3-Ingredient Healthy Fish Cake for Babies

This fish cake for babies is one of my favorite ways to feed my baby fish. It can be made with cod, tuna, salmon, and even chub mackerel. 

Many parents find that fish is a tricky food to feed their baby. Some kids don’t like the texture and smell of fish so they shy away from trying it.

Whether they want to or not, it’s essential that we feed our kids fish consistently at least for the first year they start weaning. This is because we want to decrease the chances of them becoming allergic to fish in the future.

Studies have shown that introducing babies to potential food allergies early (between 4-6 months old) may help prevent them from being allergic to it in the future (source)

Why I Love This Fish Cake For Babies

This baby-friendly fish cake is so simple to make, and it’s packed with a lot of nutrients that babies need to grow healthy.

You can add vegetables to this fish cake recipe to make it even healthier for your baby. Some vegetables you can add to this recipe include peas, beans, corn, and other mixed vegetables. 

If you do choose to add mixed vegetables to this fish cake for babies, make sure you cook and mash the veggies a little to make them stick together better. 

I find that mashing it just a little (not a puree) will provide the fish cake with texture and allow it to still hold together when cooked.

Important Recipe Notes (Please Read)

Fish is a common allergen

If this is your first time serving fish to your baby, please note that it’s a common allergen. Make sure you supervise their eating and never leave them unattended (this goes for every meal). 

Take note of the signs of common allergens in babies so you know what to look for.

Cook in the oven for extra crispiness

To make this fish cake for babies extra crispy, you can cook it in the oven. 

After molding them into a patty, dip them in a bowl of whisked eggs, then dip each side in breadcrumbs before you bake them. 

This will make the fish cake less mushy and give it some firmness and crispness.

Cool your fish cake in the fridge for 30 minutes if it’s too mushy 

Cooling the fish cake patty in the fridge will allow the sweet potato, egg, and breadcrumbs mixture to become firmer. 

If it’s still too mushy, add more breadcrumbs 

This recipe is tried and true but if you make a mistake and find that your fish cake mixture is still too wet, then add more breadcrumbs to the mix.

Bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling or steaming them

If you don’t feel like grating your sweet potatoes, then bake them before you start cooking. Cooking sweet potatoes by steaming or boiling them make them very wet.

That’s because it absorbs all the moisture. To avoid a mushy fish cake, bake them or grate them instead.

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Why Fish Is Good for Babies and Toddlers

Fish contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that babies need to grow healthy.

Fish is a great source of protein, iron, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids.

These nutrients are essential in a baby’s diet when they start weaning from milk at 6 months old (source).

What To Serve With BLW Fish Cakes

Serve with some toast

Fish cakes go well with bread or any type of carbs. I like serving it with a side of toast for my baby and toddler. 

You can add salted butter to your toast or do it plain for your baby depending on their age.

Make it into a burger 

Fish cake is already formed into a patty so why not put it between two burger buns? 

It’s the perfect way to teach your toddlers to eat a burger. 

Young babies may have a hard time eating burgers but you can deconstruct it for them by putting the buns on the side.

Serve with a side of fruits

Fruits are my favorite additions to baby-led weaning meals. They go with everything from breakfast to dinner. 

How to serve fish cakes for babies ages 6 – 9 months old

You can serve this fish cake to your baby by cutting it in half. This is for babies between 6-9 months old.

Babies at this age only have the ability to grab things with the palm of their hands. So it’s best to serve food that is easy to grab.

How to serve fish cakes for babies ages 10- 12 months old

At 10-12 months old, you can serve fish cakes to babies by cutting them into chunks. 

Babies this age have developed their pincer grasp. This means they can pick up smaller pieces of food.

Fish Cake Tips for Picky Eaters

Don’t pressure

Give your baby or toddler a chance to say no. It’s okay if they don’t like what we serve them. Keep trying. It takes at least 30 exposures for a baby to begin liking a food, so don’t give up.

Try adding their favorite sauce

You can serve this fish cake with ketchup or any other dipping sauce for your baby. 

My kids love this sesame sauce from Costco. You can also get it on Amazon. I serve a lot of new foods with it to get my kids to try them.

Ingredients for Baby-led Weaning Fish Cakes

Any Safe Fish for Babies – I used Chub mackerel because it was cheaper than salmon. You can also use tuna or cod if you prefer. 

I know salmon is very expensive these days and may not be in your budget so don’t stress about making salmon fish cake. Just use a cheaper safe alternative.

Sweet potatoes – sweet potatoes will help bind the fish together in this fish cake recipe for babies. Its sweet taste will help mellow down the fishy texture and make it easier for your babies to eat.

Eggs – eggs also activate the mixture and make it easier to fry or bake.

Breadcrumbs – breadcrumbs help to hold the fish cake together as well.

Seasoning of choice – I used garlic and parsley because they’re a favorite in my home.

Cooking Directions For Fish Cakes For Baby

• grate your sweet potatoes into a bowl
• Add the fish, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Mix them all together with your hands. Mold into a patty shape.
• If pan frying, add a drip of oil in a pan on medium heat. Place fish cake patties on the pan and fry until one side is done. Flip and fry the reverse side.
• If cooking in an oven, cook at 370 degrees for 15 minutes on one side. Flip each patty and cook for another 10 minutes or until each side is brown. 

Storage Tips For Baby-friendly Fish Cakes

• This fish cake for babies can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
• You can also freeze it for later use. To reheat from frozen, place in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the insides are hot.

Did you make this baby-led weaning recipe? 

Let me know in the comments how it turned out!