Air Fryer Fish Cakes

This Air Fryer Fish Cakes recipe is easy and delicious. Classic potato and fish patties made with imitation crab meat and cooked to a golden brown.

If you love fried food, but not the mess and all the calories, air fried foods are the way to go.

Crispy and delicious air-fried crab and potato cakes. This recipe uses minimal oil, but produces crispy perfection with a golden brown finish. Restaurant quality made at home.

Are you a fish lover? We prepare it a lot of different ways in our house. Fish and chips have always been a favourite. I even remember when it was wrapped in newspaper! That was to absorb all the grease.

Things have changed. Finding healthier ways to enjoy our favourite foods is the new norm. This simple crab cake recipe is a prime example.

There are so many great ways to create a spin on the fish and potato combination. Smoked Salmon Potato Appetizers are the perfect party dish. Guests go crazy for these.

Instead of the old standby, switch up your Friday with a Warm Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon. This is a great dinner salad.

If soup is your thing, Slow Cooker Creamy Fish Soup will be a hit. The ultimate comfort food.

Or how about a delicious roasted tomato crab soup. The ultimate comfort food. Thick, hearty, and super easy recipe. Love sushi, but not all the work? This sushi salad is a must try.

Simple Fish Cakes Ingredients

• fish (I used imitation crab because that is what I had in the house)
• potatoes
• egg
• Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• green onions
• Panko breadcrumbs
• cooking spray

This healthy recipe was inspired by a blogger friend of mine. Mardi from Eat Live Travel Write has a great *(affiliate) cookbook to get kids involved in the kitchen.

I actually gave this cookbook (autographed of course) as a Christmas gift to a young lady. This aspiring cook was thrilled when she opened it. I combined it with some great things like a Madeleine pan, quiche pan, and cookie cutters. I have been told that next time we visit, I can expect to be eating some delicious Madeleines.

I did indeed eat some beautiful Madeleines baked by Sophie. Her dad (and our very good friend) Tom has created a wonderful blog post entitled Little Cakes.  It is a wonderful read that revolves around art. I am so happy to be part of Sophie’s culinary creativity. I look forward to many more tasty creations. 

As I flipped through my copy of the cookbook one afternoon, trying to decide what to make for dinner, I came across the recipe for Crunchy Fish Cakes. After looking to see which ingredients I had (and which ingredients I did not have), I was able to switch up a couple of things to make it work.

I decided to give these tasty fish patties a try in the air fryer instead of the frying pan. They turned out fantastic! 

If you don’t already have an air fryer, I suggest you get one. There are lots of different brands on the market. I have a *(affiliate) Breville Smart Oven. Mine is like a mini oven. I use it all the time. 

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings are a must-try. 

How To Make Fish Cakes In The Air Fryer  

This recipe is super easy to make. These crab cakes turned out golden brown and have a nice crunchy coating. Since they are cooked in the air fryer, no excessive oil is needed.

1. Cook the potatoes, mash and set aside.
2. Pulse the fish in a food processor, along with the seasonings.
3. Mix the potatoes and fish together.
4. Form into fish patties and coat in Panko breadcrumbs.
5. Place covered in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Spray with cooking spray.
7. Cook in the air fryer.
8. ENJOY!

What Kind Of Fish Patties Can You Make In The Air Fryer?

There is lots of wiggle room with this recipe. Every country has a variation. Mardi prepared her French fish cakes (croquettes de poisson) with white fish. I didn’t have any at the time. The imitation crab meat worked really well.

This is where you can have fun creating lots of different seafood cakes. Here are a few great variations to try:

• fish balls
• salmon patties
• haddock cakes
• salmon croquettes
• codfish cakes
• mackerel cakes
• fish croquettes
• fish fritters

For this recipe, I used cooked imitation crab. You certainly can use raw fish. In fact, Thai fish cakes and traditional crab cakes raw fish.

If you only have canned fish in the house, I would certainly give this easy recipe a try with canned tuna, canned salmon, or canned crab.

What is the difference between fish cakes and crab cakes?

It’s all about the potato. Crab cakes do not contain potatoes. Crab meat, eggs, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, and seasonings are the staples for a great crab cake.

How To Keep Fish Patties From Falling Apart

The key is to make sure you CHILL them for at least 30 minutes! 

You can prepare these in the morning, and let them sit in the fridge till it is time to cook. 

Alternatively, you can freeze the fish cakes and cook them from frozen. What a great way to have something ready to cook instead of getting takeout for dinner.

What To Serve With Air Fried Fish

This air fryer fish recipe makes a great appetizer. Just pair it with a dip or tartar sauce and eat! Mango Salsa would be a great choice.

They also make a great main dish for dinner too. Some great sides would be:

• Coleslaw
• Green Salad
• This fun Zoodle Salad would be a great side.
• Crisp and refreshing Cucumber Snap Pea Salad.
• Roasted Vegetables
• Spicy Fries are always a hit. Everyone loves fish and chips!
• If you are looking for another potato option, Cast Iron Potatoes would be fantastic.
• Baked Potatoes
• Thinking of a potato casserole? Give this Sweet Potato Au Gratin a try.
• Potatoes with Green Onion and Dill is a family recipe that has been passed down for generations.

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