No tilapia? You can use any white fish, fresh or canned salmon, or shrimp in these Fish Cakes. To help the cakes hold together, cut the vegetables very small. Or chop them, then pulse in a food processor (separate from the fish).

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. tilapia fillets, chopped
  • 1/3 cup small-dice celery
  • 1/3 cup small-dice white onion
  • 1/3 cup small-dice bell pepper (any color)
  • 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
  • 2 Tbs. minced fresh dill (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs. + 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse the fish in 2 batches until evenly minced. Pulse each batch 2–3 times for a few seconds each time. Don’t overprocess the fish into a paste. (Skip this first step if you’re using canned salmon.)
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the celery, onion, bell pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, and salt. Add the fish and stir to combine. Form the mixture into 12 cakes. (Each cake should measure around ¼ cup.)
  3. In a large nonstick pan, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Sauté half of the cakes until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. of oil and remaining cakes.
  4. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (3 cakes):

  • Calories: 230
  • Total fat: 15 g
  • Sat fat: 2.5 g
  • Carbs: 3 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Total sugar: 1 g
  • Added sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 22 g
  • Sodium: 290 mg

Photo: Kate Sherwood/CSPI.