Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (2024)

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Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (1)

Who doesn’t love delicious fish cakes fried till golden brown and crispy with their coating of panko breadcrumbs and chock full of leftover tasty salmon and mashed potatoes. Add to that fresh shallots, dill, lemon zest, horseradish and some grated parmesan for that added umami flavour and we think you’ll be in fish cake heaven.

Having leftovers in the fridge after baking a whole salmon served with boiled new potatoes, and a delicious chive butter sauce made putting these together super easy. Don’t you just love having leftover bits, and bobs in the fridge to make another tasty meal with, we know we do.

We like a good ratio of fish to potatoes so we used 50/50 potatoes to salmon. It’s best to gently flake the salmon so that you have some nice sized flakes, and preferably not have the mashed potatoes smooth, but rather a little lumpy to add a great texture to the fish cakes.

Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (2)

Pantry

Potatoes
Salt
Black Pepper
Egg
Oil for frying

Shopping List

Fish Fillets
Lemons
Horseradish or Dijon Mustard
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Dill
Green Shallots/Scallions
Panko Breadcrumbs

Of course you very probably don’t have leftover salmon and cold potatoes in your fridge to whip these babies up, so gently steam any fish you prefer.

Umami Flavour Bomb

Parmesan cheese is a secret weapon umami flavour bomb, and adds an essence of deliciousness that doesn’t taste cheesy at all, but deepens the flavour of the combined fish cake flavours.

Once you’ve prepared the fish cakes and rolled them in the panko crumbs refrigerate the cakes for half an hour or so, which allows the mixture to firm up for frying.

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Handy Tip for Getting Even Sized Fish Cakes

Once the mixture is ready, turn it out onto a chopping board and using wet hands gently shape the mixture into a circular shape that is of even thickness. Use a sharp knife to cut the mixture into eight evenly sized wedges. Again with wet hands gently shape the wedges into a round, and then slightly flatten the fish cake to resemble a rissole. This allows you to quickly and evenly portion the fish cakes.

Once you’ve covered the fish cakes in the breadcrumbs they can be frozen at this stage ready to whip out for an amazing dinner. You can wither wrap them individually or spread them out on a sheet of baking paper and cover with another sheet of paper then wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Why do My Fish Cakes Fall Apart

The downfall of fish cakes that fall apart when frying them usually results in the mashed potatoes being too wet. The secret is to have a dryish potato mash leaving some lumps which provide texture. Make sure that you drain the potatoes well before mashing them.

What to Serve with Fish Cakes

We love to serve fish cakes with a really good easy-homemade-tartare-sauce. It’s a superb accompaniment to the fish cakes and the piquant sauce marries beautifully with the crunchy breadcrumb exterior and moist centre of the fish cakes. Frozen peas is also wonderful served along side. Peas, mash and salmon is a great flavour combination.

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  • Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (12)

Can I Use Canned Salmon

Fresh salmon can be expensive so a large can of sustainably caught salmon will deliver incredibly flavoured fish cakes. Use salmon that is in a brine, rather than oil and drain it extremely well removing any bits of skin, or bones and gently flake the salmon apart into largish flakes. Very economical!

Watch How To Make Delicious Fish Cakes – From Leftovers

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We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make these Delicious Fish Cakes

Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (15)

Yield: 8 fish cakes - serves 4

Delicious Fish Cakes - from leftovers

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 500 gms potatoes - cooked and well drained (1 pound)
  • 500 gms cooked fish fillets - we used leftover salmon (1 pound)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • salt and freshly milled black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons horseradish or dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill
  • 2 green shallots finely chopped - scallions
  • 1 egg - well beaten

coating and cooking

  • 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs - any breadcrumb will do
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  1. mash the potatoes leaving some lumps - see notes 1.
  2. using two forks roughly shred the fish
  3. add all of the remaining ingredients except for the panko crumbs and the oil
  4. gently mix only until combined
  5. turn the mixture out onto a bench and using wet hands (stops the mixture from sticking) pat into a round circle of even thickness
  6. now using a sharp knife divide the circle into 8 even wedges - see notes 2.
  7. with wet hands pat each wedge into a round then slightly flatten into a patty
  8. add the breadcrumbs to a large bowl and one by one roll each patty in the crumbs
  9. refrigerate the patties for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up.
  10. heat pan with enough oil to rise halfway up the patties 1 cm (1/2 inch) over medium heat and when hot add several of the fish cakes
  11. keep cooked fish cakes warm while the remainder cook
  12. Enjoy

Notes

  1. we prefer to leave lumps of potato whole and larger flakes of the fish as it makes a nicer texture - rather than mush
  2. by forming a circle and then dividing as described above makes it quick and easy to portion the fish cakes into even pieces
  3. fish cakes can be fried with just a lick of oil in the pan if you prefer to use less oil, but the sides of the patties will not be crisp
  4. don't overcrowd the pan as it is difficult to turn the fishcakes without breaking them and burning yourself

    Nutrition Information

    Yield

    4

    Serving Size

    2

    Amount Per Serving Calories 708Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 205mgSodium 980mgCarbohydrates 77gFiber 7gSugar 8gProtein 58g

    Nutritional information provided here is only intended as a guide.

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    Delicious Fish Cakes - From Leftovers - Recipe Winners (2024)

    FAQs

    Why do my homemade fish cakes fall apart? ›

    Too much sugar, fat or liquid or not enough flour. Or you could be opening your oven before the cake is set and the cake is falling at that point. What can I do to stop my Thai fish cakes falling apart in the frying pan? You need to work the mixture more.

    How do you get fish cakes to stick together? ›

    Egg – Next, dip the fish cake into the beaten eggs and let the excess drip off. Panko breadcrumbs – And finally, place it in a bowl of panko breadcrumbs. Spoon some breadcrumbs over then use your hands to pat it on to adhere as best you can.

    Can you pan fry frozen fish cakes? ›

    For thawed or fresh cakes, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the cakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. For frozen cakes, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Put the frozen cakes into the oil and let them be for 5-10 minutes, until the cakes are thawed.

    What is a good side dish for fish cakes? ›

    The best side dishes to serve with fish cakes are tartar sauce, potato wedges, guacamole, coleslaw, green salad, roasted vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, Spanish rice, corn on the cob, potato salad, garlic bread, grilled vegetables skewers, cucumber salad, garlic aioli, and cornbread.

    What is the binder for fish cakes? ›

    Eggs and cracker crumbs will help bind everything together below a drift of spice. Make sure to leave some time to chill the resulting patties in the refrigerator – the cold will help them set up so they don't fall apart in the sauté pan.

    How do you keep fish patties from falling apart? ›

    Refrigerate The Mix, Use A Sheet Pan

    Then you can scoop the cakes and put them on a sheet pan to cool down in the fridge once again. The cooler temperature of the mix will help everything stick together better when the patties are pan-fried, crisping them up nicely.

    Why are my fishcakes mushy? ›

    Make sure that the mashed potatoes are dry and fluffy (preferably without any added milk or butter), as if the mash is too wet then the fishcakes can be difficult to handle and may become too soft when they are defrosted.

    Why are my fish cakes rubbery? ›

    Most version include egg which is used as a binder. In this recipe, you have that option but personally I prefer the texture without the egg. Adding egg gives the Thai fish cakes a rubbery texture which some people like.

    How do you know when fish cakes are done? ›

    When the oil is hot, carefully lower the fish cakes into the pan. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until golden brown underneath and then carefully flip them over. Fry for another 5 - 7 minutes or until golden on the bottom and heated all the way through.

    Can you freeze home made fish cakes? ›

    Dip each of the fish cakes in flour, pat off any excess, then dip in the egg. Finally, coat in the breadcrumbs and transfer to a clean plate or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining fish cakes. You can freeze the fish cakes now for up to three months, or chill for 1-2 days.

    Can you cook fish cakes in a microwave? ›

    If you do microwave your fishcakes, you can cook them straight from frozen. Place 1-2 fishcakes in a dish and cover. Microwave on full power (800W) for 1½ minutes, turn over and cook for a further 1½ minutes.

    How long do fish cakes last in the fridge? ›

    Fully cooked fish cakes can be eaten right away or stored in the fridge for up to two days.

    Are fish cakes healthy for you? ›

    Light on the stomach and easy to digest, Fish Cakes are also a healthy addition to your diet as they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Here we share a Fish Cake recipe that is flavourful and easy to make. You can also make this recipe as a snack for a birthday party or a kitty party.

    Can you eat cooked fish cakes the next day? ›

    Information. Cooked fish and other seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Refrigeration slows but does not prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, it's important to use food within recommended time before it spoils or becomes dangerous.

    Do you eat fish cake hot or cold? ›

    Generally served cold or room temperature at Korean restaurants or at Korean BBQ as a complimentary side dish. It's usually made in advance in a big batch and stored in an airtight container. This dish can be enjoyed with a bowl of rice and other side dishes (banchans in Korean).

    What makes fish fall apart when cooking? ›

    As fish cooks, proteins in the muscle fibers coagulate and the flesh changes from translucent to opaque in appearance. When the collagen softens in heat, it loses its structure and turns to gelatin; the muscle fibers have little to hold them together and the fish separates easily into flakes.

    Why fish falls apart cooking? ›

    Fish can fall apart when frying for a few reasons. One common reason is that the fish is not dry enough before being placed in the hot oil, causing it to steam and break apart. Another reason could be that the oil is not hot enough, which can lead to the fish absorbing too much oil and becoming soggy.

    References

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