Dipping Sauce for Fish Cakes
Add a simple dipping sauce for fish cakes, served with old-fashioned Irish fish cakes made of tender white fish (poached in milk), mashed potatoes, lemon, herbs, and bread crumbs–fried to perfection. Each flaky bite of fish cake dipped into a homemade tartar sauce adds an extra zing of flavor!
We love crispy, golden on the outside–fluffy on the inside–fish cakes! Many traditional fish cake recipes call for a combination of salmon and white fish, but ours only uses white fish (we used cod, but there are other options), along with mashed potatoes.
The dipping sauce for fish cakes is a creamy tartar sauce–the ultimate Irish meal! The tarter sauce takes this simple fish recipe to the next level, with fresh, zippy flavors.
What are fish cakes?
Fish cakes are made with fish, potatoes, and served with tartar sauce.
- Fish: Our favorite is cod, we’ve made this recipe with rock fish and snapper. Haddock is popular (that is what McDonalds uses in their fish sandwiches). You can also use salmon or any smoked fish too. It’s boiled in milk with a bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Potatoes: We used 2 medium Russet potatoes, boiled and mashed with spring onions, lemon zest, parsley, dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt and a generous pinch of black pepper.
- Bread crumbs: We use Panko crumbs, with butter and olive oil, egg and flour. This ties the patties all together.
- Dipping Sauce: Combine mayonnaise, pickle, shallot, lemon, vinegar, fresh dill, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Yum!
What sauce do you put on fish cakes?
I love fish cakes any time of year, but especially during winter and spring (hello, St. Patrick’s Day). They are comforting, fresh and light, and delightful when served with a side salad. Dont’ forget the homemade tartar sauce, too!
Tartar sauce (or tartare sauce) is super easy to make! All you need is mayo, pickles (relish), a shallot, lemon, white wine vinegar, fresh dill and Dijon mustard. It’s creamy-good and pairs so well with fish cakes.
Are fish cakes healthy?
Fish cakes originally came about as a way of using leftover fish and cold potatoes, a popular food in Ireland, England, and Africa. Years ago, because fish was so accessible, the combining of fish and potatoes created a hearty, affordable dish.
Every country has their own version of fish cakes, but because we are an Irish family, our version is Irish fish cakes, made with cod but you can use any firm white fish or a mixture of fish works really well too. Also, the fish is boiled (poached) and not fried, but the last step the cakes are fried in oil and butter.
Where is tartar sauce used?
Tartar sauce is a creamy condiment that is known for its rich, tangy flavor. Tartar sauce is a staple condiment at many seafood restaurants because it’s mostly served with fish and chips, oysters, and fish cakes. It’s basically a dipping sauce that can be served alongside andy seafood, but mainly fish.
Why does tartar sauce go with fish?
The tangy taste of tartar sauce complements any seafood or fish, but it’s also delicious with chicken. It’s a popular marinade for grilling chicken and fish.
Why dip fish in milk
I learned awhile back from my daughter to soak fish in milk. It removes the fishy taste, and results in a flakier fish when cooked through. We bring the milk, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt to a boil, then simmer and add the fish. Cover and cook the fish, then remove from the milk mixture and allow to cool.
How to make a fish cake
- Add mashed potatoes with the spring onions, lemon zest, parsley, dijon mustard, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add ½ of the flaked fish and beat it firmly into the potato mixture using a hand mixer. Add the rest of the larger flakes of the fish and gently stir. Place the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the fridge, and with slightly dampened hands take a handful of the mixture and form into thick patties. The size should be roughly 10cm in diameter and about 2 cm thick (or 4″ x 1 ½” thick) but you can of course make them smaller if you wish. You should end up with 5-6 cakes.
- Next, place each fish cake first into the flour, then the egg/milk and lastly in the mixture of plain and fresh breadcrumbs which have been mixed together. TIP: The fish cakes can be prepared up to this stage in advance and refrigerated until ready to fry.
- Before frying, bring the fish cakes back to room temp and heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and cook for a few minutes before flipping, making sure the underside of the cakes and are golden brown; then turn them over. Cook the other side!
- AIR FRY: You can also air fry the fish cakes at 360 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Tips and substitutions:
- Leftover fish: Fish cakes can be made from leftovers if you’ve got extra fish and potatoes around. Salmon would work well, too.
- Potatoes: Use leftover potatoes, or cook up 2 Russet potatoes in boiling water until soft; drain and add milk, salt and pepper and mix with a hand mixer until softy and creamy.
- Fresh or frozen fish: You can use fresh fish or frozen fish since it is cooked in the first step.
- Breadcrumbs: When we are out of panko breadcrumbs, I sub them with regular breadcrumbs or whole-wheat breadcrumbs.
- Herbs: You can replace the dill with other herbs, and the green onions with chives.
- Spice: Cayenne pepper added for an extra zip, or use Old Bay Seasoning as another option.
- Garnish with sliced green onion or chives, lemon wedges, and fresh parsley.
Serving
Our favorite meal is fish cakes, an Irish Pub Salad, soda bread, and Guinness cupcakes! We love this menu any time of year, not just on St. Patrick’s Day!
What’s a festive Irish appetizer? We love our homemade Pub Cheese with pretzels or potato chips!
Fish Cake leftovers
- Storage: Keep the leftover fish cakes separate from the dipping sauce for storing. Both should be in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat the fish cakes is in an air fryer or in a skillet until warmed through. We pop them into the airfyer and they are nice and crisp.
- Freezing: You can freeze the fish cakes by freezing them in individual layers separated by parchment paper. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag. Do not freeze the dipping sauce, but make a fresh batch when you are ready to serve the frozen fish cakes.
- What do do with leftover tartar sauce: Leftover tartar suace is normally served with seafood, but we love it served with chicken, steak, and even spread on sandwiches and wraps–it’s that good. Try it as a dipping sauce for a veggie platter, too!
More Irish recipes to try while you are here:
Get the Recipe:
Irish Fish Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound white fish fillets, cod, snapper, rockfish
- 1 ½ cups mashed potatoes, leftovers are perfect or make using 2 medium Russet potatoes
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 green onions, white and green parts finely sliced
- 1 lemon, zest
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 egg, beaten with a little milk
- ½ cup flour, with salt and pepper
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Tartar Sauce (dipping sauce)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 small chopped dill pickle, or relish
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped dill
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
Make the Tartar sauce:
- Finely chop the pickles (or use relish), shallots, and dill. Add to a small bowl with mayonnaise and remaining ingredients. Mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, or add lemon juice or white wine vinegar, as needed.
Boil the fish:
- In a saucepan, bring the milk, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and add the fish. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked. Remove the fish from the milk and leave to cool.
Make the fish cakes:
- Gently flake the fish into large bite size chunks, set aside. [Tip: you can use your fingers or you can use 2 forks for the flaking.]
- Add mashed potatoes (or use leftovers) in a large bowl with the spring onions, lemon zest, parsley, dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt and a generous pinch of black pepper, and mix until well combined. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add ½ of the flaked fish and beat it firmly into the potato mixture using a hand mixer. Add the rest of the fish and gently stir, leaving “large flakes” of the fish. Place the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the fridge, and with slightly dampened hands take a handful of the mixture and form it into a thick patty. The size should be roughly 10cm in diameter and about 2 cm thick (or 4" x 1 ½" thick) but you can make them smaller if you wish. Repeat with the remaining mixture. You should end up with 5-6 cakes.
- Next, place each fish cake first into the flour (with salt and pepper), then the egg/milk, and lastly in the mixture of breadcrumbs. TIP: The fish cakes can be prepared up to this stage in advance and refrigerated until ready to fry.
- Before frying, bring the fish cakes back to room temp and heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and when hot place the fish cakes gently in the pan. Let them cook for a few minutes before flipping, making sure the underside of the cakes and are golden brown; then turn them over (about 6-7 min total). Cook the other side for another few minutes until also golden. AIR FRY: You can also air fry the fish cakes at 360 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Serving:
- Remove fish cakes from the pan and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving with the dipping sauce. Also add a few lemon wedges for serving, and sprinkle with chopped green onions.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
