Do Your Kids Hate Fish? Try This Fish Cakes Recipe

The author’s daughter captures the scene of her father cooking dinner in this paper and marker drawing. Credit: Lily O’Heir.

On a recent parent-teacher night, the kids in my daughters’ sixth grade class had to post hand-written profiles on the back wall to give visitors an idea of who they are, including their likes and dislikes. Under the “My Favorite Food” category, most of them listed the usual: pizza, ice cream, candy.

I was expecting a similar answer from my daughter, if only to blend in with the others. Instead, she wrote “cod cakes.” Good answer, and one that got her off the hook for any low grades she brought home over the next few weeks.

Getting kids to eat any type of fish is tough, but these cod cakes might help the picky little ones to reconsider. The recipe mostly consists of fried mashed potatoes, a winning combination out of the gate and one that most kids love. Mingled within the golden crust of those potatoes is the subtle, buttery flavor of the cod. There’s no heavy fishy flavor, smell, or slimy texture that can turn kids off.

Onions, dill, celery, parsley, and garlic are the main veggies and herbs used for this cod cakes recipe. My kids actually request the diced green and red peppers for flavor and texture. They also force me to triple the recipe, so don’t let the amounts pictured here throw you. Photos: Jeff O’Heir

One of the many beauties of this dish is its flexibility. The base of the cakes calls for sautéed onions and celery. Like the cod, the flavor of these is subtle and blends in with potatoes. You can adjust the amount based on a child’s preference without greatly affecting the overall flavor of the cakes. If you have vegetables sitting in the fridge that your kids like, add them to the recipe. Finely diced green and red peppers, pickles, and even carrots will work.

The trick to feeding kids is to slip the most nutrients as possible into dishes you know they’ll eat. This one is loaded with goodness. Cod is packed with vitamins B12 and B6, which boost cardiovascular health, as well as niacin, which helps reduce bad cholesterol.

Reduce clean-up time by using one pan to sauté the veggies and fish, and to fry your cakes. Generously season those veggies with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Frying, of course, adds a lot of fat, so you should try to use the most healthy oil you can. The best bet is a light or refined olive oil, a good source of vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant. It has a high smoke point and is high in monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce bad cholesterol.

For an even cook and consistent browning, I use more oil for the cod cakes than I normally would when frying other foods. If you’re running low on olive oil, grapeseed and peanut oils are good substitutes.

This recipe from Saveur.com provides a good foundation on which to build your own cod cakes. I tweak the recipe a bit to quicken the process and exclude the butter since I don’t think these cakes really need it. I also add diced green and red peppers (my kids love the extra flavor and texture). Serve with lemon and/or tartar sauce. Homemade coleslaw and baked beans work well as sides. This recipe serves four, but you’ll probably want to double it (my kids force me to triple it). These cod cakes go fast.

Total time: About 45 minutes. This doesn’t include the 30 minutes in the fridge to set the cakes before cooking. You can certainly make the cakes ahead of time and cook later, but don’t skip the chill time. This will help the cod cakes from falling apart while their frying.

While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the vegetables and then the fish. Check for bones by running your fingers down the center of the filet. Remove any you might find (tweezers come in handy for the tough ones). If your kids are old enough to help out, let them. All the kids I know think activities like mashing and mixing is fun. They’re also more likely to try something they’ve had a hand in making.

At least 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

½ green pepper, ½ red pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled

Kosher salt, to taste

1 lb. boneless, skinless cod filets

Ground black pepper, to taste

1⁄2 cup dried breadcrumbs

1⁄4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoon. finely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoon. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Lightly coat the bottom of a large pan (the bigger the better, especially if you’re doubling the recipe) with oil, cook over medium heat. Add celery, onions, peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

Boil potatoes with skin (this prevents the potatoes from absorbing excess water) in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, let potatoes cool a bit, peel, add them to a large bowl, and mash. Add mashed potatoes to the bowl of sautéed vegetables.

Season cod with salt and pepper. Add enough oil to lightly recoat the pan you cooked the veggies in. Cook cod over medium heat, flipping once with a spatula, until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer cod to a plate, let cool, break it into 1” chunks, and set aside.

Add breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, herbs, beaten egg yolk, and lemon juice to the potato–onion mixture and stir to combine. Add cod, mix lightly to combine.

Take a palmful of the mixture and form it into a cake about 3”- or 4”-wide. Place the finished cakes on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm. Add at least 1/8” oil to the pan and heat on medium-high. Fry cod cakes, about four at a time, flipping once, roughly four minutes per side, until golden-brown and crusty. Serve ‘em hot. 

Voila! Golden-crusty cod cakes with a kid-friendly texture.