Crispy Halibut Cake Slider Recipe with Lemon Aioli

Crispy Halibut Cake Slider Recipe with Lemon Aioli

wild for salmon halibut sliders, halibut fish, wild caught halibut recipe

Halibut cake sliders are a delicious way to prepare this fish that screams summer and is perfect for your next backyard entertaining occasion. Serve them for dinner with a side salad and grilled potatoes, as a stand-alone appetizer, or as a lunch entrée with a side of your favorite potato chips and freshly sliced watermelon. 

Recipe Variations: 

Halibut works well for this recipe because of its firm texture and mild flavor, but most other types of fish will also work. Salmon, Pacific cod, or pollock fillets would also be great. 

The topping options are endless for these tasty sliders. Stick with the classics like sliced tomato, sliced shallot or red onion, and lettuce leaves, or kick it up a notch with microgreens. Consider adding sliced avocado, creamy coleslaw, or sliced dill pickles too. 

Serving Suggestions: 

Halibut sliders are similar to classic crab cakes. As an alternative way to serve them, skip the brioche rolls and toppings, and serve them on top of a mixed green garden salad with lemon aioli spooned over the top. 

Small brioche slider buns make these the perfect size for an appetizer and to share with a group. If you prefer, form the fish mixture into four full-size burgers instead of the 8 sliders. If done this way, they will take an extra few minutes to cook. 

If you have any sliders left over, store them on their own without buns or toppings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

halibut and ingredients in food processor

Equipment 


Food processor: A food processor is used to mix the slider mixture and chop the halibut. If you don't have a food processor available, the halibut and green onions can be finely chopped with a sharp chef's knife and the remaining ingredients can be mixed together in a large bowl. 


Large skillet: A large 12-inch frying pan is used to fry the fish patties. Cast iron is an excellent choice due to its good heat retention, though stainless steel or nonstick skillets will also work.

Sheet pan: A rimmed sheet pan is used to broil the slider buns. If you are grilling other food outside, consider throwing the buns on the grill for a few minutes instead. 

Microplane grater: A microplane grater is helpful to grate the garlic clove into a very fine paste so it disappears into the aioli and no large pieces remain. If you don't have one, use a chef's knife to finely chop the garlic clove, and then use the side of the blade to firmly scrape the garlic across the cutting board until it is made into a paste. 

Ingredients 

halibut slider recipe ingredients on counter top

Wild for Salmon Halibut: Halibut is perfect for this recipe and comes without skin and bones, making the prep for the recipe effortless! 

Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs help add some structure to the fish cakes, and are used to make the crispy coating before frying. Look for panko-style breadcrumbs for maximum crispiness.

Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is the binder of the halibut cakes and the base of the aioli sauce. Green onions: Green onions add some savory flavor and a touch of color to the fish cakes.

Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard adds a touch of heat and acts as part of the binder of the fish cakes and adds additional flavor to the aioli. 

halibut sliders being assembled on a plate

Old Bay seasoning: Old Bay seasoning is a classic addition to many seafood dishes and adds all the spices needed to this recipe. 


Lemon: Lemon zest is used to add a bright flavor to the halibut cakes, and lemon juice is used to flavor the aioli. You will need the zest from almost a full lemon and juice from half of a lemon.

Avocado oil: Avocado oil is a neutral oil with a very high smoking point which makes it perfect for frying these fish sliders. Another neutral high heat vegetable oil such as safflower, canola, or grapeseed oil can also be used. 

Brioche slider buns: Brioche rolls are perfectly buttery and soft with just a bit of subtle sweetness that compliments the fish sliders wonderfully. If they can't be found, another style of slider rolls or burger buns will also work. 

Garlic: Fresh garlic is used to add the classic savory flavor to the aioli. 

Toppings: The toppings for the sliders are flexible, but sliced tomato, shallot, or red onion, and microgreens are a great place to start!

 

 

[[ recipeID=recipe-8lhuoowrn, title=Crispy Halibut Cake Slider Recipe With Lemon Aioli ]]

 

AUTHOR PROFILE

chef Marisa standing in kitchen cooking

Marisa Kerkvliet of Lemon Thyme Kitchen is a freelance recipe developer and food photographer with a Master’s degree in Nutrition. She was raised on her family’s farm in Northwest Washington and her appreciation for good food developed at a very early age. She is passionate about creating recipes and beautiful imagery that highlight high-quality seasonal ingredients. Marisa loves all types of seafood, but her favorites are salmon and scallops!

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Crispy Halibut Cake Slider Recipe With Lemon Aioli

These tiny fish sandwiches are packed with flavor and perfect for serving at your next outdoor gathering. They are quick to come together and are sure to please a crowd. Consider serving them pre-assembled or displaying the toppings on a large platter and allowing guests to build their own slider sandwiches.


Keywords: Halibut, Wild Caught Halibut, Halibut Cake Slider, Seafood Slider, Halibut Recipe

  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

Sliders

  • 1 ¼ pounds halibut
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, divided
  • 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 green onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp old bay seasoning
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 8 brioche slider buns

Optional Toppings

  • Sliced tomato
  • Sliced shallot or red onion
  • Microgreens
  • Lettuce

Quick Lemon Aioli

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely minced or grated
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to broil.
  2. Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towels and place them in the work bowl of a food processor. Add ¼ cup breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, green onions, dijon mustard, old bay seasoning, salt, lemon zest, and black pepper, and pulse about 3-5 times until everything is combined. There should still be a few chunks of halibut visible. Be careful not to over-blend.
  3. Divide the halibut mixture into 8 equal portions. Roll each one into a ball and flatten it into a disc that is about 2.5 inches across.
  4. Add the remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs to a shallow dish and roll each fish cake in the bread crumbs, being sure to cover each side. Set the prepared fish cakes aside on a plate until you are ready to cook them.
  5. Prepare the aioli by combining the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisking to combine.
  6. Open up the slider buns and place them on a rimmed baking sheet with the open sides facing up. Place them in the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown and toasted. Watch them closely so they do not burn. If you are using brioche rolls they will brown significantly quicker than regular buns.
  7. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil just starts to shimmer, place the fish cakes in the pan in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes or until a golden crust starts to form. Flip each cake and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the second side until they are cooked through.
  8. Place the bottom buns on a large serving platter and top them with a scoop of aioli. Layer on your desired toppings such as sliced shallot, tomato, and lettuce, a panko breaded fish slider, another scoop of aioli, and lastly the top buns. Serve the sliders immediately while warm.