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Home Fish

Thai Fish Cakes

By:Nagi
Published:17 Jul '19Updated:8 Apr '21
264 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Fish Cakes can be so dull and boring. But THAI Fish Cakes are FABULOUS! A classic Thai street food and my favourite starter at Thai restaurants along with Chicken Satay.

Surprisingly easy to make at home – all you need is fish, red curry paste, egg, rice flour and fish sauce. Blitz, make patties and pan fry!

Close up photo of Thai Fish Cakes on a plate, ready to be eaten

Thai fish cakes

If I order an appetiser at a Thai restaurant, 9 times out of 10 it will either be Thai Fish Cakes or Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce.

And both of these are irritatingly pricey at Thai restaurants for what you get! $7 for 3 piddly little fish cakes or 3 teeny tiny skewers with a midget tub of peanut sauce.

Homemade is 80% cheaper – and just as good as takeout!

Thai Fish Cakes are (in my humble opinion) the most fabulous fish cakes in the world!

Close up of golden Thai Fish Cakes on a plate

What Thai Fish Cakes taste like

The main flavouring in Thai Fish Cakes is red curry paste, so if you love Thai Red Curry, fish and food made to be eaten with hands, then this has got your name written all over it!

The unique thing about these fish cakes is the texture. It’s like Asian fish balls, kind of spongey. I know that sounds thoroughly unappetising, to say they are “spongey”, but there’s no other word I can think of! 😂

It’s not an unpleasant texture, it’s just different to other pattie shaped things like fritters and sausage patties!

Thai Fish Cakes - This popular Thai appetizer is so simple to make! This is truly restaurant quality.

What you need

What goes in Thai Fish Cakes

Best fish for Thai Fish Cakes

Most of the most common white fish fillets are great here, also very tasty with salmon and trout.

Great for: Ling, Tilapia, Snapper, Barramundi, Silver Dory, John Dory, Basa, Hokki, Perch, Flathead, Monkfish

Avoid:

  • super lean fish (swordfish, tuna)

  • delicate fish (flounder, Dover sole)

  • small whole fish like sardines or mackerel

The BEST Thai Red Curry Paste – Maesri

For recipes like this where you only need a few tablespoons of curry paste, I typically use store bought rather than homemade Red Curry Paste.

The best store bought Thai Red Curry Paste by a long shot is a brand called Maesri. This is also the brand I use for Thai Green Curry. Other brands tend to have less authentic flavour and are (usually) too sweet.

Sold in small cans for around $1.30 (it’s the cheapest!), it’s available in some Aussie large grocery stores (Coles, Woolies, Harris), Asian grocery stores and here is the cheapest one on Amazon US.

**Don’t worry if you can’t find Maesri. This recipe is still great even with mainstream curry pastes.**

Best Thai red curry paste Maesri

How to make Thai Fish Cakes

  • Place fish, red curry paste (homemade or store bought), cilantro/coriander, egg, lime juice and fish sauce in a food processor, whizz to mince;

  • Mix in rice or cornflour (cornstarch) and green beans; and

  • Form patties and cook.

Simple, right? Do you really need me to write out the whole recipe for you??? (Don’t worry, I did! I always do!)

How to make Thai Fish Cakes

A note on authenticity!

Thai Fish Cakes are a classic Thai street food that you’ll find all over Thailand, from Bangkok to the popular tourist islands like Pukhet and Koh Samui (I really need to go back soon, I miss Thailand!!).

Here are the 2 things I do differently to the real authentic Fish Cakes made in Thailand:

  1. Inclusion of rice flour – Truly authentic recipes are made with fish paste which is starchy fish (yes there is such thing!) that has been fermented and is a pretty smooth paste. This is then beaten for ages (i.e. 30 minutes by hand!) to activate the starch and this is the secret to beautifully bouncy, spongey fish cakes. However, in Western countries, the same texture is achieved by starting with fish fillets, minced them and mixing in either rice flour or cornflour (cornstarch); and

  2. I don’t deep fry! In both Thailand and restaurants, Thai Fish Cakes are deep fried. I really believe that very little compromise is made by pan frying instead of deep frying!

Sweet Chilli Sauce dipping sauce for Thai Fish Cakes

How to serve Thai Fish Cakes

A simple store bought bottle of Sweet Chilli Sauce serves well as a convenient version of the dipping sauces you get at Thai restaurants.

In terms of what to serve it with, Thai Fish Cakes are typically served as a starter at Thai restaurants.

To make a meal out of it, try these on the side:

  • Steamed Jasmine rice, Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice or Coconut Rice

  • Crunchy Asian Slaw on the side – great all rounder Asian salad that goes with all Asian foods

  • Asian Sesame Dressing for any fresh salad or steamed vegetables

If you try these Fish Cakes, and I really hope you do, all it will take is one bite to be overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. These really do taste just like what you get at Thai restaurants! – Nagi x

More Thai takeout favourites

  • Pad Thai – truly just like takeout!

  • Thai Red Curry

  • Massaman Curry

  • Thai Fish Cakes

  • Thai Fried Rice

  • Thai Cashew Chicken

  • Pad See Ew – Thai stir fried noodles

  • Browse the Thai recipe collection

Overhead photo of Thai Fish Cakes on a white plate

Watch how to make it

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Close up of golden Thai Fish Cakes on a plate

Thai Fish Cakes

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Appetizer
Thai
4.92 from 60 votes
Servings12
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 192
Recipe video above. These taste JUST like the Thai Fish Cakes from your favourite Thai restaurant! They should be firm but bouncy, almost a spongey texture, well seasoned, golden brown and with lovely complex flavours from the red curry paste and other seasonings. 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb / 500g white fish fillets , skinless and pin boned, cut into chunks (Note 1)
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste (Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp cilantro/coriander leaves , chopped
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce (sub soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup (40g) rice flour (or cornstarch / corn flour)
  • 6 green beans , finely sliced (optional, Note 3)
  • 4 - 6 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, sun flower)

To Serve

  • Sweet chilli sauce
  • Cilantro/coriander leaves
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  • Place fish, red curry paste, cilantro/coriander, fish sauce, lime and egg in a food processor. Whizz until the fish is minced and it looks like a paste. (See video)
  • Transfer to a bowl and stir through rice flour and green beans until flour is all incorporated. (Note 4)
  • Measure 1/4 cup of mixture (I use an ice cream scoop - Note 5), form 1cm / 2/5" thick patties.
  • Heat enough oil in skillet over medium high heat to cover the base (4 tbsp or so)
  • Place in oil, cook 2 minutes until deep golden brown, then turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. 
  • Repeat with remaining mixture, adding more oil into the skillet if required.
  • Serve with Sweet Chilli Sauce, garnished with cilantro/coriander leaves and lime wedges on the side. Add a side of Thai Fried Rice or even just plain jasmine rice to make a meal!

Recipe Notes:

1. Fish - Most of the most common white fish fillets are great here, also works great with salmon and trout. 
Great for: Ling, Tilapia, Snapper, Barramundi, Silver Dory, John Dory, Basa, Hokki, Perch, Flathead, Monkfish
Avoid:
  • super lean fish (swordfish, tuna)
  • delicate fish (flounder, Dover sole)
  • small whole fish like sardines or mackerel 
Frozen fish - thaw completely, pat dry then use per recipe.
2. Red Curry Paste - Typically for fish cakes, I just use store bought curry paste but you can also use homemade red curry paste but use double the quantity.
My favourite store brand is Maesri which I think tastes the most authentic and also super cheap, $1.25 a can. But any Thai Red Curry Paste will work fine (try to use an Asian brand, they are better!)
3. Beans - The sliced green beans are used in Thai Fish Cakes in Thailand but at restaurants here in Australia, I've seen it substituted with sliced shallots/scallions or omitted.
4. Stirring flour in - It's tempting to just add the rice flour into the food processor but blitzing too long can activate the starch too much which makes the paste gluey and you end up with really tough fish cakes. The length of blitzing time required differs from fish to fish. So I find it's much safer to stir it in at the end.
5. Ice cream scooper or cookie scooper with a lever to scoop the batter out cleanly are perfect for making these. The standard size is 1/4 cup.
6. Storage - Fridge for 3 days, reheat in the microwave. I've never tried freezing but see no reason why it would not freeze well once cooked, you can actually buy frozen fish cakes!
7. Nutrition per fish cake, assuming 12 fish cakes are made and 6 tbsp of oil is used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 87gCalories: 121cal (6%)Carbohydrates: 5.2g (2%)Protein: 9g (18%)Fat: 7.2g (11%)Saturated Fat: 1.3g (8%)Cholesterol: 34mg (11%)Sodium: 267mg (12%)Potassium: 69mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Vitamin A: 200IU (4%)Vitamin C: 5.8mg (7%)Calcium: 20mg (2%)Iron: 0.9mg (5%)
Keywords: Thai fish cakes
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published April 2016. Minor recipe updates to make cooking process easier, brand new video, photos, process shots and Life of Dozer update!

LIFE OF DOZER

Weekend Nana Naps often end with Dozer using ME as his pillow. It’s the wrong way round – I should be laying MY head on his fluffy, soft mass!! 😂

Dozer sleeping on Nagi

Flashback to when this recipe was originally published:

Snippet from Life As Dozer. He basically has 4 modes: playing, sleeping, eating food or hoping for food. He lives a hard, hard life, doesn’t he?

Dozer-Bayview

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264 Comments

  1. Lorraine Campbell says

    April 21, 2023 at 4:29 am

    Absolutely disgusting. Threw it out and had cheese on toast

    Reply
  2. Wendylou says

    March 30, 2023 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    The BEST fish cakes I’ve ever eaten, I caught mullet today on Kangaroo Island, on hand ingredients and easy, everyone raved!!

    Reply
  3. Ana Bosnic says

    March 20, 2023 at 6:07 pm

    5 stars
    So easy! I used blue grenadier fish and I added a wee bit of salt but that is completely unnecessary. These are absolutely brilliant. Great recipe

    Reply
  4. Eva says

    February 22, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    I had friends over on a very hot Adelaide summer’s day for lunch. We had your Thai avocado prawn salad, Larb Gai, Thai Fish Cakes and your Rum and Raisins ice cream- it was absolutely delicious, just perfect and everyone loved the food. I feel lucky to be able to have your recipes to follow- I don’t think I ever failed with any of them. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  5. Ardell Richards says

    December 20, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely lovely, very authentic as was the accompanying sauce. Will definitely be making again, SOON. Thank you and will be buying your book as a Christmas pressie to myself!

    Reply
  6. Nidhi says

    November 2, 2022 at 8:52 pm

    5 stars
    I made these today and they were delicious. The whole family, including my son who doesnt normally like fish, enjoyrd it. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  7. Dave says

    August 26, 2022 at 1:33 pm

    Hi
    Would the Thai yellow curry paste go well with this also?

    Reply
  8. Pete says

    June 16, 2022 at 8:22 am

    Hi Nagi, are these fish cakes best cooked right before eating or ok ahead made of time and reheated? You mention microwaving, does that affect the texture at all? PS, love your recipes, I use them lots!

    Reply
    • Eva says

      February 22, 2023 at 5:47 pm

      I love these fish cakes and often freeze them (when hopefully I have any left). They are just as delicious as when freshly cooked

      Reply
  9. Rachael says

    June 9, 2022 at 8:12 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    Yours are always my FAVOURITE recipes!
    Is it possible to do these in an Airfryer?

    Reply
  10. Maggie says

    April 21, 2022 at 2:49 pm

    For a vegan/pescatarian is there a way to make these without egg?

    Reply
  11. Gabby Matamoros says

    April 20, 2022 at 10:50 am

    Hi,
    Can I use canned Salmon???

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 20, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      You can – just remove all the bones and the texture will be a bit softer! N x

      Reply
  12. Martin Tucker says

    April 19, 2022 at 4:09 am

    5 stars
    I have found this receipe after finally finding some Gluten free Thai dish cakes. I used prawn instead ( but make sure they are fresh or chilled not frozen), I had to add more rice flour due to the missing gluten strands but have to say these are amazing . Will be testing freezing as they will make an ideal lunch snack. Thank you so much for the reciepe as I can now have gluten free thai fish cakes whenever I want

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 19, 2022 at 3:23 pm

      Thanks for that feedback Martin! N x

      Reply
  13. Lois Keogh says

    April 15, 2022 at 3:47 pm

    Delicious fish cakes and so amazingly easy. Many thanks Nagi. My Balinese daughter-in-law has requested them!

    Reply
  14. Veronique says

    April 13, 2022 at 8:27 am

    I am allergic to egg…would these cakes hold together without the egg?

    Reply
    • Martin Tucker says

      April 19, 2022 at 4:11 am

      You could try xantham gum as that is what gluten free people use to bind and make sticky

      Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 13, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      No I am sorry Veronique but I don’t think they will! N x

      Reply
  15. Jo says

    March 6, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Hi, I really enjoy your recipes. Could these be cooked and then served cold a bit later?

    Reply
  16. Jonathan says

    March 6, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    4 stars
    I ambitiously tried to cook a double portion of this my first time around with tilapia. Unfortunately I must be doing something wrong as it wasn’t bouncy… I think maybe my scoop size was a bit bigger than recommended as I got 20 cakes instead of 24. The flavor is on point. The only think missing is that bounce… The texture was closer to what’s inside a fish finger.

    Reply
  17. Cheryl says

    February 18, 2022 at 9:44 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    I am following WW all the ingredients I can point, and are all very low values on my plan, what I wanted to know is if I could oven bake them rather than fry?
    I love all your recipes, and go to your website time and time again as I know I can trust the taste! X

    Reply
  18. Lee says

    February 17, 2022 at 11:56 pm

    These were absolutely gorgeous. My husband always orders them at the local Thai restaurant and said these were much better. I served them with sweet chilli sauce with a few drops of fish sauce, lime juice and hot chilli sauce. All your recipes that I’ve tried are the best. My kids and sister are also fans of cooking your recipes. Thank you!

    Reply
  19. Mandy says

    February 14, 2022 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    Another banger from you Nagi … My husband thought they were store bought … They were so good

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 14, 2022 at 12:46 pm

      LOL!! N x

      Reply
  20. Rachael says

    January 25, 2022 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    Another amazing recipe!! We made these with Spanish mackerel. Came out with such an amazing texture and flavour. Thank you 🙂

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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