Spicy fish cakes (fish patties) crispy outside, soft in the center, these richly flavored spicy patties are a terrific appetizer. Easy, low carb and made with salmon. Freezes beautifully!
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Spicy Fish Cakes (Fish Patties)
These spicy fish patties are made with minced fish, spices and herbs. They taste absolutely fantastic and are great for picky eaters who try to avoid fish. Seasoning fish well gives great results such as our Indian fish curry.
I bet you have someone like that in your family and you can easily slide some fish into their diet with these spicy fish patties. Of course, pair these shallow fried patties with something light, like whole grain bread or plain rice and lots of veggies.
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Ingredients You Need
- Fish: I use canned or steamed fish. Salmon or tuna works great, but any chunky and firm fish that can be reliably deboned would work. Make sure to remove the skin as well.
- Fine Chickpea Flour: We use this for binding. You can use mashed potatoes as well.
- Eggs: This also helps with binding and adding moisture to the mixture.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: This gives a nice crispy texture on the outside.
- Herbs: Fresh chopped herbs such as cilantro and mint would be great.
- Chili Peppers: Remove the seeds to reduce the pungency. And adjust the amount according to the red pepper flakes used.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and onions is what we use. You can ginger also.
- Spices: I use curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes, turmeric.
- Cooking Oil: Use a high smoke point oil. I prefer to use avocado oil.
How To Make Fish Cakes
- Step 1 Fish Cake Mixture: Crumble fish and combine with all ingredients (except one egg, breadcrumbs and oil), into a smooth and moldable mixture. Add salt only if needed.
- Step 2 Shaping: Divide the mixture into 12 to 16 portions and shape into patties. Whisk one egg. Spread bread crumbs in a flat plate. Dip each fish patty in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs. Press the patty gently to make sure bread crumbs are nicely set on it. Set aside.
- Step 3 Frying: Shallow fry the patties in batches. Heat oil in skillet at medium high. Slide in fish cakes, lower the heat to medium and shallow fry for 2 to 3 minutes each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Top Tips
- When crumbling the fish, retain a coarse flaky texture and do not blend it into a fine paste. If using a food processor, use short pulses so that the mixture is not ground up too fine.
- If using fresh fish, it is better to steam it, rather than sautéing. Otherwise the fish may become too dry.
- The fish cake mixture should not be dry and crumbly. It should be moist but not too wet.
What to Serve With It?
I like to serve these salmon cakes as follows.
- Appetizer: With mint chutney, onion slices and a sprinkle of lemon juice.
- Side: Serve with lentil rice or skillet flat breads.
- Wraps and Sandwiches: These work great with some sandwich spread, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Try our naan or pita bread.
Variations
These salmon patties are low carb, dairy free, nut free and soy free. I have not tried all the variations below.
- Gluten-Free: You can use crushed corn flakes or coarse almonds instead of bread crumbs.
- Egg Free: Try replacing with softy mashed potatoes.
- Low Sodium: Lower the amount of salt used and increase the flavor my adjusting up herbs and spices. Use low sodium canned fish.
Recipe FAQs
Select fish carefully to avoid harm from pollutants. A resource that provides excellent consumer guides is Seafood Watch. You may also checkout their app. When it comes to salmon, I would recommend choosing wild caught fish. Canned fish can also come in handy.
You can make the fish cake mixture or patties and refrigerate for couple days before using it.
You can freeze these fish cakes before frying or after frying. Cool the fish cakes completely and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, remove the fish cakes and store in freezer-safe containers up to 2 months.
Just thaw them a few minutes and fry the patties or warm up the pre-cooked fish cakes in the oven or in a skillet.
Are Salmon Patties Healthy?
These fish cakes are prepared with salmon which is a good source of high quality protein, heart healthy unsaturated fats, especially the long chain omega 3 fatty acids. It is also a good source of other nutrients, such as B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, potassium and phosphorus.
Regular consumption of fatty fish such as salmon has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Salmon has less saturated fat content than other animals protein sources, and therefore helps with maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
Further, research studies have revealed beneficial effects of salmon consumption on the brain and cognitive process. As such, it has been connected with a lower risk of depression, psychoses, dementia, cognitive deficits and ADHD.
Hence, inclusion of at least two servings of fatty fish per week as part of a healthy diet is highly recommended.
More Appetizer and Snack Recipes
- Spicy meat and potato patties
- Vegetarian kotlet with eggplant
- Crispy potato edamame samosa rolls
- Easy Moroccan chicken pastilla
- Fatayer (middle eastern swiss chard pies)
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Spicy Fish Cakes (Fish Patties)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Salmon or Tuna, canned or steamed, boneless
- ½ cup onion grated
- ¼ cup fine chickpea flour or breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 2 tbsps chili peppers jalapeno or serrano
- 1 tablespoon garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon mint dried or 2 tablespoon fresh mint
- 2 teaspoon curry powder or middle eastern mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup avocado oil* some will be leftover after frying
- Salt as needed
Equipment
Instructions
Fish Cake Mixture
- Crumble fish into smaller pieces. Add grated onion, chickpea flour, cilantro, chili peppers, garlic, chopped mint, curry powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes and one egg to the fish.
- Mix it all very well into a smooth and moldable mixture. Canned fish will have some added salt, so add more salt only if needed.
Shaping Patties
- Divide fish cake mixture into 12 to 16 portions. Roll each portion and flatten into an oval patty. Keep the patties aside.
- Set up the items for breading the patties. Beat the egg. Spread the bread crumbs in a flat plate.
- Dip each salmon patty in the beaten egg and then dip it in bread crumbs, making sure to coat all around in each step.
- Press the patty gently to make sure the bread crumbs are nicely set on it. Keep the prepared fish cakes aside.
Frying
- The fish cakes may be shallow fried in two batches in a skillet that has enough room for six to eight patties.
- For each batch, heat 4 tablespoons oil in the skillet at medium high. Once the oil is hot enough, slide six to eight fish cakes and lower the heat to medium and shallow fry both sides for 2 to 3 minutes each until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve these salmon cakes in a platter with some onion and lime slices. May serve these as an appetizer, side dish, snack or make sandwiches.
Notes
- Oil: If the frying is done right at the optimum temperature and if not reusing the same oil, the absorption of oil can be kept to the minimum.
- Freeze: The salmon cakes can be breaded and frozen a day ahead. Prior to frying, thaw the patties. Frozen fish cakes can also be kept for a longer time for later use.
- Storage: Alternatively the patties can be fried and wrapped in parchment paper and packed in freezer safe bags and frozen. Just thaw them and heat in a toaster oven, conventional oven or on a skillet.
- Roasted chickpea flour, ginger garlic paste, dried mint, garam masala, turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander are available at Indian and Middle eastern grocery stores or online.
- Nutrition facts based on plain salmon and not including added salt.
- For more tips and serving suggestions check out the blog post above.
Amy
I have got to try this recipe out! I love trying new fish recipes!
Roxana Begum
Thanks. Hope you like it Amy.
Jillian
These look A-Mazing! Thank you for sharing!
Roxana Begum
Thank you :)
Emily
I don't normally do seafood but I would totally try these kebabs!
Roxana Begum
I tried these with people who normally do not like fish :)
Ashley
These look amazing! So original and I love the content about Indian cuisine. I'm trying to learn more about different types of cuisine myself. Indian food is my favorite!
Roxana Begum
I am so glad you like it Ashley. Thanks.
Kaitie
wow, these sound delicious! What a complete treat for dinner one night for my family!
Roxana Begum
Thanks Kaitie. Sure would work for dinner.