Homemade Fish Balls: the Recipe to Make Them at Home (Baked and Fried)

Fish balls are delicious and fragrant morsels, perfect to bring to the table as a main course together with your favorite seasonal side dish. Soft inside, the perch heart is wrapped in a crunchy and golden breadcrumb-based coating.

Quick and easy, in this recipe they are prepared with perch fillets, steamed, so as to preserve all the nutrients, and then mixed in a bowl with the stale breadcrumbs, soaked and squeezed well, and the beaten egg, grated parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a mix of aromatic herbs. Once you have shaped many balls the size of a walnut with the result mixture, all you have to do is roll them in breadcrumbs and then decide whether to cook them in the oven at 180°C until golden brown, for a lighter and healthier result, or whether to fry them a few pieces at a time in boiling seed oil, for a version suitable for the sweet tooth.

Here we offer them in both ways but in any case, whatever your choice, the final result will be delicious fish balls, crunchy on the outside and tender at their heart, which will win over even the littlest ones in the house, who are usually not fond of fish. Once ready, you can bring them to the table for any family lunch or dinner with a mixed salad, a portion of baked potatoes or au gratin vegetables, or you can make them smaller in size and then offer them at aperitif time, or for a party buffet, as delicious finger food together with mayonnaise, yogurt dressings or other appetizing sauces.

For a softer and creamier bite, you can enrich the dough with mashed boiled potatoes or you can replace the perch with sole, sea bass, European seabass, plaice, sea bream or other favorite fish species: buy fresh, freshly caught or frozen to be kept in the freezer ready for use.

Find out how to prepare fish balls following the step-by-step procedure and advice.

How to Prepare Fish Balls

Step 1

Step 1

Place the perch fillets in the steamer basket and close with the lid.

Place the perch fillets in the steamer basket and close with the lid.

Step 2

Step 2

Place the steamer over a pan with boiling water and let the fish cook for about 15 minutes. Once the time has passed, remove from the heat and let it cool.

Place the steamer over a pan with boiling water and let the fish cook for about 15 minutes. Once the time has passed, remove from the heat and let it cool.

Step 3

Step 3

In the meantime, let the stale bread crumbs soften with a drop of water; then squeeze it well and crumble it into a bowl.

In the meantime, let the stale bread crumbs soften with a drop of water; then squeeze it well and crumble it into a bowl.

Step 4

Step 4

Once cool, add the fish fillets, chopped by hand.

Once cool, add the fish fillets, chopped by hand.

Step 5

Step 5

Season with salt and pepper, flavor with the grated lemon zest and the mix of aromatic herbs, and add the grated parmesan; then mix the ingredients with a spoon.

Season with salt and pepper, flavor with the grated lemon zest and the mix of aromatic herbs, and add the grated parmesan; then mix the ingredients with a spoon.

Step 6

Step 6

Add the lightly beaten egg and continue to mix with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Add the lightly beaten egg and continue to mix with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Step 7

Step 7

Take small portions of dough and form many fish balls the size of a walnut.

Take small portions of dough and form many fish balls the size of a walnut.

Step 8

Step 8

Dip them in breadcrumbs.

Dip them in breadcrumbs.

Step 9

Step 9

Arrange half the fish balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and place in a static oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes.

Arrange half the fish balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and place in a static oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes.

Step 10

Step 10

Once the time has passed, take the meatballs out of the oven and keep aside, making sure they stay warm.

Once the time has passed, take the meatballs out of the oven and keep aside, making sure they stay warm.

Step 11

Step 11

Fry the remaining fish balls, a few pieces at a time, in a high-sided pan with plenty of vegetable oil. When they are golden and crispy, remove them with a slotted spoon.

Fry the remaining fish balls, a few pieces at a time, in a high-sided pan with plenty of vegetable oil. When they are golden and crispy, remove them with a slotted spoon.

Step 12

Step 12

Let them drain on a sheet of straw paper.

Let them drain on a sheet of straw paper.

Step 13

Step 13

Arrange the fried and baked fish balls on a serving plate and serve them, to taste, with your favorite dressing.

Arrange the fried and baked fish balls on a serving plate and serve them, to taste, with your favorite dressing.