How do you get fish cakes to stick together? ›

How to make fish cakes stick together - Quora. Pulse the raw fish in your food processor until it is chopped. Pour it into a bowl and add an egg, a little panko and seasonings, Mix it all together, dust it with flour, dip into egg and dredge heavily in seasoned panko.

What can you use instead of breadcrumbs in fish cakes? ›

The Best 10 Breadcrumb Substitutes
  • Rolled oats. Rolled oats are the perfect gluten-free binding ingredient, replacing breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf and many more recipes when you need to bind meat and eggs. ...
  • Potato chips. ...
  • Cornflakes. ...
  • Almonds. ...
  • Croutons. ...
  • Crackers. ...
  • Seeds.
Oct 18, 2022

What are the 6 main components in cakes? ›

These basic ingredients for baking a cake are; flour, eggs, fat (usually butter), sugar, salt, a form of liquid (usually milk), and leavening agents (such as baking soda).

What are the 4 basic components of a cake? ›

The basics of cake

Flour, sugar, egg and fat form the basic components of all cakes. Understanding the function of each of these ingredients in cake baking can give us a better idea of where we can substitute super foods such as flax, chia, or mushrooms.

What is the swirl in fish cake? ›

This processed roll is primarily made of frozen surimi (processed, pureed whitefish), while the pink swirl comes from food coloring. Invented in the 1800s and prepared by slicing and steaming, narutomaki has a history of gracing traditional noodle soups, such as ramen and soba.

Why are my fish cakes rubbery? ›

It was also found that mixing of the ingredients at low speed (less than 100 rpm) in a dough mixer gave the best texture, higher speed and sharp blades leading to rubbery texture.

What if my fish cakes are too wet? ›

TIP: Make sure your mixture is not to wet, you will need to form patties from it. If it is too wet, add a little flour. Dust your hands with flour to prevent excess sticking. Scoop up a portion of the mixture and shape into a ball.

How do you keep fish cakes from sticking? ›

All you have to do is scoop them (make sure they're the same size), flatten them, then set a timer and turn the cakes over halfway through the bake. Make sure to grease the pan or use a sheet of parchment paper to prevent the patties from sticking, and you'll have perfect-looking salmon patties every time.

Why are my fish cakes sloppy? ›

Another tip: before you shape and refrigerate the cakes, fry off a small piece of the mixture. Taste it, season it to perfection and, if it is too sloppy, add a little bit of flour (you can use a gluten-free one if you prefer).

How to cook fish cakes without them falling apart? ›

Fishcakes are quite delicate things so try not to handle them too much. Oil the tray so the fishcakes don't stick and there's no need to flip them partway through cooking as this risks them falling apart.

How do you keep batter from falling off fish? ›

If the fish is dropped in the fryer to fast or even just tossed in the fryer the batter will most like disperse or just a little will stick. The secret here is to put in the fish slowly while giving it a little wiggle to get access batter off. This will really give you an amazing coating on the fish!

How do you bake fish without it falling apart? ›

Pat dry with paper towels whether you rinse or not. Preheat the oven to 450°F for fillets and steaks or 350°F for dressed fish. Even thickness: Place the fish in a single layer in a greased shallow baking pan (like a baking sheet). For fillets, tuck under any thin edges so they don't cook faster than thicker areas.

How do you keep fish from falling apart? ›

How To Fry Fish That Doesn't Fall Apart
  1. 1 Cook fish with the skin on. You might think that your fish vendor was lazy when you got home and discovered your freshly filleted fish still has the skin on. ...
  2. 2 Cook fish coated in a batter or bread it. ...
  3. 3 Cook fish until crisp.
Feb 21, 2021

How do you make a cake not fall apart? ›

Solution: Make sure you're using wet measures for wet ingredients and dry measures for dry; check the freshness of your baking soda and powder, and check your oven temp to make sure it's hot enough. A cake that bakes too slowly takes longer to set and may fall, causing a dense texture.

References

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