Really Good Fish Cakes Recipe

Introduction

These really good fish cakes combine tender white fish and fluffy potatoes with a hint of garlic and herbs. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, they make a perfect snack or light meal. Serve them with your favorite sauce for a satisfying bite.

Ingredients

• 500g / 1 lb white fish fillets, skinless and boneless, cut into 3cm / 1.2″ pieces
• 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 800g / 1.6 lb potatoes (Sebago, Russet, Maris Piper, or King Edwards; yields 500g flesh)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup green onion, finely sliced (~1 large stem)
• 2 large red chillis, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying (~1cm / 0.4″ depth)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Bake the potatoes in a 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan) oven for 75 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.
2. Step 2: Reduce oven temperature to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) for finishing the fish cakes later.
3. Step 3: While potatoes bake, prepare the fish. Place a rack over a tray and season fish pieces with salt and pepper.
4. Step 4: Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the fish, turning occasionally, for 4 minutes until just cooked and flaky but not browned. Transfer to rack to cool and repeat with remaining fish.
5. Step 5: In the same skillet, add garlic, chilli, thyme, and green onion to the leftover butter. Sauté for 1 minute until garlic is golden, then pour all over the potato in the bowl, scraping out every bit of butter.
6. Step 6: Add parsley and salt to the potato mixture and roughly mash with a wooden spoon to keep some chunks. Avoid using a masher for a chunkier texture.
7. Step 7: Gently fold in the cooked fish, breaking it up lightly to distribute flakes without mashing it completely.
8. Step 8: Scoop 1/4 cup portions of the mixture, firmly pack and shape into cakes about 1.75cm / 2/3″ thick. You should get 13 to 15 cakes.
9. Step 9: Coat each cake with flour, shake off excess, dip in egg, then press into panko breadcrumbs to coat well.
10. Step 10: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry fish cakes in batches for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. For extra crispness, stand cakes on sides and roll gently to brown edges.
11. Step 11: Remove paper towels and bake fish cakes in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through completely and reheat earlier batches.
12. Step 12: Serve warm with lemon wedges and sauces like tartare, mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, or tomato sauce.

Tips & Variations

• Use panko breadcrumbs for a crispier crust instead of ordinary breadcrumbs.
• Omit chillis if you prefer a milder flavor or substitute with a pinch of smoked paprika for a smoky note.
• Press the cakes firmly when shaping to ensure they hold together well during frying.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the potato mixture for brightness.

Storage

Store cooled fish cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C / 350°F oven until warmed through to maintain crispness, or gently pan-fry to refresh the crust. They can also be frozen before cooking for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen fish fillets for this recipe?

Yes, thaw frozen fish fully before cooking to ensure even cooking and better texture. Pat dry to remove excess moisture before seasoning.

What type of potatoes work best for fish cakes?

Starchy potatoes like Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper, or King Edward are ideal as they produce fluffy flesh that binds well without becoming gummy.

Really Good Fish Cakes Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 144 reviews

• Author: Jack
• Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
• Yield: 13 to 15 fish cakes 1x
• Diet: Halal

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Description

These Really Good Fish Cakes are a delightful blend of flaky white fish and chunky mashed potatoes, seasoned with garlic, chillies, and herbs, then coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried to golden perfection before finishing in the oven. They offer a comforting, flavorful dish perfect for a family meal or casual gathering, served with your choice of condiments like lemon wedges or tartare sauce.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Fish and Potato Base

• 500g / 1 lb white fish fillets, skinless boneless, cut into 3cm / 1.2″ pieces
• 800g / 1.6 lb potatoes (Sebago, Russet, Maris Piper or King Edwards), baked and scooped (makes 500g flesh)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup green onion, finely sliced (~1 large stem)
• 2 large red chillis, deseeded and finely chopped (can omit)
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt (for fish)
• 3/4 tsp salt (for potato mixture)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter

Coating and Cooking

• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs (substitute for ordinary breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (for frying, ~1cm / 0.4″ depth)

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Instructions

1. Bake Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan). Bake potatoes for 75 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Cut in half, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, and reduce oven temperature to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) for later.
2. Cook Fish: Set a rack over a tray and season fish pieces with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the fish pieces for about 4 minutes, turning, until just cooked through but not browned. Transfer to the rack to cool, then repeat with remaining fish.
3. Prepare Fish Cake Mixture: In the same skillet with leftover butter, sauté garlic, chilli, thyme, and green onion for 1 minute until garlic is golden. Pour this mixture over the potatoes, scraping all butter out. Add parsley and 3/4 tsp salt, and roughly mash the potatoes with a wooden spoon, leaving some chunks.
4. Mix Fish into Potato: Gently fold flaked fish pieces into the potatoes, maintaining some fish chunks for texture.
5. Form Fish Cakes: Scoop about 1/4 cup of mixture and firmly shape into cakes approximately 1.75cm / 2/3″ thick. You should get 13 to 15 cakes.
6. Coat Fish Cakes: Dredge each cake in flour (shake off excess), dip into whisked eggs (drip off excess), and then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.
7. Pan Fry Fish Cakes: Heat vegetable or canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat to about 1cm depth. Fry cakes in batches for 1.5 minutes per side or until golden. For even cooking, stand each cake on its side and roll slowly to brown edges. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain.
8. Bake Fish Cakes: Remove paper towels and bake the fried fish cakes in the preheated oven at 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) for 10 minutes to heat through completely and reheat the first batch.
9. Serve: Serve hot with lemon wedges, tartare sauce, plain mayonnaise (such as Kewpie), sour cream, ketchup, or tomato sauce as preferred.

Notes

• Use firm white fish suitable for cooking like cod, haddock, or whiting.
• Choose starchy potatoes such as Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper, or King Edward for fluffier mashed potato texture.
• You can omit chillies if you prefer a milder flavor.
• Panko breadcrumbs create a lighter, crispier crust compared to ordinary breadcrumbs.
• The final baking step ensures the fish cakes are heated evenly and helps set their shape.
• Press fish cakes firmly when shaping to help them hold together during frying.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 95 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Western, British-inspired

Keywords: fish cakes, white fish, mashed potato, seafood recipe, crispy fish cakes, panko breadcrumbs, homemade fish cakes