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Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » Trout Cakes

Trout Cakes

By Hank Shaw on September 4, 2017, Updated October 29, 2020 - 35 Comments

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5 from 35 votes
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trout cakes on a plate with lemon
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Fish cakes rank right up there with meatballs in my book: Comforting. Easy. Tasty without pretension.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook fancy food, too. But you can’t do that every day. Some days are for trout cakes. Specifically, those days after you catch lots of trout. Or kokanee. Or salmon, or whatever.

I use trout or kokanee because I like the play of mild, slightly oily trout with all the herbs. Salmon is just as good, especially a pink or chum salmon. But bluefish, mackerel, or another oily fish would work, too. And I won’t get mad at you if make this with bass, catfish, crappie, etc.

While it’s not specifically necessary, I find that the best fish cakes are made with “spoon meat,” which is meat scraped off the carcass of fish before they are cooked. You can get quite a lot of meat off carcasses this way — more than a pound on a big chinook salmon. The fish will cook perfectly well in the pan. Of course, you can also use leftover fish, too.

What separates this trout cake recipe from my salmon patties or my other fish cake recipe is herbs. Lots of herbs. They are a great counterpoint to the fish, and brighten things up quite a lot. A squeeze of lemon is all you need on them.

close-up of the trout cakes recipe
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I like eating these as-is, or with a green salad. Any leftover cakes can be reheated gently in a pan or a 300°F oven and used as a great sandwich filling with some lettuce, tomato and mayo.

These trout cakes freeze well, too. Cook them first, then freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to 6 months.

trout cakes recipe
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5 from 35 votes

Trout Cakes

Clearly this recipe can be done with salmon, kokanee, char or really any fish you want. I just like it with trout. The herbs are also open to improvisation; the combination I use is what I like. Serve these with a green salad or as the filling in a sandwich. 
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 585kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 pound trout meat, skinless and boneless
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • 1/4 cup chopped tarragon or dill
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

  • Cook the minced onion with the butter in a small pan over medium heat until translucent, but not browned. Remove from the pan and let cool.
  • Chop the trout meat with a knife into bits. You can chop very roughly and then pulse a couple times in a food processor, but you want the trout in little pieces, not as a paste. 
  • Mix all the remaining ingredients (except the frying oil) together in a large bowl. Form cakes with your hands. I like them about the width of my palm. You will need to wash your hands a couple times to remove debris; this helps you make cleaner, nicer cakes. 
  • Let the cakes sit in the fridge for 20 minutes or so -- this lets the breadcrumbs absorb moisture, which helps your cakes hold together. 
  • Heat the frying oil in a large, wide pan over medium-high heat. Fry as many cakes as will fit in one layer without touching. Cook them until each side is golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve hot. 

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 1041mg | Potassium: 618mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1010IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 4mg
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Filed Under: Featured, Recipe, Salmon and Trout

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for GregGreg says

    April 12, 2020 at 1:05 pm

    Great recipe. We precooked the trout with some Old Bay seasoning and then it flaked easily to mix with the other ingredients. It passed the test with our 3 kids exclaiming how much they liked it!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for TinaTina says

    April 4, 2020 at 5:57 pm

    Can you freeze these cakes ?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 5, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Tina: I never have, but I am betting yes. If I were to, I would freeze them uncooked on a baking sheet and then, when frozen, put into a freezer bag.

      Reply
  3. Avatar for LeeseLeese says

    April 3, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Have made these a few times for family and friends and everyone goes crazy for them. Ty for the recipe.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for RogerRoger says

    March 27, 2020 at 7:38 am

    I used a rainbow and a brown trout, along with some leftover crawfish, and it turned out amazing. It was my first time making any sort of fish cakes, that paired with extracting the crawfish meat the total time was longer than what Hank has posted, but it was worth it

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Brad KnechtBrad Knecht says

    March 3, 2020 at 2:20 am

    I enjoy sharing fish and game with family and friends. These trout cakes as well as all of your recipes I’ve used have outdone any others I’ve attempted. No need for extended internet searching for “ the best recipe for” whatever. Your site is all that’s necessary.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for SandraSandra says

    February 28, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    Great recipe! I made them with trout and they were delicious. Thanks for the recipe and your post. I enjoyed reading your ideas.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for Chad CulbertsonChad Culbertson says

    February 23, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    Turns mediocre stocked trout into a delicacy.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for KyleKyle says

    January 16, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Great recipe. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for Mark GreenMark Green says

    January 16, 2020 at 3:55 am

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We live near a lake stocked with lovely rainbows and I catch a lot of them. I’ve cooked them a dozen different ways. These trout cakes are such a great spin and have become a favorite. Harkens back to my youth when we would eat cakes made with canned salmon, only so much better! I serve it old school with mashed potatoes and peas. Plus we make a lovely sauce with ketchup, sour cream, some chipotle, lemon and a dash of whatever else comes to mind. The resulting meal is true comfort food, and even “non fish eaters” usually like it. Oh, and they came out perfectly the first time I made them, and have every other time as well. Well done!

    Reply
  10. Avatar for DavidDavid says

    January 10, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. I’m just wanted to clarify, is the fish meat cooked or raw as you make them into patties ? Thanks

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 15, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      David: it works either way.

      Reply
  11. Avatar for Troy CopelandTroy Copeland says

    June 29, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    I knew that it would be good from the start, but not that good. I used fresh trout that I caught few hours ago, and man it was spectacular. Every time I catch trout from now on, I will use this recipe.

    Reply
  12. Avatar for AliceAlice says

    June 12, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    Our neighbor is an avid fisherman, and very generous with his catch. This was a great way to change it up. Delicious recipe; even pleased the picky eaters.

    Reply
  13. Avatar for fanny fowlerfanny fowler says

    April 17, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    so. damn. good.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for KennyKenny says

    January 22, 2019 at 8:24 am

    Just caught some nice Kokanee, made the cakes up turned out great, will have to make more next Thanks Hank

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Lisa RobertsLisa Roberts says

    June 18, 2018 at 1:44 pm

    Wow, even the kids and non fish lovers liked this. I will be using this for lots of different kinds of fish, thanks

    Reply
  16. Avatar for BeckieBeckie says

    April 26, 2018 at 6:32 pm

    Made these tonight. Wish I could post a pic! EXCELLENT!!!!!

    Reply
  17. Avatar for Jody IrwinJody Irwin says

    April 23, 2018 at 11:07 am

    This is such a great recipe! Thank you! We are inhaling them!

    Reply
  18. Avatar for Tyler A SweetTyler A Sweet says

    September 6, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    This is recipe is basically the same as how I modified your fishcake with wild rice recipe! I did that one with pike as how you did but without the rice and I added a bunch of blanched and shredded kale. OMG it was fantastic served on a bun with some lettuce, red onion, and a spicy mayo.

    Reply
  19. Avatar for LouisLouis says

    September 5, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    Holy cow, Hank!

    Reply
  20. Avatar for johannajohanna says

    September 4, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    i have some fresh caught lingcod and regular cod in the fridge–can i use either of these?

    Reply
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Hi, My name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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