Fish Cakes

Crispy fish cakes with roasted pepper sauce can be made with any white fish, canned salmon, or even crab. Bake them or air fryer them!

Fish Cakes

These homemade baked or air fryer fish cakes are healthier than deep frying. Anytime I have leftover fish, I like to turn it into fish cakes or fish croquettes, like these Tuna Croquettes or Air Fryer Salmon Patties. For this easy Fish Cake recipe, I included the cooking instructions for the air fryer and oven, but of course, they come out crispiest in the air fryer!

Fish Cakes Ingredients

• Fish: You can use any white fish fillets, such as flounder, tilapia, cod, halibut, or even salmon, or canned crab.
• Seasoned Panko: Use some panko to bind the fish cakes together and the rest to coat the outside.
• Celery: Minced celery adds crunch.
• Condiments: Light mayo gives some creaminess, and Dijon mustard provides tanginess. They both act as binders so the fish cakes don’t fall apart.
• Lemon Juice adds acidity and brightness.
• Eggs: Use one large egg to bind the filling and one to coat the patties before dipping them in panko.
• Parsley: Chopped parsley adds freshness and color.
• Scallions: Mince the green tops of three scallions.
• Seasoning: Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper
• Roasted Red Pepper Sauce: Jarred roasted red peppers, one garlic clove, sweet paprika, light mayo

How to Make Fish Cakes

1. Make the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce: Puree the roasted red peppers, garlic, and paprika in a mini blender. Combine with the mayo and set aside.
2. Cook the Fish: Bake the fish 425°F in a 9-x12-inch baking dish for 10 minutes or air fry the fish at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes until it’s cooked through and easily flakes with a fork. Transfer the fish to a large bowl, let it cool, and flake it into small pieces. You can also use cooked leftover fish or canned fish.
3. Make the Fish Cake Filling: Mix the fish with the panko, celery, mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, one egg, parsley, scallion, Old Bay, and pepper. Divide into 8 portions and form into patties. If they fall apart, add a little more panko.
4. Dredging: Whisk the remaining egg in a bowl and put the remaining panko into another. Dip the patties into the egg and then the panko. Spray both sides with olive oil.
5. Bake the fish cakes 425°F 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until crisp or…
6. Air Fry Fish Cakes at 400°F for 8 minutes, turning halfway, until golden.

Variations

• Fish Cakes with Tin Fish: Sub fresh fish with canned fish.
• Panko: If you don’t have seasoned panko, add herbs and spices to plain panko. Try onion and garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and paprika. You can also use bread crumbs instead.
• Gluten-Free Fish Cakes: Substitute gluten-free panko.
• Old Bay contains celery salt, black and red pepper, and paprika. If you don’t have Old Bay, make your own or substitute Cajun seasoning or seasoning salt.
• Not a mayo fan? Use Greek yogurt.
• Herbs: Swap parsley with dill, tarragon, or basil.
• If you prefer to shallow fry, use a little olive oil and cook in a large skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes on each side.

What do you serve with fish cakes?

There are many ways you can serve these healthy fish cakes. Here are some ideas.

What is the best binder for fish cakes?

Panko, egg, light mayo, and Dijon mustard bind the fish cakes together so they don’t fall apart when formed into patties. If they aren’t sticking together, add a little extra panko.

Storage

• Meal Prep: Cook the fish and form the patties up to 24 hours before cooking them.
• Store cooked fish cakes in the fridge for 3 days. Eat them cold or microwave or air fry them until warm.
• Flash freeze unbaked patties on a sheet pan. Once frozen, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To eat, thaw the cakes in the refrigerator and bake as instructed.
• Or freeze cooked patties for a couple of months.

More Fish Cake Recipes You’ll Love

Fish Cake Recipe 

Crispy fish cakes with roasted pepper sauce can be made with any white fish, canned salmon, or even crab. Bake them or air fryer them!

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 2 cakes, 2 tablespoons sauce

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Fish Cakes

• ▢ 1 pound fish fillets, such as flounder, tilapia, cod, halibut, salmon or use canned crab
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup seasoned panko, gluten-free if needed, divided*
• ▢ 1/4 cup minced celery
• ▢ 2 tablespoons light mayo
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2 large eggs, divided
• ▢ 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• ▢ 3 scallions, green tops minced plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ black pepper, to taste
• ▢ olive oil spray
• ▢ lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

• Puree the roasted peppers, garlic and paprika in a mini blender and combine with the mayo, set aside.

Air Fryer Method:

• Place the fish in the air fryer basket and cook 400F 6 minutes until cooked though and easily flakes with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl, let cool and flake into small pieces. Wipe basket clean.
• Add fish to a large bowl with 1/2 cup panko, celery, mayo, dijon, lemon juice, 1 of the eggs, parsley, scallion, Old Bay, salt and black pepper. Stir well until combined.
• Divide into 8 portions, about 1/4 cup each and form into patties. If they fall apart add a little more panko.
• Place the remaining egg in a bowl and whisk. Gently dip the patties in the egg, then coat with the remaining panko and pat off any excess. Spray both sides with olive oil.
• Air fry the patties in an even layer 400F 8 minutes turning halfway, in batches as needed until golden brown and crisp. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce.

Oven Method:

• Bake the fish in a pre-heated 425F oven in a 9 x 12 baking dish until it flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.
• Once the patties are formed, spray with olive oil and bake them in the oven until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side.

Last Step:

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Notes

*1 tablespoon crumbs get tossed, which has been updated in n.i.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cakes, 2 tablespoons sauce, Calories: 277 kcal, Carbohydrates: 19.5 g, Protein: 29 g, Fat: 9.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 153.5 mg, Sodium: 624 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g