Tinned Mackerel Fish Cakes with Capers

Tinned mackerel fish cakes loaded with parsley & capers and a crisp breadcrumb coating go a long way to prove that canned fish isn’t rubbish!

Preparing these fishcakes takes a while but it is very easy and all of the preparation can be done in advance. Once the preparation is complete it takes less than 10 minutes to cook them.

Canned or Tinned Mackerel Patties

I have always had a thing for fish cakes, it kinda goes all the way back to my school days… but also fish cakes were the only fish that was considered affordable from the chippy when I was growing up.

Now I have a confession, those fish cakes were rubbish, but I have plenty of examples that I genuinely adore.

I have everything from classic and indulgent smoked haddock fish cakes to spicy Thai tuna fish cakes and some delicious fresh salmon fish cakes to some marvellous fennel and chive crab cakes.

My latest offering fish cake offering uses tinned mackerel and they are stunning.

The idea came from a pasta dish in a Gordon Ramsey cookbook and he was extolling the virtues of good quality tinned fish and mackerel in particular.

The oily fish is glorious with the sharp capers that I pair them with and loads of fresh parsley lightens everything up.

Mashed potato holds everything together before they are coated in a crispy crumb… which I think must be fried in butter.

I do have suggestions for air frying and oven baking them too for those of you watching your waistline!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these fish cakes in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the fish cakes and then chill them for up to 2-3 days before cooking them.

Can I freeze these fish cakes?

Yes, once you have your patties breadcrumbed place them in the fridge to firm up for at least 10-15 minutes. Then sandwich a piece of baking parchment between them before popping them in a bag and freezing them.

I cook frozen fish cakes by frying them on one side until golden, then flip them and transfer them to an oven at 180°C or 350°F for 15-20 minutes.

Can I cook these in the oven or air fryer?

You can, although they will never get the same crisp golden crumb as they do when you cook them in butter.

To oven bake them cook them at 180°C or 350°F for 12-15 minutes, to air fry them cook them for 10-12 minutes at 170°C or 340°F.

Can I use leftover mashed potato?

First of all… leftover mashed potato??? That really does not compute for me!

Secondly yes, but with a caveat, the more indulgent your mash the less good it is in this recipe because the dairy content in the mash can make everything too soft and squidgy.

If you are going to use dairy-rich mashed potato then I would use tinned mackerel in spring water rather than in oil.

Serving Suggestions

I have served my tinned mackerel fish cakes with some homemade tartar sauce and roasted tenderstem broccoli in these pictures.

If you want a warm sauce then a simple parsley sauce would be absolutely perfect.

Creamed leeks are also an awesome side to serve with fish cakes and the subtle onion flavour is perfect with oily fish too.

A nice salad works incredibly well with these crispy golden treats, my pickled fennel salad with lentils would work really well and my samphire and pea salad would be genius too.