These crispy fish balls with easy tartare sauce are a simple, satisfying dinner for days when the cupboards look bare and inspiration is running low. Made with store cupboard fish, mashed potato and a quick homemade tartare sauce, they are crisp on the outside, soft inside and easy enough for the kids to help roll.
I was recently challenged by Heinz Seriously Good Mayonnaise to create a tasty mouthful that could be served on a spoon. After playing around with a few ideas, I came back to the kind of recipe I love most: something simple, useful and made with ingredients many of us already have at home.
That is how these crispy fish balls with easy tartare sauce came together. They are a lovely way to turn a tin of tuna or salmon into a proper meal, and they work just as well for a quick family dinner as they do for a small snack or party bite. The outside turns golden and crunchy in the pan, while the middle stays tender and full of flavour.
Store Cupboard Basics
The aim was to create a recipe using everyday ingredients: the kind of things that sit patiently in the cupboard or fridge until you need them. Tinned fish, potatoes, an egg, a little flour and a handful of herbs are all you need for the fish balls. Add mayonnaise, cornichons, capers and chives, and you also have a quick tartare sauce to serve alongside.
I had tins of tuna and salmon in the cupboard, potatoes ready to use, fresh parsley to hand and an egg from the hens. With those few ingredients, dinner was already halfway done. This is exactly the sort of store cupboard fish recipe that makes life easier when you do not feel like shopping or planning anything complicated.
Leftover mashed potato is perfect for this recipe because it is already cooked, cooled and ready to use. If you do not have any, simply boil floury potatoes, mash them well and let them cool completely before mixing. Cold mash helps the fish balls hold their shape and makes the mixture easier to roll.
Once the potato is ready, place it in a bowl with drained tinned tuna or salmon, finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper and half a beaten egg. Mix everything together until combined. The mixture should be soft but firm enough to shape. If it feels too wet, add a little flour. If it feels too dry and crumbly, add a touch more beaten egg.
Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them between your palms into small walnut-sized balls. This is a great job for willing little hands, as the mixture is simple to shape and does not need to look perfect. Roll each fish ball lightly in plain flour before frying; this helps create the crisp, golden coating.
Make sure the oil is hot before the fish balls go into the pan. If the oil is not hot enough, they may soak up oil or fall apart before they have a chance to form a crust. Once they are in the pan, leave them alone for a couple of minutes. Let the base turn golden before gently turning them to brown the other sides.
If you are short on time, you can shape the same mixture into patties instead of balls. The mixture should make two or three fish cakes, depending on how large you make them and what you plan to serve on the side. Either way, the result is a crisp, easy fish dinner made from simple ingredients.
Making the Easy Tartare Sauce
While the fish balls are frying, make the quick tartare sauce. Add a heaped tablespoon of mayonnaise to a small bowl, then stir in chopped cornichons or gherkins, capers and chives. In seconds, you have a creamy, sharp and savoury sauce that works beautifully with the hot crispy fish balls.
Serve the fish balls straight from the pan while they are at their crunchiest. They are delicious with salad, vegetables, chips or simply dipped into the easy tartare sauce. This recipe is proof that a tin of fish and a little mash can become something far more exciting than the sum of its parts.
Crispy Fish Balls with Easy Tartare Sauce
Main Course
British
Crispy Fish Balls with Easy Tartare Sauce
-
4
tablespoons
oil
for frying -
250
g
floury potato
cooked, mashed and cooled, or 200g leftover cold mashed potato -
145
g
tinned tuna
or salmon, drained -
1/2
egg
beaten - Salt and pepper
-
2
tablespoons
fresh parsley
finely chopped - A little flour for coating
-
1
tablespoon
Heinz Seriously Good Mayonnaise
heaped -
3
cornichons
chopped -
2
tablespoons
capers
chopped -
1
teaspoon
chives
chopped
-
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-hot heat.
-
Mix the mashed potato, drained fish, beaten egg, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. If the mixture feels too wet, stir in a little flour. If it feels too dry to hold together, add a little more beaten egg.
-
Shape tablespoon-sized portions into small balls, then roll each one lightly in flour.
-
Place the fish balls in the hot pan and leave them undisturbed for a couple of minutes. Once the underside is golden, gently turn them until all sides are crisp and golden brown.
-
Mix all the tartare sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and serve with the hot crispy fish balls.
Calories from Fat 315
Huge thanks to Heinz for sponsoring this content and allowing me to continue bringing you tasty food for free. As always, all thoughts and leftovers are my own.
Janie x