These White Fish Cakes are perfect for weeknight eating. It’s a light spring dish everyone will love.

white fish cakes in a white bowl with tartar sauce, avocado and lemon

A Note from Teri on Making White Fish Cakes

This white fish cakes recipe is the kind of dish you want on repeat. You’ll often hear about salmon cakes, but not as much white fish cakes, and I truly feel they deserve a moment in the spotlight. It’s the kind of meal that is just so delicious you basically don’t want to share it with anyone. We love to give away food from the kitchen, but these fish cakes pretty much don’t leave the kitchen. We have them for lunch, and I love having leftovers in the fridge for a little hit of protein and the perfect mini meal later on.

This recipe took a bit of testing to get it just right. Fish cakes can be very delicate, so we wanted to make it perfect. It’s gluten-free, but you would never know it. We opted for rice flour because it’s a much lighter option that makes the fish cakes so crispy and delicious. Rice flour is a superstar in the kitchen for a dish like this. It doesn’t absorb as much oil as other flours, so it gets the cakes crispy without making them heavy.

Even though it’s a lighter dish, it is deeply satisfying. And one of the best parts is, you can make the mixture aside from adding the egg and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook later that day or the next day. Serve over greens with potato crisps and my pantry tartar sauce. It is truly divine.

ingredients for white fish cakes on a baking sheet

Ingredients

  • Mayo
  • Green olives, I use California Ripe Olives
  • Chopped chives
  • Chopped cornichons 
  • Apple cider vinegar 
  • Hot sauce
  • Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper 
  • White fish, such as cod, haddock, or halibut (we used Cod) 
  • Shallots
  • Chopped red pepper
  • Chopped celery
  • Egg
  • Rice flour
  • Romaine lettuce 
  • Marinated Red Onions and oil 
  • Avocados, sliced
  • Cucumbers
  • Lemons

For your salt, I highly recommend Celtic Sea Salt.

How to Make White Fish Cakes

ingredients for tartar sauce in a white bowl
tartar sauce stirred together with a wooden spoon

Step One: Make The Tartar Sauce

Combine the mayo, green olives, and whatever other ingredients you are using with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Mix to combine and salt to taste. Set aside in the refrigerator. 

potato crisps on a baking sheet
ingredients for white fish cakes in a yellow bowl

Step Two: Bake the Potato Crisps and Combine Fish

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Place the potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat each potato slice evenly. Transfer the potato slices evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Remove, flip, and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. Repeat this step until the edges are brown and crisp and the inside of the potatoes are soft.

Place the fish in a food processor. Keeping some texture to the fish, pulse for about 5 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and add the onion, red pepper, celery, chives, salt, and pepper. Add the egg and 1/4 cup rice flour, mix well with a fork. If the mixture feels very wet, add additional rice flour by the tablespoon until the mixture can hold together without most of it sticking to your hands..

four white fish cake patties on a baking sheet
white fish cakes cooking in a stainless steel pan

Step Three: Cook the Fish Cakes

Form the fish mixture into 9  4-oz. patties. Dredge each side evenly with gluten free flour.

In a large sauté pan on medium heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté half the fish cakes for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. If they get too browned, turn the heat down and cover until fully cooked. Repeat with the remaining fish cakes.

Start with the romaine. Then sprinkle with salt and drizzle with Marinated Red Onion Oil. Then place the fish cakes, potatoes, avocado, cucumbers, and sprinkle with chives and a little black pepper. Arrange the lemon wedges around the platter. Serve with your Pantry Tartar Sauce and enjoy!

white fish cakes with salad on a white platter

Try These Other Fish Recipes

If you make this White Fish Cakes recipe, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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white fish cakes in a white bowl with tartar sauce, avocado and lemon

White Fish Cakes

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  • Author: nocrumbsleft
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 9 Fish Cakes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

Make these white fish cakes for a delicious weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

For Pantry Tartar sauce: 

  •   1 ¼ cup mayo
  •   ½ cup green olives, finely chopped (I use California Ripe Olives)
  •   2-3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  •   ¼ cup finely chopped cornichons 
  •   Splash of apple cider vinegar 
  •   Splash of hot sauce, we used Tabasco

NOTE: I like to have at least 3 green things in my tartar sauce but you add whatever else you find in your pantry like olives, chives, green onions, cornichons, or capers. 

For the Potato Crisps: 

  •   4 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
  •   2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  •   1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
  •   ½ -1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

For the Fish Cakes: 

  •   1 ½ pounds white fish, such as cod, haddock, or halibut (we used Cod) 
  •   1 large or 2 medium shallots, finely chopped, about ? cup 
  •   ½ cup finely chopped red pepper
  •   ¾ cup finely chopped celery
  •   ¼ cup finely chopped chives
  •   2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  •   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
  •   1 egg, slightly beaten
  •   ¼ cup rice flour, plus ? cup rice flour for dredging
  •   Extra Virgin olive oil 

Everything Else: 

  •   Romaine lettuce
  •   Kosher salt 
  •   Marinated Red Onions and oil 
  •   1-2 avocados, sliced
  •   2 small cucumbers, cut into ¼ inch slices
  •   2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, optional
  •   Freshly ground black pepper 
  •   1-2 lemons, cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Make Pantry Tarter Sauce: Combine the mayo, green olives, and whatever other ingredients you are using with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Mix to combine and salt to taste. Set aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Make the Potato Crisps: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat each potato slice evenly. Place the potato slices evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Remove, flip, and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. Repeat this step until the edges are brown and crisp and the inside of the potatoes are soft, about 40-45 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  3. Note: If some of the potato crisps are more done than others, remove the done crisps and keep the others in the oven for a few extra minutes before removing.
  4. Make the Fish Cakes: Place the fish in a food processor. Keeping some texture to the fish, pulse for about 5 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and add the onion, red pepper, celery, chives, salt, and pepper. Add the egg and ¼ cup rice flour, mix well with a fork. If the mixture feels very wet, add additional rice flour by the tablespoon until the mixture can hold together without most of it sticking to your hands..
  5. Form the fish mixture into 9 4-oz. patties. Dredge each side evenly with gluten free flour.
  6. In a large sauté pan on medium heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté half the fish cakes for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. If they get too browned, turn the heat down and cover until fully cooked. Repeat with the remaining fish cakes, adding more olive oil as needed. Set aside when done.
  7. Build your Platter: Start with the romaine. Then sprinkle with salt and drizzle with Marinated Red Onion Oil. Then place the fish cakes, potatoes, avocado, cucumbers, and sprinkle with chives and a little black pepper. Arrange the lemon wedges around the platter. Serve with your Pantry Tartar Sauce and enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 patties
  • Calories: 413
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 1210.4 mg
  • Fat: 18.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23.9 g
  • Protein: 36.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 148.5 mg