An easy Potato Fish Cake recipe packed with herbs that can double up as a fish burger when you need to have a quick lunch. These Potato Fish Cakes can be cooked on a pan or in the Air Fryer. A delicious light meal that goes perfectly with a Green Avocado Salad. And a great variation if you want a little variety from making Thai Fish Cakes.
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Why you'll love my Healthier Homemade Potato Fish Cakes
I love showing you guys what ingredients go into my finished dish. Isn't it inspiring and heartening to see all the fresh produce, nourishing veggies and herbs and health-enhancing spices that go into a homemade dish? It is, to me. It helps me visualize and pack as much variety as I can into our weekly meals. Eat the rainbow! And all the other million shades that you can in every size and form.
Fish cakes are one of the easiest high-protein recipes to make at home. Any firm boneless fish works in a fish cake recipe. But I like to add white fish that is high in protein while being lower in fat. This is in order to make the meal more nutritionally balanced. I actually can't remember what fish variety is pictured below because I buy whatever is available at the fishmonger's. But the ones I use often is snapper, perch or gemfish.
Mediterranean flavours pair brilliantly with white fish and are a match made in heaven. Throw in some punch with lots of chilli and garlic. Add mouthiness with tart capers and lemon. Make it extra herbaceous with parsley, dill and oregano. Add a touch of sweetness with fennel seeds and mix it all up with the creamiest potatoes you can find. Russet potatoes (high starch) and Sebago (medium starch) are my favourites! They are usually the "brushed" potatoes you will find in large bags at the supermarkets. Excellent for boiling and mashing.)
Ingredients
A Great Tip On Boiling Potatoes
There is no right or wrong way to boil a potato. But if you are going to boil a whole potato with the skin on, you are likely going to be boiling it for a long time to get it completely cooked. When in a hurry, peel potatoes before chopping them in quarters and dropping them in boiling water. This method cooks the potatoes very quickly and you will have fork-tender potatoes in roughly 12-14 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain completely. Cool to room temperature before mashing or using as desired.
How To Make Easy Potato Fish Cakes
1. Fry Aromatics And Spices - Heat oil in medium-sized cast iron or non-stick frying pan. (It is important to not use steel as the fish will stick to it). Add the fennel seeds, chilli and garlic. Saute until caramelized.
2. Wilt the Spring Onion - Add spring onion and cook it briefly (30 seconds maximum) to wilt and soften it. This removes the bite of the allium and prevents it from weeping liquid in the fish cake later.
3. Cook the fish - Cut the boneless fish into large pieces and add to the frying pan over the spices. Toss and mix gently.
4. Cook the fish - Reduce heat and cook the fish uncovered for 8-12 minutes until the flesh is opaque and cooked through.
5. Mash or flake the cooked fish - Using a spatula, break the fish up in the pan. If the fish doesn't break easily, it means it needs to cook a little longer. Cooked fish flesh will come apart very easily.
6. Mash the boiled potatoes - Mash the potatoes using a potato masher until quite smooth.
7. Add the fish and aromatics - Scrape the fish mixture along with all the spices into the bowl over the mashed potatoes.
8. Add all the other ingredients - Add the herbs, egg, breadcrumbs and seasoning to the bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.
9. Shape and fry the potato fish cakes - Take a quarter cup of the potato fish cake mixture in your palms and shape into a half-inch high patty. Potato Fish Cakes can be pan-fried in a bit of oil until golden or air-fried. Fully cooked fish cakes can be eaten right away or stored in the fridge for up to two days. Because the potato fish cake mixture is already cooked, it can also be stored in the fridge for up to two days, ready to be formed into patties and cooked as needed.
🍔 More Fish Cake & Burger Recipes
Recipe
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Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes, note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra for pan-frying
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 cup spring onion, green only, thinly sliced
- 500 g boneless white fish fillets, note 2
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup (35 g) baby capers
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, note 3
- 2 eggs, lightly whisked
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes. Cut them in quarters. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the potatoes to the water and boil on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender (when tested with a fork). Remove from heat and drain. Add the boiled potatoes to a large bowl. Mash them until smooth and set aside.
- Heat oil in a cast-iron or non-stick frying pan on medium. Add garlic, fennel seeds, chilli and flakes. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spring onion and sauté for a few more seconds until wilted.
- Add the fish fillets and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 8-12 minutes, turning the fish occasionally until thoroughly cooked and flesh is opaque. Remove from heat.
- Using a wooden spatula, break up the cooked fish fillets into tiny pieces or shreds.
- Scrape the fish mixture into the bowl over the potatoes.
- Add oregano, capers, parsley, breadcrumbs and egg. Season with salt and pepper as per taste. Mix well until the mixture is well combined and everything is evenly distributed. Adjust seasoning if desired.
- Take a quarter cup of fishcake mixture in the palm of your hand and form a half-inch high and three inches wide patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Place raw fishcakes on a plate lined with baking paper.
- Heat a cast iron/non-stick frying pan on medium. Drizzle a bit of oil. Place 3-4 fishcakes on the hot pan and cook on each side for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally. If they start browning too quickly, reduce heat and continue cooking. The fishcakes are done when both sides are golden and the fishcake itself feels firm and slightly dry. Remove onto a serving plate and repeat with remaining fishcakes.
AIR FRYER METHOD
- Lightly oil/spray the basket or tray of your air fryer. Place the fish cakes on the tray/basket and lightly drizzle or spray with oil. Air Fry at 200°C for 12 minutes until cooked and golden.
Notes
- Potatoes – Use Sebago, Russet or Maris Piper potatoes. These are good all-rounder potatoes and boil and mash really well. Peeling and boiling them reduces cooking time and ensures perfectly boiled potatoes.
- Fish – Firm white fish like flathead, perch, ling, cod, haddock, basa or hake.
- Breadcrumbs – Fresh white or wholemeal bread is easily crumbed in a small food processor. 2-3 slices normally yield 2 cups.
- Storage - Fully cooked fish cakes can be eaten right away or stored in the fridge for up to two days. Because the potato fish cake mixture is already cooked, it can also be stored in the fridge for up to two days, ready to be formed into patties and cooked as needed.
These Easy Potato Fish Cakes are a total game-changer for weeknight dinners! I made them last night, and they were a hit with my family. The recipe is incredibly simple to follow, and the result is absolutely delicious. The combination of creamy mashed potatoes and flaky fish with a hint of herbs and spices is a flavor explosion in every bite. Plus, the crispy golden exterior adds the perfect texture contrast. I highly recommend giving these a try if you're looking for a quick and tasty meal that's sure to please everyone at the table.
Success!!
In case others wonder, these fish cakes are even more delish reheated in the oven at 200C for 10-15 minutes. The outside gets nice and crispy.
I dialled down the fennel seeds and chilli quite a bit (because: kids!) and they were still packed w flavour. A keeper!
I just made a batch of these for meal prep. What a nice change from other fish cake recipes. I used barra and kingfish as that's what I had. It's a good thing I made these just after breakfast because I could have eaten the fish mixture straight from the pan. It looked and smelled SO good! I can't wait to serve them for dinner tonight.