These melt in the middle fishcakes are crispy on the outside, soft and flaky inside, and hide a delicious, melted cheese centre that you'll find when you cut into them. Perfect for a midweek dinner, date night, or something special yet easy, these fishcakes are packed with flavour and ready to serve with salad, veg, or a zingy dip.
I'll usually always order fishcakes if I see them on a restaurant menu and have often seen melt in the middle fishcakes in the supermarket - I just love them! So, here's my recipe, using smoked haddock and prawns (2 of my favourites!), but you can easily customise them and use different fish like salmon, trout or white fish like cod or haddock.
They're great for batch cooking, cheaper than shop-bought and they're freezable - prepare them up to step 4, then wrap each fishcake individually in cling film and then tin foil. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tips
- Optional variations:
- Thai style – add red curry paste, lime zest and coriander.
- Mediterranean – add sun-dried tomatoes, basil and olives.
- This melt in the middle fishcakes recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - tinned salmon or tuna works well. Drain well and adjust seasoning.
Yes - freeze them before cooking, then bake or air fry from frozen. Add 5 to 8 minutes extra cooking time.
White fish or salmon both work beautifully. Smoked fish gives extra flavour.
Yes - use GF flour and GF breadcrumbs or crushed GF crackers.
No – fishcakes need to be cooked in a dry heat. Use the oven, pan-fry, or air fryer.
Yes - finely grated courgette, carrot, or peas work well, but squeeze out any water first.
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HOW TO MAKE THESE MELT IN THE MIDDLE FISHCAKES
Ingredients
- 600g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 400g undyed smoked haddock fillets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g cooked peeled king prawns, dried on kitchen roll and cut into halves or thirds, if quite big
- 8g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 80g mature cheddar, cut into 4 x 20g cubes
- plain flour, for dusting
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 80g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, mash and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium high. Put the smoked haddock in a roasting tin and brush with the olive oil. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool, then discard the skin and any bones and flake into chunks.
- Gently fold the smoked haddock, prawns, chives and mustard into the mashed potatoes. Shape the mixture into 4 large balls and poke a hole in the middle of each ball with your thumb. Press a cube of cheese into each hole, then shape the fishcake around to encase the cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly dust each fishcake all over with flour, dip into the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Place the fishcakes on a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill for 15 minutes or overnight, to firm up.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fishcakes on both side for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Transfer them to a baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until piping hot.
- Enjoy with your choice of vegetable side dishes or salad, and a wedge of lemon on the side.
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Melt in the Middle Fishcakes
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
- 400 g (0.9 lb) undyed smoked haddock fillets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150 g (5.3 oz) cooked peeled king prawns dried on kitchen roll and cut into halves or thirds, if quite big
- 8 g (0.3 oz) fresh chives finely chopped
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 80 g (2.8 oz) mature cheddar cut into 4 x 20g cubes
- plain flour for dusting
- 1 large egg beaten
- 80 g (2.8 oz) panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, mash and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium high. Put the smoked haddock in a roasting tin and brush with the olive oil. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool, then discard the skin and any bones and flake into chunks.
- Gently fold the smoked haddock, prawns, chives and mustard into the mashed potatoes. Shape the mixture into 4 large balls and poke a hole in the middle of each ball with your thumb. Press a cube of cheese into each hole, then shape the fishcake around to encase the cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly dust each fishcake all over with flour, dip into the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Place the fishcakes on a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill for 15 minutes or overnight, to firm up.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fishcakes on both side for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Transfer them to a baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until piping hot.
- Enjoy with your choice of vegetable side dishes or salad, and a wedge of lemon on the side.
Notes
- Optional variations:
- Thai style – add red curry paste, lime zest and coriander.
- Mediterranean – add sun-dried tomatoes, basil and olives.
- This melt in the middle fishcakes recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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