Crispy Baked Kosher Fish Croquettes With Tartar Sauce

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I discovered fish croquettes quite by accident when I had leftover cooked cod from Friday night dinner. My grandmother always said waste nothing, and those leftover flakes of fish sitting in my fridge were practically begging to be transformed into something special.

Croquettes might sound fancy, but they’re really just elevated fish cakes that happen to be incredibly satisfying. The key difference is in the technique: you bind the fish with a thick béchamel-style sauce instead of just breadcrumbs and egg. This creates a creamy interior that contrasts beautifully with the crispy coating. I use a combination of cod and tilapia because the cod gives you those lovely flakes while the tilapia adds moisture and helps everything hold together.

The Secret to Perfectly Crispy Fish Croquettes

The secret to getting them perfectly crispy without deep frying is a two-step coating process and a very hot oven. I coat each croquette in flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs mixed with regular breadcrumbs. The panko gives you that restaurant-quality crunch. And here’s something I learned the hard way: make sure your oven is fully preheated to 425°F before the croquettes go in. That initial blast of heat is what creates the golden exterior.

These work wonderfully as an appetizer for Shabbat or as a light dinner with a simple green salad. The homemade tartar sauce takes maybe five minutes to whip together and tastes infinitely better than store-bought. My kids actually request these now, which says something because they’re usually suspicious of anything that looks too fancy.

Why This Tartar Sauce Makes All the Difference

Crispy Baked Kosher Fish Croquettes With Tartar Sauce - Jewish recipe
I discovered fish croquettes quite by accident when I had leftover cooked cod from Friday night dinner. My grandmother always said waste nothing, and those leftover flakes of fish sitting in my fridge were practically begging to be transformed into something special. Croquettes might sound fancy, but they're really just elevated fish cakes that happen to be incredibly satisfying. The key difference is in the technique: you bind the fish with a thick béchamel-style sauce instead of just breadcrumbs and egg. This creates a creamy interior that contrasts beautifully with the crispy coating. I use a combination of cod and tilapia because the cod gives you those lovely flakes while the tilapia adds moisture and helps everything hold together. The secret to getting them perfectly crispy without deep frying is a two-step coating process and a very hot oven. I coat each croquette in flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs mixed with regular breadcrumbs. The panko gives you that restaurant-quality crunch. And here's something I learned the hard way: make sure your oven is fully preheated to 425°F before the croquettes go in. That initial blast of heat is what creates the golden exterior. These work wonderfully as an appetizer for Shabbat or as a light dinner with a simple green salad. The homemade tartar sauce takes maybe five minutes to whip together and tastes infinitely better than store-bought. My kids actually request these now, which says something because they're usually suspicious of anything that looks too fancy.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Jewish
Calories: 285
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Croquettes
  • 1.5 pounds white fish fillets cod and tilapia work best
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk or non-dairy milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
For Coating
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup regular breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
For Tartar Sauce
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons kosher dill pickles finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon capers chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced

Method
 

Prepare the Fish
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Season fish fillets with salt and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until fish flakes easily.
  2. Let fish cool completely, then flake into small pieces, removing any bones. You should have about 2 cups of flaked fish.
Make the Base
  1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to create a roux.
  2. Gradually whisk in milk, cooking and stirring constantly until mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks one at a time. Stir in dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. Fold in the flaked fish until well combined. Spread mixture on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Form and Coat
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. With damp hands, shape the fish mixture into 12 oval croquettes, about 3 inches long.
  3. Set up three shallow dishes: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and combined panko and regular breadcrumbs in the third.
  4. Coat each croquette in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing gently to help coating adhere.
  5. Place coated croquettes on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake and Serve
  1. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
  2. Meanwhile, make tartar sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. Serve croquettes immediately with tartar sauce on the side.

Notes

Croquettes can be formed and coated up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking. For dairy-free version, use margarine and non-dairy milk. Leftover croquettes reheat well in a 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
6 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 serving
Calories 285
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 485mg 21%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 22g 44%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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