Frozen Korean fish cakes (eomuk) cook beautifully straight from the freezer with no thawing required. Whether you’re stir-frying them as a side dish, simmering them in soup, or crisping them in an air fryer, the whole process takes 10 to 15 minutes. The key step most people skip: rinsing them under hot water first to wash off the oily coating that develops during packaging.
Rinse Before You Cook
Korean cooks routinely rinse pre-packaged fish cakes under warm or hot running tap water before using them. This removes the thin oil layer on the surface, which can make stir-fries greasy and soups cloudy. A quick 30-second rinse is enough. If your fish cakes are frozen into a solid block, run them under warm water just long enough to separate the pieces, then proceed with your recipe. For soup specifically, a brief boil in plain water before adding them to your broth gives a noticeably cleaner flavor.
Stir-Fried Fish Cake (Eomuk Bokkeum)
This is the most popular way to prepare Korean fish cakes at home. It’s a common banchan (side dish) that comes together in about 10 minutes of active cooking. Cut your fish cakes into bite-sized strips or triangles, whatever shape you prefer.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, sliced onion, and scallions, and cook for about a minute. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the fish cake pieces along with sliced chili peppers if you want some color and heat. Stir-fry for one minute. Pour in your sauce, stir everything together, and cook for another minute or so until the sauce is absorbed and the vegetables are tender.
Two Sauce Options
For a mild, slightly sweet version, mix together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, half a teaspoon of minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons of honey. This is the classic flavor profile you’ll find in most Korean homes.
For a spicy version, use 1 teaspoon soy sauce, half a teaspoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons honey, and 2 teaspoons gochujang (Korean chili paste). The gochujang adds a rich, fermented heat that pairs naturally with the mild fish cake. Mix whichever sauce you choose in a small bowl before adding it to the pan so it distributes evenly.
Fish Cake Soup (Eomukguk)
Eomukguk is Korean street food comfort in a bowl. The fish cakes simmer in an anchovy-based broth that’s light but deeply savory. The broth takes about 40 minutes, but most of that is hands-off simmering.
Start with 12 cups of water in a large pot. Add cubed Korean radish (or daikon), a sheet of dried kelp, and chopped onion. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes. While that boils, toast about 20 large dried anchovies (guts removed) in a dry pan for a few minutes, or microwave them for one minute. This takes the edge off their fishiness. Add the anchovies to the pot and boil uncovered for another 20 minutes. Strain everything out, then season the broth with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Thread your fish cake pieces onto wooden skewers, five or six per skewer, and place them in a shallow pot. Pour enough broth over the skewers to fully submerge them, then bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the fish cakes are soft and have absorbed some of the broth’s flavor. Frozen fish cakes can go directly into the broth with no thawing. They just need a couple of extra minutes compared to refrigerated ones. Serve the skewers in bowls with plenty of hot broth and a side of soy sauce with sliced scallions for dipping.
Air Fryer Method for Crispy Edges
If you want crispy fish cakes without deep frying, the air fryer is the fastest option. Preheat to 200°C (400°F) for 2 minutes. Arrange the frozen fish cakes in a single layer with space between each piece so air circulates properly. Cook at 180°C (360°F) for 5 minutes, flip them over, then cook for 3 more minutes. Total time is about 8 minutes.
Flipping halfway through is important. Without it, the bottom gets overdone while the top stays soft. You want both sides evenly golden. This method works best with flat fish cake sheets or pre-shaped patties rather than the thicker rolled varieties, which do better in soup or stir-fry.
Pan-Frying on the Stovetop
For a quick snack or a simple addition to a rice bowl, pan-frying is hard to beat. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the fish cake pieces flat in the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop light brown spots and the edges start to crisp. You can eat them plain with a dip of soy sauce, or toss them into a stir-fry sauce after frying for the best of both textures: crispy outside, chewy inside.
Storing and Using Leftover Fish Cakes
An opened package of fish cakes keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If you bought a large bag and only need some, pull out what you want and return the rest to the freezer immediately. Refreezing is fine since these are fully cooked products. For meal prep, stir-fried fish cake banchan holds well in the fridge for up to five days and actually tastes better the next day after the sauce has had time to soak in. It’s one of the most reliable make-ahead side dishes in Korean cooking.