Fish Cakes
Why should Crab Cakes get all the attention? Fish Cakes are similarly crispy and craveableโand my recipe really lets their sweet fish flavor shine through.
If youโve never heard of Fish Cakes, youโre not alone. While many of us have enjoyed crab cakes, Fish Cakes are a little more obscure.
But they absolutely shouldnโt be. Why? Because Fish Cakes have all the tasty, crispy, seafood-y yumminess of crab cakes. And they also have thisโfish tends to be less expensive than crab. So while Fish Cakes are special, you donโt have to save them for a special occasion!

Fish Cakes Versus Crab Cakes
Both fish cakes and crab cakes are seafood, breading, and flavoringsโwhich can include anything from Old Bay to lemon zest to veggies to fresh herbsโshaped into a patty and pan-fried. This recipe for Corn and Crab Cakes with Cilantro, for example.
Where they differ is in whatโs used to bind those ingredients together. Where crab cakes typically use eggs, fish cakes typically use eggs and mashed potatoes. The final results are similar, but slightly different in both taste and texture.
Breading and Binders
To me, whether itโs fish cakes or crab cakes, the trick is to use a minimum of breading and binders. Enough to hold the ingredients together, but not so much that they steal the limelight from the seafood. So the recipe below uses a higher proportion of fish to mashed potato than most others, really letting the clean, sweet flavors of the fish shine through.
For the same reason, I use just a smidge of Old Bay for seasoning. But you could definitely add more if you like.
What Kind Of Fish To Use
Pretty much any flaky fish can be used in this recipe. My grandmother even made them with salmon. Cod, pollock, and haddock are some of the most commonly used, but cod is my favorite. I like its succulent, meaty flakes.
That said, my recommendation is to tell your fishmonger youโre making fish cakes and ask what theyโd suggest. They know whatโs freshest and whatโs the best use for the various fishes they have on handโand can also advise on whatโs sustainable (for more about buying fish, see this post).
Using Leftover Cooked Fish
If you scroll down to the recipe, youโll see that the first step has you cook the fish. So, this recipe is using cooked fish, which means that any cooked fish can be substituted in. Itโs a great idea to plan to have baked fish fillets for dinner one night (try this Baked Tilapia Piccata) but cook extra fish. Then, the next day, that leftover fish turns into amazing fish cakes.
Note that you can also use leftover mashed potatoes for the potatoes in the recipe. If you plan to have mashed potatoes as a side dish one night, then the baked fish dinner the next, day three takes leftovers form both to make a satisfying new entree!
Tips For Crispy Cakes
I like to arrange my shaped cakes on a flat, rimless plate or on a rimless sheet pan. That way, I can gently slide them off the plate or pan into the skillet, making them less likely to fall apart.
When shaping your cakes, make both sides as flat and even as possibleโin other words, more like hockey pucks than like flying saucers. That will give them more contact with the skillet, resulting in more crispiness.
But before you cook the cakes, make sure your pan is heated, then add your cooking oil and make sure thatโs heated. And donโt crowd the skillet. All those things will also help you end up with tasty, crispy, browned, delicious Fish Cakes. Yum.
More Fish Recipes
If you love this fish cake recipe, youโll probably love this delicious Crispy Air Fryer Fish recipe.
Podcast Episode: Making Fish Cakes
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this dish, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
Fish Cakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrรฉe
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
Why should Crab Cakes get all the attention? Fish Cakes are similarly crispy and craveableโand my recipe really lets their delicious fish flavor shine through.
Serve them with tartar sauce, aioli, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 and 1/4 lb. white fish fillets, such as cod, pollock, or haddock
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup panko
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 3/4 lb. russet potatoes, cooked and coarsely mashed (about 1 and 1/2 cups) (see note)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Add enough water to a large skillet to reach a 1-inch depth. Stir in 1 and ยฝ teaspoons of the salt and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Add the fish and adjust the heat to maintain barely a simmer. Cover and cook until the fish is barely opaque throughout, about 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 200ยฐF.
- Remove the fish from the water and set aside to cool slightly. Empty the skillet, wipe it out, and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in the scallions, panko, Old Bay, garlic, and remaining ยฝ teaspoon salt. Once combined, stir in the potatoes.
- Flake the fish and then gently stir it into the potato mixture. Shape the mixture into 8 cakes, each about 3/4-inch thick.
- Return the skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add 4 fish cakes and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the cooked fish cakes to the baking sheet in the oven and repeat with the remaining fish cakes.
Love this recipe? Iโd appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know theyโll love it as well!
Notes
Note: To cook the potatoes, try this super easy microwave method.

Very easy way to use leftover fish. We used flounder and trout; delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Mary! If you have a moment, I’d really appreciate you adding a 5 star rating which helps others find this recipe too. Thanks!
I used overcooked mahi in this recipe. The fish cakes turned out really good with the overcooked mahi ๐ค thanks!
Good to know, Kimberly. Glad it worked out for you!
Easy and Good๐
Thank you so much!
This turned out sooo good. And it was easier to do than I thought it would be! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed, Trina!