Thai Salmon Fishcakes made with canned salmon are quick to prepare and packed with authentic Thai flavours. These fishcakes work well as a speedy main served with saucy noodles and a crisp salad, or as an appetizer with a spicy cucumber and peanut dipping sauce.
Thai Salmon Fishcakes
Thai salmon fishcakes are a favourite starter at many Thai restaurants. The blend of spice, citrus and herbs lifts the salmon and primes the palate for the rest of the meal.
I particularly love the sweet chilli dipping sauce served with fishcakes. My version builds on store-bought Thai sweet chilli sauce with a few fresh additions — cucumber, crunchy peanuts and a little red pepper — to add texture and brightness.
Using canned salmon keeps this recipe fast and fuss-free. Thai red curry paste gives the heat, lime juice adds freshness, and finely chopped green beans (or spring onions) provide a traditional texture and crunch.
Although commonly served as starters, these fishcakes make a great midweek main when paired with saucy noodles and a green salad. They take under 30 minutes from start to finish, which makes them ideal for busy evenings.
What you will need
Equipment
For the fishcakes: a mixing bowl and a non-stick frying pan.
For the sauce: a sharp knife and a chopping board. A knife sharpener is useful to keep blades safe and effective.
Ingredients
This recipe makes about 10 fishcakes — enough for 2–3 people as a main, or 4–6 as an appetizer.
Salmon Fishcakes
- Canned salmon – drained. You can remove the central bone if you prefer, but it is edible and adds texture.
- Fish sauce – adds umami without an overtly fishy flavour.
- Thai red curry paste – an easy way to add aromatic Thai flavours.
- Egg and cornflour – to bind the mixture.
- Red chilli – finely chopped for extra heat; omit for a milder version.
- Lemongrass paste – convenient, or use freshly crushed lemongrass.
- Fresh coriander – finely chopped.
- Lime juice – for brightness.
- Green beans – very finely chopped, or substitute spring onions.
- Sunflower oil – for frying.
Cucumber and peanut dipping sauce
- Thai sweet chilli sauce – store-bought is fine.
- Cucumber – very finely diced.
- Onion – very finely diced.
- Unsalted peanuts – very finely chopped.
- Red bell pepper – very finely diced.
- Sesame seeds – to sprinkle.
How to make Thai salmon fishcakes
Prep time: about 10 minutes. Cook time: 3–4 minutes per side.
- Open and drain the canned salmon. Flake it into a mixing bowl with a fork.
- Add the remaining fishcake ingredients (except the oil) and mix until combined. The texture should be roughly similar to raw cake batter.
- Keep a small bowl of cold water nearby and wet your hands before shaping the patties so the mixture doesn’t stick to your fingers.
- If the mixture is still too wet to shape, stir in another tablespoon of cornflour or spoon portions directly into the oil.
- Heat sunflower oil in a frying pan. Shape spoonfuls of the mixture into patties and carefully place them in the oil.
- Keep the oil at a medium sizzle; it should not be smoking.
- Fry for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.
- Serve hot, garnished with lime wedges and fresh coriander.
How to make cucumber and peanut dipping sauce
You can scale this sauce to suit the number of servings by adjusting the quantities.
- Use roughly ½ cup Thai sweet chilli sauce as a base.
- Finely dice cucumber, onion, peanuts and red pepper to the size of match heads for pleasant crunch in each spoonful.
- Stir the diced vegetables and peanuts into the sweet chilli sauce, transfer to a small serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Serve alongside the fishcakes for dipping.
How to make saucy noodles
These simple saucy noodles pair nicely with the fishcakes.
You will need:
- Chinese egg noodles (long, thin).
- Beansprouts — fresh or frozen.
- Dark soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce.
Method:
- Cook noodles according to package directions (about 60 g dried noodles per person).
- Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Add half a cup of beansprouts per person to a saucepan.
- Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp soy sauce per person.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes until beansprouts soften, stirring occasionally.
- Toss in the drained noodles so the sauce coats everything evenly and the beansprouts are distributed through the noodles.
- Serve hot alongside the fishcakes.
Can I freeze these fishcakes?
Do not freeze the raw batter; it is too wet and will not thaw well.
Cooked fishcakes can be layered between wax paper and frozen for up to three months.
To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge, then shallow fry for a couple of minutes to crisp and warm through, or bake in a hot oven for about 6 minutes.
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Related recipes
If you enjoy Thai flavours, try other Asian-inspired recipes such as Pad Thai, Thai coconut chicken casserole, or Thai pork mince stir fry with green beans.
📋 The recipe
Thai Salmon Fishcakes with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Frying pan
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Small bowls for serving
Ingredients
For the fishcakes
- 410 g (12 oz) canned salmon, drained
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 small bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
- 4 heaped tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 8–10 green beans, very finely chopped
- 3–4 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying
For the sweet chilli cucumber and peanut dipping sauce
- ½ cup Thai sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp cucumber, very finely diced
- 1 tbsp onion, very finely diced
- 1 tbsp unsalted peanuts, very finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red bell pepper, very finely diced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, to sprinkle
Instructions
For the fishcakes
- Drain the salmon and flake into a mixing bowl.
- Add the curry paste, coriander, fish sauce, lemongrass paste, lime juice, chilli, egg, cornflour and chopped green beans. Mix until combined; the mixture should resemble raw cake batter.
- Wet your hands with cold water and form the mixture into patties. If too wet to shape, add another tablespoon of cornflour or spoon portions directly into the oil to fry.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the patties for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lime and coriander.
For the dipping sauce
- Finely dice cucumber, onion, peanuts and red pepper to matchhead size.
- Stir the diced ingredients into the sweet chilli sauce and transfer to a small serving bowl.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve as a dipping sauce.
Notes
If the mixture is too sloppy: add another tablespoon of cornflour; wet your hands before shaping; or spoon portions directly into the hot oil to fry.
How to make saucy noodles:
- Cook Chinese egg noodles according to packet instructions (about 60 g dried per person). Drain and set aside.
- Sauté half a cup of beansprouts per person with 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp dark soy sauce per person. Cover and soften for about 5 minutes on low heat.
- Toss in the drained noodles to coat with sauce and distribute the beansprouts. Serve hot with the fishcakes.
Calorie count is per fishcake and does not include the dipping sauce.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates – 7.6 g
| Protein – 9.9 g
Nutrition information is an estimate calculated with an online tool and is for guidance only.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a rating or comment. For questions, you can contact the author at [email protected].
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