Air-fryer Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce
What I Love about Air-fryer Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce
So, these crispy Air-fryer Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce are my new favourite thing to make! They’re cooked to absolute perfection in the air-fryer and the homemade tartar sauce makes the best pairing. It adds a touch of freshness to the dish. Plus, air-fryers cook things a lot quicker than an oven does and it leaves everything super crispy and delicious. These gluten-free Air-fryer Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce are on of my favourites, for sure! They just taste like summer.
Just think, fish tacos by the ocean on a hot summer day: those are the vibes of this recipe! First of all, wild pacific cod is super light and cooks up in just minutes in the air-fryer. Plus, when you add a little onion, red pepper, and some herbs – it makes the most delicious fish cakes. The air-fryer cooks them perfectly. They become crispy on the outside but moist and flakey on the inside. Finally. paired with this delicious homemade tartar sauce, they make the perfect summer appetizer to share with friends or family. The recipe is EASY but requires a little bit more prep time. It’s worth it though, I promise!
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Wild Pacific Cod – I love to use wild pacific cod because it is very light and mild in flavour. It also flakes easily. Always choose wild fish over farmed.
- Gluten-free Bread Crumbs – Any style of gluten-free breadcrumbs or panko crumbs work well for these. Just make sure they’re plain with no additional spices.
- Mustard – Dijon mustard also adds to the flavour of the cod cakes. Dijon mustard has a unique flavour and so I wouldn’t recommend substituting with other variations like yellow mustard.
- Dill pickles – I love a good, chunky tartar sauce. Chopped dill pickles make up most of the chunks in tartar sauce. You can chop them whatever size you like. You can roughly chop them if you like your tartar sauce chunky. If you want them to blend into the sauce a little more, be sure to chop them fine.
- Dill – Oh, and fresh dill! You really can’t have a tartar sauce without fresh dill. It makes the entire flavour profile what it is. Dill has such a fresh and distinctive smell. I love it. It pairs really well with both the tartar sauce and the cod cakes. So, don’t skip this one!
- Onion – I also like to add a little chopped onion for flavour as well. Purple or red onion works best for this.
- Capers – Capers also add a unique element of flavour to the sauce as well. If you don’t like them, just trust me, chop them really fine and add them in anyway! They blend right in while also levelling up the sauce. You won’t even know they’re there.
How to Make it
Step 1: Pre-cook the cod.
Pat dry the cod fillets and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the cod fillets to the basket of your air-fryer (or using the air-fryer function on your oven, add the fillets to a parchment-lined baking sheet). Set the temperature to your air-fryer or air-fryer function on the oven to 400F. Air-fry the fillets for 8-10 minutes or until they easily flake apart with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the tartar sauce.
While the cod is cooking, grab a small bowl and add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped pickles, dill, minced onion, chopped capers, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork until fully combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the cod cakes mixture.
Grab a medium-sized or large mixing bowl and break apart the cooled cod fillets into the bowl with your fingers. Try to break the fillets completely down so there are no large chunks. To the same bowl, add the gluten-free panko crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, onion, parsley, dijon mustard, lemon zest, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix thoroughly with a fork until everything is completely combined. Transfer the mixture to the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the panko crumbs to absorb some of the liquid.
Step 4: Form the cod cakes.
Once the cod cakes mixture has chilled for 15 minutes, remove it from the fridge and create 8 evenly-sized cakes using a spoon and your hands. Place them in the basket of your air-fryer or on a parchment-lined baking sheet if using the air-fryer option on your oven. If using an air-fryer you may need to work in batches so not to crowd them.
Step 5: Air-fry the cod cakes.
Lightly spray the tops with avocado oil and then air fry them at 375F for 6 minutes on each side. Plate with homemade tartar sauce and garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice (very important step for flavour balancing!) and enjoy!
FAQ:
You could swap wild pacific cod for pollock or haddock, though fresh wild Pacific cod offers the perfect light, flaky texture.
Cooling the mixture in the fridge for around 15 minutes helps the breadcrumbs absorb moisture, making it more firm and easier to form into cakes. It also prevents the fish cakes from falling apart when cooking.
In addition to chilling the mixture, using an extra binder (like a bit more mayo or egg) could help.
Yes! Using the air-fryer function on your oven, cook the cakes just as you would in the air-fryer at 375F for 6 minutes on each side. Use a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray olive or avocado oil on top before adding the fish cakes. After the first 6 minutes, flip them and cook for another 6 minutes so that both sides can brown.
They work great as an appetizer just as-is with the tartar sauce. If you want to make it a meal, you could add a garden salad for freshness or maybe some cooked rice and a salad.
Crispy Air Fryer Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
For the tartar sauce:
- 1/2 cup avocado mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup dill pickles finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tbsp purple onion minced
- 2 tsp capers finely chopped
- 1 pinch sea salt and pepper to taste
For the cod cakes:
- 450g wild pacific cod
- 1/2 cup gluten-free panko crumbs
- 1/3 cup avocado mayonnaise
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 tbsp purple onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- lemon juice for serving
Instructions
- Make the tartar sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth. Add the chopped pickles, dill, purple onion and capers and mix until combined. Season lightly with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside in the fridge to chill.
- Pat the cod fillets dry and season them with salt and pepper. Arrange the fillets in the basket of the air fryer and set the temperature to 400F. Cook fillets for 8 minutes or until they easily flake apart. Remove the fillets and set them aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, purple onion, parsley, mustard, lemon zest, paprika, salt and pepper and stir to roughly mix.
- Once the fish has cooled, break the fillets apart into little flakes with your fingers. Transfer the flaked fish to the large mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is completely combined.
- Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge for at least 15 minutes so that the bread crumbs can absorb some of the liquid and make it easier to form into cakes.
- After 15 minutes, form the mixture into 8 evenly sized cakes.
- Arrange however many cod cakes that fit into the basket of your air fryer while being careful not to crowd them. You may have to do this in batches if they don't all fit in your air fryer.
- Spray the cakes lightly with olive or avocado oil. Then, cook them at 375F for 6 minutes. Flip them over and spray the other sides lightly. Cook for an additional 6 minutes until browned.
- Remove cod cakes to a plate and squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over them. This is very important for flavour balancing! Serve with homemade tartar sauce and more fresh dill, if desired. Enjoy!
