Low Carb Fish Cakes without Potato
Fish cakes usually contain mashed potato and breadcrumbs. These low carb fish cakes are different, because they leave both out and use egg whites to hold the fish together instead of a carby binder. Chili and lime season the mixture, then you can pan fry the patties until they’re browned on both sides and cooked through.
Fresh white fish, canned salmon, tuna and canned crab can all go into the mixture. The fish determines the final character: white fish tastes mild, salmon is richer, tuna is firmer and crab has a slight sweetness. I like the flexibility here, especially when there’s a can of fish in the cupboard and dinner hasn’t been planned.
Some of my favorites to use include canned crab (I love using half brown and half white crab), fresh hake, haddock or cod and a mixture of whatever I happen to have to use up, maybe a can of mackerel, a few shrimp and some white fish! Mixing and matching is half the fun.
Low Carb Fish Cakes at a Glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Servings: 4, making 6 to 8 fish cakes
- Cuisine: American
- Main ingredients: Fish, egg whites, onion, chili and lime
- Best cooking method: Pan-frying in a skillet
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Why Keto Fish Cakes are So Good
- No potato or breadcrumbs: Egg whites bind the mixture, so there’s no need for a starchy filler or crumb coating.
- Several fish options: Fresh, thawed and canned fish can all be used.
- No special equipment required: A food processor makes quick work of the mixture, though a knife and mixing bowl are enough.
- Quick skillet cooking: The fish cakes take about 10 minutes to cook once the mixture is ready.
- Full-size or miniature: Shape six to eight fish cakes for a meal or make smaller ones for an appetizer.
Ingredient Notes
- Fish: Tilapia, pollock and other mild white fish work well. Canned tuna, salmon or crab are good cupboard options. Thaw frozen fish completely before weighing it.
- Onion or shallots: Either one works. Shallots have a milder taste and are easier to chop finely.
- Egg whites: These bind the chopped fish and help the patties hold their shape. Use egg whites, not an additional whole egg.
- Red chili: Half a chili adds moderate heat. Remove the seeds if you prefer less heat.
- Lime juice: Lime works particularly well with chili and fish. Lemon juice can be used if that’s what you have.
- Oil: Choose an oil suitable for skillet cooking, such as vegetable, avocado or light olive oil.
- Salt and black pepper: Canned fish can already contain salt, so check the label before adding more.
Is Fish Keto?
Plain fin fish contains little or no carbohydrate, so it generally fits a ketogenic diet. The carbohydrates in conventional fish cakes usually come from mashed potato, flour, breadcrumbs or a crumb coating. None of those appear in this recipe.
The best fish for keto depends on the meal you’re planning. Salmon supplies more fat, while tilapia and pollock are leaner choices. Canned tuna is convenient and inexpensive. Check flavored canned fish carefully because sauces and seasonings can contain sugar or starch. The current recipe card calculates these fish cakes at 3g carbohydrate per serving.
How to Make Low Carb Fish Cakes
Use a food processor to chop the fish and onion into a coarse paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl before stirring in the egg whites, chili, lime juice and seasonings. If you’re working by hand, chop the fish and onion as finely as possible, then mix everything in a large bowl.
Spoon the mixture into a hot skillet and flatten each portion into a patty. Cook the first side until browned and firm enough to lift cleanly, then flip and cook the second side. The centers should reach 160°F (71°C).
How to Stop Fish Cakes Falling Apart
- Drain the fish thoroughly: Thawed and canned fish can hold more liquid than expected. Press out the excess with a clean dish towel or several sheets of paper towel.
- Chop the onion finely: Large onion pieces interrupt the mixture and make shaping more difficult.
- Don’t flip too soon: Let the first side brown and firm up before sliding a spatula underneath.
- Keep the sizes similar: Evenly sized fish cakes cook at roughly the same rate.
- Cook in batches if necessary: Leave enough room to turn each fish cake without knocking into the others.
- Adjust the heat: Lower it slightly if the exterior browns before the center has cooked.
Substitutions and Variations
- Canned crab is one of my favorite choices for these fish cakes.
- Combine crab with leftover cooked fish or mix two types of fish.
- Replace the onion with two shallots, or use one shallot and one green onion.
- Swap the lime juice for lemon juice.
- Use less chili or leave it out.
- Make appetizer-size fish cakes with smaller spoonfuls. Watch them closely because they’ll cook more quickly, and keep them large enough to flip easily with a spatula.
What to Serve with Low Carb Fish Cakes
Serve the fish cakes with mixed salad leaves, asparagus, roasted broccoli or zucchini fries. Mayonnaise, sugar-free ketchup and homemade salsa are simple condiment choices.
For a quick tartar sauce, combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 finely chopped cornichons, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, the juice of ½ lemon and a pinch of paprika. A Marie Rose-style sauce made with mayonnaise, sugar-free ketchup and a little Worcestershire sauce also works with salmon, tuna or crab fish cakes.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Put leftover fish cakes in a covered container and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Eat them within 3 days.
- Reheating: I prefer to heat them in a skillet, oven or air fryer until the centers are 165°F (74°C). I also tried the microwave but it make the outside lose its crispiness.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked fish cakes in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer container with parchment between the layers. Keep them frozen for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead: Cook the fish cakes first, then refrigerate or freeze them. Don’t store the raw fish-and-egg mixture for later use.
Low Carb Fish Cakes FAQs
Yes. Remove any skin and bones, then check that the fish is not holding excess liquid. Process it briefly or flake it finely so it does not become mushy.
Egg whites provide enough binding for this recipe. I have made these with a whole egg but found it makes the mixture a bit too soft and the fish cakes more likely to fall apart in the skillet. So I recommend sticking to two egg whites instead of using the whole egg.
Excess water is the usual cause. Drain thawed or canned fish thoroughly, chop the onion finely and let the first side firm up before flipping the fish cakes.
Yes. The fish may already be cooked, though the egg whites and onion still need to cook. The best way to check for doneness and not overcook is to check the centers reach 160°F (71°C). Cooking them further will just dry them out.
Yes. Use smaller spoonfuls for appetizer-size fish cakes. They will cook more quickly, so check them before the full five minutes per side has elapsed.
Low Carb Fish Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) fresh fish fillets, fully thawed fish or well-drained canned fish
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots
- 2 egg whites
- ½ red chili pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cooking oil
- ⅛ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Method
- If using thawed or canned fish, drain it thoroughly and press out the excess liquid with a clean dish towel or paper towels. Pat fresh fish dry.
- Put the fish and onion in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and combined into a coarse paste. If you don’t have a food processor, chop both ingredients very finely.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the egg whites, red chili, lime juice, salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat.
- Add heaping tablespoons of the fish mixture to the skillet. Flatten each portion with the back of a wooden spoon to form 6 to 8 fish cakes.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the first side is browned and the fish cakes lift cleanly from the skillet.
- Flip the fish cakes and cook for about 5 minutes more. Check that the centers have reached 160°F (71°C).
- Serve hot with your choice of sauce and vegetables.
Notes
- Feel free to use canned crab, salmon or tuna instead of fresh fish.
- Leftover cooked fish can be combined with canned crab or another fish.
- One shallot and one green onion can replace the yellow onion.
- Use a large griddle pan if you want to cook all the fish cakes at once.
- Cook in two batches if your skillet’s too small to leave room between them.
- Refrigerate cooked fish cakes for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
