Keto Fish Cakes: A Delicious and Nutritious Low-Carb Option

Published on February 20, 2025, and updated on the same day by Tayo, this article explores the world of keto fish cakes, offering a variety of recipes and tips for creating this protein-packed, low-carb dish. Whether you're looking for a satisfying breakfast, a quick lunch, or a tasty side dish, keto fish cakes are a versatile option that fits perfectly into a ketogenic lifestyle.

Introduction

Keto fish cakes are a fantastic way to enjoy the benefits of fish while adhering to a low-carbohydrate diet. These cakes are not only delicious but also packed with protein and healthy fats, making them a filling and nutritious meal option. This article delves into various keto fish cake recipes, offering insights into ingredient selection, cooking methods, and serving suggestions.

Why Keto Fish Cakes?

For those following a ketogenic diet, finding diverse and appealing meal options can sometimes be a challenge. Keto fish cakes provide a solution by offering a flavorful and satisfying alternative to carbohydrate-heavy dishes. They are incredibly versatile, fitting seamlessly into any meal of the day.

Nutritional Benefits

Fish is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. By incorporating fish into a keto-friendly cake format, you can enjoy these health benefits while staying within your macro targets.

Versatility

Keto fish cakes can be customized to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs. From using different types of fish to experimenting with various herbs and spices, the possibilities are endless. They can be served as a main course, a side dish, or even as an appetizer.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Core Keto Fish Cake Recipes

Basic Keto Fish Cakes

These keto fish cakes are full of protein and make a great breakfast or side dish. They also make a great keto lunch with a side of low carb salad. The first time I made these fish cakes I don’t think they lasted more than 10 minutes in my house. These keto fish cakes are seriously addicting and so filling. When I make a batch, I eat 2 or 3 and I’m too full to eat anything else for hours.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb codfish
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Chopped onions
• Parsley
• Coconut flour
• Eggs
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Wash and pat dry the codfish.
2. Spray a pan with a little oil, and rub the fish with salt and pepper.
3. Add the oil to the pan, and fry the fish for 10 minutes on medium heat, flipping halfway.
4. When the codfish is done, take it out of the pan and give it about a minute to cool.
5. Use a fork to flake it into smaller pieces.
6. Add in the chopped onions, parsley, coconut flour, eggs, and spices.
7. Mix together and use an immersion blender to blend everything together. It does not have to be smooth; a coarser texture is actually preferred.
8. Use a quarter measuring cup to scoop out the fish and press in to compress it.
9. Flip it on a plate and gently pat down to shape it.
10. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and place the fish in it.
11. Let it fry for about three minutes on each side on low to medium heat.
12. Gently flip the fish cakes over using a spatula. Don’t panic if you see the top and bottom begin to turn dark brown. It is not getting burned, this is supposed to happen. This shows that the fish cakes have cooked through.
13. Make sure the fish is not too soggy. If you end up with too much water in your fish and it is not holding its shape, add a little bit more coconut flour. If it is too dry, sprinkle just a little water on it.
14. Be careful when trying to flip the keto fish cakes when making it.
15. It is also important to give the fish cakes a few minutes to cool down before you eat them.

Thai Keto Fish Cakes

Thai keto fish cakes are nutritious Thai fish and shrimp cakes in keto version. My children love these low carb fish cakes. Children generally love when they can have their food in their hands, like a finger food. Of course adults love these keto Thai fish cakes, too! Who doesn't love Thai street food! Especially keto Thai street food! And fish cakes are one of the stars of versatile Thai street food. If you don't have kids you can make these patties spicy if you like. I love this combination of fish and shrimp/prawns. If you have only fish, it will be really good with fish only. However, combination of white fish with shrimp really makes this flavor and smell special. If you like deep frying you can do it. I do it very fast on a pan/skillet and I think pan frying is really convenient and patties taste great when prepared like this. I use lard or coconut oil, more often lard. I am used used to fry on lard and that's fat for cooking and frying I use the most. That's something what is actually in my family's tradition here in Croatia. We fry and cook everything on lard and pour our food with a lot of extra virgin olive oil! I love serving these with mashed cauliflower or with fried cauliflower rice. I love to prepare just sour cream with salt, pepper and some crushed chili or with pinch of curry powder and dip fish cakes into that dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

• Fish
• Shrimp
• Egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Curry powder
• Fish sauce
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Lime juice
• Almond flour
• Chopped spring onion

Instructions:

1. Cut fish into smaller chunks and combine in a food processor with shrimp, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, curry powder, fish sauce, basil, cilantro and lime juice.
2. If using frozen fish, thaw completely and pat dry before cutting into a smaller chunks and putting in a food processor.
3. When all nicely ground/minced and combined, transfer into a large bowl and add almond flour and chopped spring onion, stir until combined and form patties with your hands. You will get 10 patties.
4. Heat the oil or lard in a pan, over a medium high heat to cover the base.
5. Place patties in oil, cook from 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Keto Fish Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa

These Keto Fish Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa are perfect for summer or anytime you have a craving for fresh fish! When I was a kid and hated fresh fish, the only way I could stand it was in a fish cake. If there was enough seasoning to mask the fish flavor, and enough breading to make the texture unrecognizable, then I was tentatively on board. As an adult, I now love fish in all it’s forms. I’m still a fan of lots of bold flavor in my fish cakes, but now I’m looking to complement the fish, not mask it entirely. These keto fish cakes are great on their own, but that roasted red pepper salsa is so perfect with them that I highly recommend it! You can buy roasted peppers in a jar or can, but if you have a gas stove or grill and a few minutes to spare, you can make your own and it’s SO. MUCH. Simply roast the peppers over the open flame until charred, then place in a plastic or paper bag, or a bowl with plastic wrap over the top. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove them and the skins will slip right off. Slice and remove seeds and you’re ready to use them. I used snapper for my keto fish cakes, because it’s widely available here in Honduras. I’d like to think that if I’d had access to these keto fish cakes with roasted red pepper salsa as a kid, my appreciation for fish in all its forms would have begun at a much younger age.

Ingredients:

• Chopped fish
• Parmesan
• Mayonnaise
• Egg (if using)
• Coconut flour (if using)
• Mustard
• Worcestershire
• Creole seasoning
• Fresh parsley
• Roasted Red Pepper (for salsa)

Instructions:

1. Combine the chopped fish, parmesan, mayonnaise, egg (if using,) coconut flour (if using,) mustard, Worcestershire, Creole seasoning and fresh parsley in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Roast the peppers over the open flame until charred, then place in a plastic or paper bag, or a bowl with plastic wrap over the top.
3. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove them and the skins will slip right off. Slice and remove seeds and you’re ready to use them.

Low Carb Perfect Keto Fishcakes

Low Carb Perfect Keto Fishcakes. 0.5g carbs. I must admit that, when my children were small and a very long time before I woke up to the ketogenic diet and healthier foods, I used to buy frozen fishcakes and chips for them once a week or so. I thought what I did was healthier for my kids than McD or other take away rubbish. When they were at school, my son and daughter had a habit of regularly telling me all about the wonderful ‘golden foods’ that mums ‘cooked’ for their school friends. They made me feel guilty for feeding them home cooked Mediterrenean style foods all the time. You know the kind: pizza, pasta, rice, fresh vegetables, meat, fish… all lovingly made from scratch after working long hours and all totally unappreciated! So once in a while I showed them ‘I cared’ by treating them to fishcakes (or chicken nuggets) and chips from the frozen section of my local supermarket. I know. I am utterly ashamed. But then I really did believe I was doing the right thing. As many mums sadly still do today. I was also young, naive and brainwashed by the media and advertising. Today, nothing in the world would make me buy that stuff. Where do I start! First and foremost there’s sugar, flour, additives, preservatives and so on. Secondly…not a lot of ‘fish’. Even the ‘healthy’ or ‘luxury’ varieties only contain 40-45% ‘fish’. Thirdly there is a question about what ‘fish’ really means. We all know that the food industry has a canning ability to disguise and mislead. Have you ever opened a packet of fishcakes and actually smelled fish? I haven’t. Still not convinced? Ask yourself this: If you can charge £1-2 for 10 fishcakes at retail outlets, after paying for ingredients, production, packaging, shipping, distribution and taxes, how can there be a profit? The only possible answer is that the ‘fish’ listed under ingredients is not really fish flesh but crushed bones, heads, fins, guts, bowel contents…. Yes. Revolting. Cost is always what people are concerned about when I talk to them about eating ketogenic and home cooking. My recipe makes 6-7 medium fishcakes. They don’t contain rubbish ingredients so they are very filling. I am pretty certain that 2 fishcakes is the most you’ll be able to eat, especially with a side dish. The fish I used came from the fresh counter at my local supermarket and cost me just over £8. The same fish has previously cost me £6 on offer. Adding vegetables on the side, like cauliflower cheese, or some buttered courgettes, will add £2-4 to the overall cost. Divide that by 3 minimum portions and you’ll find that you’ve spent up to £4 per person. I must admit I do not understand the misconception that home cooked meals must be more expensive than ready meals. Ready meal portions are quite small, so if you have to buy 4 ready meals for a family of 4, it surely will be more expensive. Ready meals are also usually low in fat / high in sugar, so will leave you feeling hungry again very soon after devouring them, and you will be looking for something more to eat. At more cost. Out with the garbage. In with the real, healthy stuff.

Instructions:

1. Just put everything into a large bowl and get mixing with your hands.
2. The hardest part of this recipe, if you can call it ‘hard’, is skinning the fillets and cutting them into little chunks.
3. To avoid my hands smelling fishy, I wear food-grade disposable gloves throughout.
4. If you prefer a smoother texture, just cut the fish roughly, put it in the grinder attachment of a hand blender or similar and blitz it by pulsing a few times until you reach the consistency you like.
5. I don’t bother pre-cooking the fish, either.
6. It’s a matter of taste and/or budget.

Keto Fish Cakes Step by Step

These fish cakes (or fish patties) are perfect for lunchboxes and quick dinner meals. White fish which is naturally low in fat and high in protein may not seem suitable for the ketogenic diet. Luckily, there is a simple way you can use to make lean meat such as white fish and chicken keto-friendly: simply serve with healthy fats! Not all fish is sustainable and some types of fish may be high in mercury.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower rice (240 g/ 8.5 oz) - here's how to "rice" cauliflower
• 4 tbsp ghee or virgin coconut oil (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 800 g white fish fillets, skinless and boneless, such as cod or haddock (1.76 lb)
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 1 large spring onion, chopped (28 g/ 1 oz)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup almond flour or grated Parmesan cheese (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
• 4 tbsp flax meal (28 g/ 1 oz)

Aioli:

• 1/2 cup Homemade Mayonnaise (110 g/ 3.9 oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Start by cooking the cauliflower rice (here's how to make cauliflower rice).
2. Grease a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of ghee and add 1 clove of minced garlic.
3. Cook over a medium heat for just about 30 seconds or until fragrant, add the cauli-rice and season with a pinch of salt.
4. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes, until crisp-tender.
5. Cook the fish. Use a paper towel to pat dry the fillets from all sides and season with some salt and pepper.
6. Heat a large pan greased with a tablespoon of ghee over a medium-high heat.
7. When ready to flip, use a spatula and cook it for another 2-3 minutes.
8. When cooked, the fillets should be opaque and flaky. Do not overcook the fish or it will get too dry.
9. Use a spatula to transfer the fish into a bowl and set aside to cool down for 5-10 minutes.
10. Add the cooked cauliflower rice, freshly grated lemon zest, ground cumin, chopped parsley, spring onion, eggs, almond flour and flax meal.
11. To make the patties, use a 1/4 measuring cup.
12. Spoon the mixture into the cup and use a spoon to press it in until flat.
13. Turn it over and empty onto a chopping board.
14. Use your hands if you need to reshape the patties.
15. Heat a large frypan greased with a tablespoon of ghee over a medium-high heat.
16. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and place the patties in the frypan.
17. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden.
18. Do not try to flip the patties before they are ready or you will break the crust (you can test that by moving them slightly with a spatula).
19. Prepare the aioli by mixing the mayonnaise and minced garlic.
20. Serve the patties with aioli and low-carb sides or salads such as my Paleo Spinach Tabbouleh, Low-Carb CousCous or Quick & Easy Guacamole.

Keto Fish Patties

Ingredients:

• Fish
• Lemon zest
• Parsley
• Mayonnaise
• Celery salt
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pork rinds
• Parmesan
• Black pepper
• Dijon mustard
• Eggs

Instructions:

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

1. Add the fish, lemon zest, parsley, mayonnaise, celery salt, salt, and pepper to a food processor.
2. Pulse until mix comes together.
3. Shape mixture into 4 large patties.
   • TIP: Using a large egg ring or a hamburger press makes the patties more uniform in size and thickness.
4. Transfer the patties to a small plate and freeze for 30 minutes to help the crumbing process.
5. Preheat oven to 200 ̊C/390°F.
6. Line a small baking tray with baking paper and set aside until needed.
7. Combine pork rinds, parmesan and black pepper in a small bowl.
8. In a separate bowl whisk together Dijon mustard and eggs.
9. Coat the fish cakes in the egg wash, then roll in the crumb mixture.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
11. Once baked, fry in hot frypan for 1 minute each side to brown coating. (optional)

THERMAL METHOD

1. Add the fish, lemon rind, parsley, mayonnaise, celery salt, salt, and pepper to the mixing bowl; mix 15 sec/speed 6.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Keto Fish Cakes

Choosing the Right Fish

The type of fish you use can significantly impact the flavor and texture of your keto fish cakes. Firm, white fish like cod, haddock, or snapper are excellent choices. Salmon and smoked mackerel can also be used for a richer, more flavorful cake.

• White Fish: Cod and haddock provide a mild flavor and flaky texture.
• Oily Fish: Salmon and mackerel offer a bolder taste and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Binding Agents

To ensure your fish cakes hold their shape, it's essential to use a binding agent. Common keto-friendly options include:

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

• Coconut Flour: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps absorb excess moisture.
• Almond Flour: Provides a slightly nutty flavor and a good binding texture.
• Eggs: Act as a glue, holding the ingredients together.
• Parmesan Cheese: Contributes flavor and helps bind the mixture.
• Mayonnaise: Adds moisture and fat, enhancing the overall texture.

Seasoning and Flavorings

Experiment with different herbs, spices, and flavorings to create unique and delicious keto fish cakes. Some popular options include:

• Fresh Herbs: Parsley, cilantro, and basil add freshness and vibrancy.
• Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and curry powder provide warmth and depth.
• Lemon Zest: Brightens the flavor and complements the fish.
• Mustard: Adds a tangy kick.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Enhances the savory notes.
• Creole Seasoning: Provides a complex blend of flavors.
• Fish Sauce: Adds umami and depth to Thai-inspired fish cakes.

Cooking Methods

Keto fish cakes can be cooked in various ways, each offering a slightly different texture and flavor:

• Pan-Frying: Creates a crispy exterior and a tender interior.
• Baking: Offers a healthier, lower-fat option.
• Air Frying: Provides a crispy texture with minimal oil.
• Steaming: Results in a moist and delicate fish cake.

Troubleshooting

• Fish Cakes Falling Apart: This can be due to several factors, including too much moisture, not enough binding agent, or the oil being too hot. Adding more coconut flour or almond flour can help absorb excess moisture. Ensure the oil is at a medium heat and that you use enough oil to prevent the cakes from sticking.
• Fish Cakes Too Dry: If the mixture is too dry, sprinkle a little water or add an extra egg to increase the moisture content.
• Fish Cakes Not Cooking Through: Ensure the fish is cooked through by frying or baking them for the appropriate amount of time. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C).

Serving Suggestions

Keto fish cakes are incredibly versatile and can be served in various ways:

• With a Dipping Sauce: Sour cream with chili, curry powder, or a simple aioli (mayonnaise with minced garlic) are excellent choices.
• With a Salad: Serve with a side of low-carb salad, such as Paleo Spinach Tabbouleh or a simple green salad with a vinaigrette dressing.
• With Cauliflower Rice: Mashed cauliflower or fried cauliflower rice makes a great accompaniment.
• As a Main Course: Serve with roasted vegetables or a side of guacamole.
• In Lunchboxes: Perfect for a quick and nutritious meal on the go.
• With Roasted Red Pepper Salsa: The roasted red pepper salsa is so perfect with them that I highly recommend it!

Variations and Adaptations

Dairy-Free Keto Fish Cakes

For those avoiding dairy, Parmesan cheese can be substituted with nutritional yeast flakes. Ensure that any mayonnaise used is also dairy-free.

Using Different Types of Fish

Feel free to experiment with different types of fish based on your preferences and availability. Salmon, tuna, or even canned fish can be used to create unique flavor profiles.

Adding Vegetables

Incorporate finely chopped vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach for added nutrients and flavor.

Spicy Keto Fish Cakes

Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to give your fish cakes a spicy kick.

Making Keto Fish Cakes Ahead of Time

Keto fish cakes can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Refrigerator: Store uncooked fish cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Freezer: Freeze uncooked fish cakes on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw completely before cooking.

Overcoming Common Misconceptions

There is a misconception that home cooked meals must be more expensive than ready meals. Ready meal portions are quite small, so if you have to buy 4 ready meals for a family of 4, it surely will be more expensive. Ready meals are also usually low in fat / high in sugar, so will leave you feeling hungry again very soon after devouring them, and you will be looking for something more to eat. At more cost.

tags: #keto #fish #cakes #recipe