Newfoundland Fish Cakes

Newfoundland Fish Cakes. A delicious comfort food tradition that’s part of our collective culinary culture. Made with the simplest of ingredients like potatoes, fish and onions.

Newfoundland Fish Cakes

Originally published Jan, 2009.

UPDATE: April 2015. I added new photos of this recipe today which are destined for my second cookbook this Fall.

Today’s dish and photo come courtesy of 13 year old guest chef Laura Taylor. Laura is from from Conception Bay South and was looking for tips on making Fish Cakes the traditional Newfoundland way.

She chose fish cakes as a traditional Newfoundland meal to complete an assignment for her Grade 8 Social Studies class at Vila Nova School.

Photo collage of Newfoundland fish cakes by Laura Taylor — Newfoundland Fish Cakes. 2009 photo.

She is a French Immersion student, hence the photo label Gateau de Poisson.

This very simple dish was a staple on many Newfoundland kitchen tables for who knows how long? Probably hundreds of years, given that the simple ingredients were readily available from the land and the sea.

I’ve also included a great brunch idea for this traditional favourite by incorporating fish cakes in to a version of Eggs Benedict! Get my shortcut Hollandaise Sauce recipe here.

Newfoundland Fish Cakes Eggs Benedict. A traditional favourite food dressed up for an elegant brunch. — Fish Cakes Eggs Benedict

Newfoundland fish cakes, a traditional favourite.

I remember my grandmother’s cooking them in large cast iron skillets in the rendered fat from making scrunchions. For our non-native readers, scrunchions are a very traditional accompaniment to several traditional Newfoundland meals.

They are simply cured fat back pork which is diced in small cubes and then fried until crispy to render out most of the fat.

russet potatoes, close up image. Stock photo from Dwepositphotos — I like to use Russet Potatoes for this recipe. They tend to hold the fish cake mixture together better.

It does my heart good to know that our food culture is still being kept alive in the classroom. You did a great job on these, Laura, I think they look delicious.

If your Social Studies teacher doesn’t give you an A on this one, tell him to take it up with me! 😉

photo of a container of Mt. Scio Farm Savoury — Mt Scio Savoury is traditional in this recipe, but you’ll find a couple of substitution suggestions in the recipe notes below.

A brunch idea and an easy lower sodium substitution.

One of my brunch favourites uses these traditional fish cakes in a new way by adding placed eggs and Hollandaise sauce. I sometimes add some crumbled crisp cooked bacon on top as well, because what isn’t better with bacon?!

If you don’t like salt fish, or just if you are trying to reduce sodium in your diet, fresh or frozen cod can easily be substituted.

Two Slices of Raw Fresh Cod Fish Fillet closeup on Wooden Cutting Board — Fresh cod is a staple of Newfoundland cooking.

The only thing to be watchful for is seasoning the potato mix. It will likely need a little more salt to taste, to make up for some of what was lost in the substitution.

As always, taste as you go, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Looking for more Newfoundland recipes?

If you’d like to see more traditionally inspired recipes from our province, please check out this collection on some of our Most Popular Newfoundland recipes.

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18 fish cakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Newfoundland Fish Cakes. These traditional Newfoundland fish cakes have been made for countless generations using the most basic of ingredients like potatoes, salt fish and onions.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds salt dried cod (See note below for substituting fresh fish)
¼ cup butter
1 small chopped onion
6 cups mashed potato
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoon dried savoury, (optional) (See notes for substitutions)
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Soak the salt cod in cold water overnight.
Simmer the salt cod in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain the water off the fish and allow the fish to cool to almost room temperature.
When the fish is cool, flake it apart with a fork into small pieces.
In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the onions and cook until they are softened.
Add the flaked fish along with the mashed potato, egg, pepper and savoury.
Mix together until well combined, then form into small cakes and roll in flour.
Fry the fish cakes in canola oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
Serve with scrunchions if desired.

Notes

If you don’t like salt fish, or just if you are trying to reduce sodium in your diet, fresh or frozen cod can easily be substituted.

The only thing to be watchful for is seasoning the potato mix. It will likely need a little more salt to taste, to make up for some of what was lost in the substitution.

As always, taste as you go, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Savoury is a very traditional herb for this recipe but if it is not readily available you can substitute other hers which go well with fish, like parsley, dill, or even tarragon if you like it.

Prep time does not include the overnight soaking time for the salt, dried cod. Scrunchions are ½ inch cubes of cured pork fatback that are fried and rendered to a crispy texture. The scrunchions and rendered fat get served over the fish cakes.

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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Author: Barry C. Parsons

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Newfoundland Fish Cakes – a decades old traditional favourite!

Newfoundland Fish Cakes. A delicious comfort food tradition that’s part of our collective culinary culture. Made with the simplest of ingredients like potatoes, fish and onions.