These Classic Fish Cakes have all the same great flavor as a Maryland crab cake, but at a fraction of the cost. With big pieces of fresh cod in every bite, they’re bursting with flavor thanks to Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, and lots of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, and chives). Fish cakes make a quick, easy, and nutritious appetizer, main course, or snack.
Once pan fried, serve them with a quick and easy homemade tartare sauce, the perfect complement for both cod cakes and crab cakes alike! Enjoy alongside a simple green salad or with a bowl of soup for a complete meal.
Be sure to check out all of our easy seafood recipes, including more delicious cod recipes, such as Tender, Flaky, Mediterranean Baked Cod, Pan Seared Cod with Romesco Sauce, and the family-favorite Baked Cod With Panko.
What’s In Fish Cakes?
- Cod fillets: We’re baking fresh cod for the fish cakes, but you can use any white flaky fish. Be sure to season well with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Onion and garlic: Sautéed in a little butter or oil until softened to add flavor to the cod cake mixture.
- Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard keep the fish cakes moist and tender.
- Eggs: Used to help bind the ingredients together.
- Old Bay seasoning: Can’t have fish cakes without Old Bay!
- Lemon zest to brighten the flavors of the cod.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Used as a coating to help the fish cakes keep their shape.
- Fresh herbs: The more the better! — I love to use a combination of fresh parsley, dill, and chives.
How To Make Fish Cakes
- Bake the fresh cod fillets with a little salt and pepper until tender and flaky. Cool slightly.
- Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, just a few minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cod, eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon, sautéed onion and garlic, fresh herbs, panko breadcrumbs, and lemon zest, then gently mix to combine.
- Chill the mixture for at least 1 hour.
- When ready, form into uniform cod cakes.
- Pan fry in neutral oil for 2-3 minutes per side, then serve with tartare sauce.
Homemade Tartare Sauce
If you’re making fish cakes from scratch, go ahead and take the 5 minutes needed to make homemade tartar sauce as well. The flavor blows any store-bought variety out of the water!
Ingredients In Tartare Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 small shallots, diced
- The juice from 1 lemon (about 2-3 Tbsp)
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
To make tartare sauce: Combine mayo, relish, Dijon, shallots, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. That’s it! It goes well with everything from fish cakes, to fish and chips, to juicy salmon burgers.
If you’re looking for a different sauce to serve with this fish cakes recipe, be sure to try our homemade dill sauce!
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Freezing
- Make-ahead: Fish cakes can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, then pan fried when ready to eat. The leftovers will keep for 2-3 days.
- To freeze uncooked fish cakes: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer uncooked cakes to a freezer-safe airtight container, then freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, allow cakes to defrost overnight in a refrigerator, then use your hands to reshape as needed into lightly-packed patties. Continue with cooking instructions as detailed above.
- To freeze cooked fish cakes: Allow the fish cakes to cool completely to room temperature, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen fish cakes to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then reheat at 350F until warm and crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
How To Serve
Serve your cod fish cakes over a bed of mixed salad greens or arugula with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and a side of coleslaw for a classic combination. They’re also fantastic as a sandwich on potato buns!
If you want to add a vegetable side dish, roasted broccolini is our family’s favorite. We eat this at least twice a week! These are also great over creamy mashed potatoes. You really can’t go wrong.
FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen cod. Thaw it completely, then drain on paper towels to absorb excess moisture before proceeding to bake as instructed in the recipe.
While cod works great for this recipe, you can also use haddock, pollock, sole, or any mild, white fish.
No, they have breadcrumbs in them. However, if you substitute with gluten-free breadcrumbs, these are naturally gluten-free.
Expert Tips
- Don’t over mix the ingredients! You want there to be some large pieces of cod in the fish cakes.
- Allowing the fish cake mixture to chill for an hour before forming will help them hold their shape.
- For a bit of heat, add a ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper to the patties.
Tender, flaky, and oh so delicious! I could eat these every single day. If you make this easy Fish Cakes recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Pan Fried Fish Cakes with Cod
Ingredients
- 2 lbs cod fillets or other white flaky fish, such as halibut, grouper, or sole
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2½ tsp Kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 Tbsp chives thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil such as avocado, grapeseed, or canola oil
For serving
- lemon wedges
- arugula or mixed greens
- Flaky sea salt
- Tartare sauce
Instructions
- Bake the cod. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then place cod fillets on top. Pat dry with a paper towel, then drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 12 minutes, or until fish is an internal temperature of 145F. Set aside until cool enough to handle fish with your hands, about 5-10 minutes.
- Sauté the onion. Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add chopped garlic cloves, then cook 1 minute more. Set aside.
- Make the fish cake mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 2 eggs, 1 Tbsp Old Bay, 1½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. To this add sautéed onion and garlic, 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp chopped dill, 1 Tbsp sliced chives, and lemon zest. Flake the slightly cooled fish with your fingers or two forks, being careful to keep the flakes as large as possible. Gently combine all ingredients together until homogenous and evenly mixed. Place fish cake mixture in a refrigerator to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Form the fish cakes. When ready, use a large cookie scoop to form equal sized patties. Press together gently in your hands to flatten and round each out to about a height of 1".
- Pan fry, then enjoy. Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or on a griddle. When hot, add fish cakes and cook 3-5 minutes per side, being careful to flip each gently so they don't break apart. Serve on top of arugula or mixed greens with lemon wedges, tartare sauce, additional fresh herbs, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are for fish cakes only and do not include tartar sauce or salad.
- Make-ahead: Fish cakes can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, then pan fried when ready to eat.
- To freeze uncooked fish cakes: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer uncooked cakes to a freezer-safe airtight container, then freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, allow cakes to defrost overnight in a refrigerator, then use your hands to reshape as needed into lightly-packed patties. Continue with cooking instructions as detailed above.
- To freeze cooked fish cakes: Allow the fish cakes to cool completely to room temperature, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen fish cakes to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then reheat at 350F until warm and crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
Super easy to make and delicious! I assume it’s 8 fish cakes, since it’s 8 servings.. and 1 is super filling with arugula and micro greens. Husband and children (10 & 6) approved!
Yes!! Each fish cake ends up being about ¼ lb. Not gonna lie, I often eat two! And I am seriously so impressed by your kiddos’ palettes. Amazing. xo, Ari